Micaela Feiteira

2010 077 90

Assignment 4

Authentic Resource

Here's the scenario.

Your daughter is matriculating from high school and you throw her a huge backyard bash to celebrate the occasion. You hire a caterer, find a DJ, and proceed to your local liquor store for cases of beer (for you and the other adults attending) and soda (for her). The attendees are a wild mix of family, your friends and co-workers, and your daughter's friends. You've warned your daughter that there will be no underage drinking at this party and she agrees to spread the word. Your daughter and her friends have never given you an ounce of worry, so you trust them completely. Therefore, you are shocked to learn the next day that a few of her friends smuggled some of the beer into the garage and proceeded to get drunk under your roof. They then got into a car and wrapped themselves around a tree. Shock turns to confusion later on when you are sued for negligence by the parents of the kids in the car. You call a lawyer and self-righteously exclaim "We're not liable! We told those kids they were not allowed to drink in our home!" Guess again.

As a class, break into groups of four members, here you will be discussing;

If you were the parents of the girl who hosted the party, how would you deal with your daughters dishonesty? What would her punishment be, keep in mind she has now matriculated, even though she is under age.

If you were the parents of the children who “wrapped” themselves around a tree? How would you deal with the consequences and guilt that might come with having said “yes” to letting your child attend the party?

After discussing the following questions, role play in your groups for marks, one of the above scenarios, and the consequences that will unravel from the above happenings.

How can you minimize the chances of the above scenario

happening to you? Don't buy alcohol for parties where minors

will be attending. Eliminate the alcohol and the problem goes

away. However, be aware that this does not prevent others from bringing alcohol into your home. It may also make for a

very boring affair. It's much more fun to see Uncle Hector

dancing the Macarena than discussing the price of gas. A

solution would be to mandate that all car keys get handed in

upon arrival or that all kids sleep over in the family room. This

is much more responsible (and realistic) parenting than

dictating "no drinking" and then burying your head in the

sand.

Have your party in a banquet hall. If you have the means, forego the backyard braai and put the liability on someone else. Because they are subject to the more severe "drama" laws, owners of banquet facilities are fully aware of the dangers of serving alcohol to minors or those who are already intoxicated. They train their bartenders and security people to be on the lookout for teens trying to drink on the premises. Although you will pay for the privilege, shifting the liability to someone else is a great idea.

If you encounter resistance from your child about implementing any of the above suggestions, it may be time to seek professional advice about your teen. A rational, well-adjusted child will appreciate the danger inherent in throwing these backyard parties and will want to protect the family from a potentially disastrous law suit. If they place the value of a good time for their friends above all else, it may be a sign of a bigger problem. Drug or alcohol use may already have expanded beyond the experimental stage and be influencing their decisions. If they cannot or will not see the bigger picture, it's time to get help.

Stop thinking of your children and their friends as either

"good" kids or "bad" kids. Good kids drink too! Most kids

experiment with alcohol and drugs, no matter what their background, intelligence or level of responsibility. This, in and

of itself, does not make them "bad". It makes them "kids!"

Allowing for the possibility up front will save a lot of heartache

later on.