How to Organize Parties For Teens

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Talk It Over

The only real way to organize parties for teens is to ask them what they want.
Expect that you will disagree on some points.
Keep an open mind and look for ideas that you can both agree on.

Before Parties for Teens

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Sit down with your teen and work out what needs to be done.
Use the Party Planning Checklist below.
Let your neighbors know that a party will be on.
Talk to your local police about noise regulations and register your party (if they have this service). Ask them if they have any advice about running parties for teens.
Make sure you have emergency phone numbers handy including the contact numbers of parents, taxi, ambulance, fire department, etc.
Prepare for guests to stay over rather than drink drive.
Organize activities to keep everyone busy (helps to keep alcohol consumption down).
If the party is fairly large it may be a good idea to hire security. At the very least, invite a number of your own friends and family or other parents to help out. It's become all too common that parties for teens attract unwanted, older gatecrashers.

Party Planning Checklist

What is the budget?

Will it be at home or at another venue?

How many guests will there be?

Who will do the invitations? (paper invitations are recommended so they can be used to get into the party)

When will the party start?

When will the party end?

What food will be served?

Will there be alcohol?

Will there be loud music? Silly question really. A better way of putting it might be: How loud can the music be and at what time is it turned right down or off?

Agree on what areas of the house or yard are off limits.

If you have agreed to alcohol, talk about what you will do if you think guests are drinking too much (remember you have a duty of care).

Work out what you will do if someone is drunk or taking drugs.

Agree on whether the guests can smoke, or not, and where.

Work out what you will do if you end up with gatecrashers.

Work out how guests will get home.

Talk about whether your teenager is expected to keep their guests in line or if it will be completely up to you.

Agree on who will clean up afterwards. Obviously your teenager should be expected to do this. Maybe they could organize some of their friends to help too.

During Parties for Teens

Make sure there is only one way in and one way out. Obviously, you need to make sure there are adequate exits in case of an emergency, like a fire. Just make sure that you haven't got unwanted guests sneaking in via an unsupervised side door.
Have someone on door duty. Decide beforehand if admittance is only allowed on producing the original invitation (It’s a helpful thing to do if you have someone who isn’t familiar with your teens friends and helps to stop gatecrashers).

Make sure you can get the car out if you need to.
Remember the party is for your teen and you have a duty of care so no drinking or drugs for you!!
If you have banned alcohol and find teenagers drinking you must act on this. Especially when it comes to young teens.
The parents are expecting you to keep their kids safe. Remind the teens that it was agreed that there would be no alcohol and that you will be minding it for them until they go home.
Just remember to “forget” to give it back to them. Did you know that if they decide to drink it on the way home you may be liable for anything that happens to them?
Whether you tell the parents about it when they pick their kid up, or even hand the alcohol back to the parents, is up to you.

If you have agreed to serve alcohol:

Make sure the parents of guests know beforehand
Provide plenty of non-alcoholic drinks as well
Provide plenty of food
Keep an eye on how much is being drunk
Steer clear of alcoholic “lolly” drinks – they are too easy to drink quickly and very high in alcohol. Dangerous for seasoned adults let alone young teens.
Provide small glasses.

Check the house and yard occasionally.
Ask you teenager how it’s all going every now and then.
Keep an eye on the time and make sure the music is down or off at the agreed time and start calling cabs or parents at the agreed end time.
Check on any teens that are driving themselves home and be firm if you think they have been drinking. Take their car keys and offer to call them a taxi or to stay the night.
Parties for teens needn’t be a headache if you involve your teenager, set some boundaries and keep an eye on things.

What Questions Should You Ask Before Your Teen Goes to a Party?

Here's an introduction to teen parties, including the sorts of questions you should be asking yourself, your teen and the host of the party before your teen goes out.