How to Chaperone a Sweet Sixteen Party

Her sweet sixteen party will be the highlight of your daughter's teen life. Keeping her and her friends safe so that they can celebrate for years to come may make this less of a party for you. You can keep the chaperone duties from giving you a headache by preparing yourself and your daughter before the big day.

Instructions

1. Give your teen some space when setting up your chaperoning policy for her sweet sixteen. Remember that this party celebrates her coming of age, and shadowing her every moment of the party will only make her feel like a little girl, instead of the maturing young woman she is.

2. Find neutral adults to act as chaperones at her big party. Family members such as uncles and aunts or friendly neighbors can help maintain an adult presence at the party without dampening the kids' fun with too much parental oversight.

3. Plan an evening of fun events such as casino games and dancing to help keep the kids entertained and out of trouble.

4. Establish the rules for the evening ahead of time. If you have enlisted others to chaperone make sure they know what behavior is acceptable of the party-goers and share this with your daughter before the party begins.

5. Express a "no tolerance" policy to your teen regarding the use of alcohol and drugs. Remind her that this means that anyone caught at the party with either will be reprimanded and dealt with the appropriate manner.

6. Become familiar with your teen's crowd of friends before her sweet sixteen party. You can help with the guest list and discuss where she knows each from to get a better idea of who will be attending the big bash.

7. Ask the parents of party-goers to talk to their teens about appropriate party behavior. By keeping the other parents informed about the rules of the party you can ensure that everyone will have a safe and fun evening.

8. Play it safe when you chaperone by having a first aid kit on hand as well as fire extinguishers and other safety devices just in case.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider hiring a guest list manager to ensure that no party crashers ruin your event. This may be especially vital if you are hosting a mega-party for your teen with 100 or more guests.

• If you are hosting the party at your home, let your neighbors know in advance. They will appreciate the heads up and may even help chaperone.