Action to take for party time - so all can have good time

Community Senior Constables Gerry Jackson (left) and Dave Wilkinson, based at the Council’s Fendalton office.

It’s party time at Kelly Brown’s place. Remember the advert?

Well, Community Senior Constables Dave Wilkinson and Gerry Jackson, based at the Council’s Fendalton office, want parties in the district to go without a hitch and so give some pertinent advice.

Parents and teenagers should work out rules beforehand. It should be established who’s attending the party, how many have been invited, and whether alcohol will be provided.

If so, how much and what kind? How will other drink brought by guests be handled?

What food will be available?

Gatecrashers
Gatecrasher can be a problem. To prevent them, some parents hire security staff or ask a bulky relative to deal with uninvited guests.

Set a finish time for the party and have a group of adults work together to wind it up.

This can involve other parents coming to pick up children.

The Constables say adult supervision is critical at teenage parties.

They should make sure they are visible but not intrusive.

Parents could ask that all guests enter through the front door so a check can be made.

Even teenagers with the best parents in the world can still run into trouble.

Most teenagers will experiment with alcohol and often things go wrong.

If a teenager goes to a party, when not allowed to, the situation should be discussed on his or her return. If the teenager is drunk the discussion should be held next morning.

Let the teenagers know about the behaviour and the worries held.

If teenagers are taking alcohol from home without permission, then it is best dealt with as stealing. Ask for payment for the drink.

Dave Wilkinson says there’s plenty parents can do and the ALAC web site (www.alcohol.org.nz/effects/parents/whatworks.html) will be useful to parents.