Why do parents host booze-fueled parties for underage kids?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry. Do you want to be sued or arrested?

I do not understand this mentality at all. There's currently a debate in my town over whether groups of freshmen should drink with supervision because they can "experiment safely." I think these parents just want to relive their glory days, compensate for fun they never had, and long to social engineer by being the cool party house. Is there an upside to plying teens with alcohol.

Please help me to understand.

[Anonymous]

They prioritize their kids popularity over their safety because they are emotionally immature.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Incredibly shortsighted and dangerous. No way, no how would I ever condone have some booze fueled party for a bunch of HS freshmen.

Heck, even having a bunch of college freshmen over who probably have come across booze at college would not be condoned either.

[Anonymous]

Their own brains are compromised by alcohol so what do you expect?

[Anonymous]

If you drank in high school think back to the houses you drank in. At least in my personal experience it was always parents who were a mess themselves, either divorced and it was the dad trying to be cool, or parents who were drunk themselves, or parents who were always out of town or out partying.

[Anonymous]

Having heard some parents talk about going to outdoor concerts with their teens and sharing joints with them, etc., I think THEY think it makes them cool.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t this like the 3rd thread on this topic in a week??

[Anonymous]

I know someone who did this. Their reasoning was that their teen was going to drink anyway and since they couldn't stop them (couldn't physically stop them from leaving the house, get picked up by friends and drive to parties), they preferred to supervise themselves and make sure no one got black out drunk or drove home drunk.

I am just relieved that none of my kids insisted on breaking the rules in any way. I don't know what I would have done if one of my kids was like their kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you drank in high school think back to the houses you drank in. At least in my personal experience it was always parents who were a mess themselves, either divorced and it was the dad trying to be cool, or parents who were drunk themselves, or parents who were always out of town or out partying.

Yep. Thinking for a minute, you are correct. Pretty much every HS party was at a house like this and the one that was always hosting had parents who were just checked out.

[Anonymous]

I don't get it either. I would never host a party like that. I also hope my child never attends one. And if he does so unknowingly I have told him to call me to pick him up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry. Do you want to be sued or arrested?

I do not understand this mentality at all. There's currently a debate in my town over whether groups of freshmen should drink with supervision because they can "experiment safely." I think these parents just want to relive their glory days, compensate for fun they never had, and long to social engineer by being the cool party house. Is there an upside to plying teens with alcohol.

Please help me to understand.

You don’t want to understand, so why ask? Just keep your own child away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you drank in high school think back to the houses you drank in. At least in my personal experience it was always parents who were a mess themselves, either divorced and it was the dad trying to be cool, or parents who were drunk themselves, or parents who were always out of town or out partying.

Not my experience. We drank in parking lots. Not at people's homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you drank in high school think back to the houses you drank in. At least in my personal experience it was always parents who were a mess themselves, either divorced and it was the dad trying to be cool, or parents who were drunk themselves, or parents who were always out of town or out partying.

Not my experience. We drank in parking lots. Not at people's homes.

Where did you grow up? I grew up in NOVA in the 2000s and we mostly drank at house parties.

[Anonymous]

No idea. My freshman told me there was a party last week where kids were drinking. I asked where they got the alcohol. They said the parents bought $400 worth of vodka for the 14 year olds!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you drank in high school think back to the houses you drank in. At least in my personal experience it was always parents who were a mess themselves, either divorced and it was the dad trying to be cool, or parents who were drunk themselves, or parents who were always out of town or out partying.

Yep. Thinking for a minute, you are correct. Pretty much every HS party was at a house like this and the one that was always hosting had parents who were just checked out.

+1. Same. I think it’s typically not otherwise supportive, present, and responsible parents engaging in this.

As an adult I actually ran into the HS party house kid and, while he’s doing great now, we got into talking about those parties and it it was really sad hearing how it all came about. Dad was a creep, liked the kids partying at his big mansion, and actively encouraged/pushed his sons to have these big parties and let them get wild. Adult son no longer has a relationship with this parent.