GoErie.com Blogs: Her Times - Parenting tips for prom time

The picture at left is my kids all dressed up ? not for prom, but that?s our topic today. We?ve survived dozens of proms with six kids and all the drama that goes with them. One year, one kid and his girlfriend broke up the night before the prom ?? after he had the tux.
So remember, this is an emotional time for teens. Be careful what you say and do.

1. First and foremost, this is your teen?s prom. Don?t get carried away or too involved ? unless your teen asks for help. We?ve seen parents insist on limos and dinner at extraordinarily expensive places when the kids wanted to keep it simple. Let your kids plan this event and let them pay for it (or at least some of it). If you go overboard, what are you going to do for a wedding?
2. Kids often go to prom without a date, in groups, or even choose not to go at all. Don?t pressure them, but be prepared that they could change their minds ? a few times. It?s OK. This is just a dance, not the first year of college.
3. Know where your teen and the group are going. From dinner to whatever overnight arrangements are in order. Most of our kids spent the night at a family?s home. Know the parents involved.
4. Keep your cell phone on. While we were at a party, we got a frantic call that the kids locked their keys in the car. So, we made a trip to the prom, but we stayed invisible. The key exchange took place outside ? no one wants to be embarrassed at prom.
5. Huffington Post contributor Erika Katz (bondingoverbeauty.com),?suggests giving your kids a curfew. All the proms our kids attended included an after party, and after the after-party, they were at a family home with parents we knew (God bless them) ready and willing to entertain and supervise.
6. One of the best recommendations Katz offers is to remind your child that everyone has a camera. No one wants to see themselves on youtube doing something stupid. It?s not a memory they will easily live down.
7. Remind your kid that employers and college administrators check out Facebook pages. I know because I?ve had employers call me for references on kids after they saw that I was a friend on Facebook.
8. Katz also points out that illegal behavior can result in a?college rescinding its scholarship offer. This is a big one, folks. Big.

Finally, be a parent, but be a friend. Sometimes, kids don?t have a great time. Be understanding and let your teen handle it. Be a listener, not a lecturer.

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