Prom: Sex, Drugs and Social Media

Prom: Sex, Drugs and Social Media

The facts cannot be denied or ignored about the importance
of parents talking to their children before the Prom or even
attending a party where adults are not supervising.
As Prom dates come closer concern is taken in clothing, shoes,
hairstyle, perfume or cologne. The type of transportation,
escorts, where to eat and all the other important necessities to
make Prom a memorable experience.

Proms traditionally are a high school event, a rite of passage
from high school students to transitioning graduates. Pressures
of social marketability, notoriety, popularity and economic
visibility have created an atmosphere were even juniors in
high school plan to attend Proms. Parents plan months if not
a year in advance for hair appointments, makeup consultations,
pre-evening, evening and after Prom attire.
The list of duties grows the closer the main event gets to execution.
Several items that many parents do not address either out of fear,
denial or ignorance is the discussion of potential sexual encounters
during and after Prom. When all the pageantry, partying, pimping,
primping are over what may transpire afterwards at Parties;
possible sexual encounters and drug use. This is a reality that
should be talked about.

This may sound vulgar and harsh to some that read this,
parents spend several minutes or seconds warning, joking or
playfully dancing around the issues of sex with their children.
Parents must make sure their child(ren) and the others they are
traveling with, escorting and meeting with later understand the
potential of pregnancy, STD’s and other dangers associated with
unprotected sex, multi-partner sexual encounters. Either with the
same sex or opposite sex or a combination. This is a reality and
any parent that states “my child will never do that” is in serious
denial.
We live in a society where teens have sex and teens have babies.
Parents have to wake up and be honest to this reality. Proms are
ongoing now and parents should be talking to, planning with and
discussing potential drinking and driving, sexual encounters and
other potential dangers. Even the use of Social Media and taking
of pictures at parties and events.
A picture is worth a thousand words, but what if that picture ruins
that young ladies reputation. What if that video keeps that young
man from getting that scholarship or having it taken away.
Social Media content never goes away, it is archived, shared and
exposed to the world. Teachers and law enforcement professionals
have lost their jobs because of pictures and video showing actions
in public and private lives.

Parents remember your responsibility is to teach, train and
raise your child or children, but also understand the dangers
of peer pressure, societal influences of alcohol, drug use and
pressures to have sex.
This Prom talk to your children and their friends about Prom
expectations and accountability for behaviors. Before your child
either male or female is ready to step out the door is not the
time to try and have “the talk” or try to place condoms or other
types of protection in their hands.

Conversations between parents and children should be honest,
respectful, open and share a high level of expectation for safety
and maturity.The sensitive issue of date rape, unsupervised parties
and even being alone with a group can cause potential problems
when drugs and alcohol are present. Several girls have participated
in unsupervised parties where adults were not present. Girls have
been drunk to the point of passing out, when they were unconscious
they were raped, photographed and recorded. This information then
was placed on Social Media sites like Facebook, Youtube and Vimeo.

Steubenville, Ohio Rape Case
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/steubenville-rape

The resulting actions, the girls were harassed, bullied, their
reputations destroyed and their emotional and psychological
stability crumbled. Three girls across this nation and in Canada
committed suicide from bulling and harassment after a party with
drugs and alcohol.

Saratoga, California Rape Case
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/12/justice/california-rape-arrests

Parents take the time even before Prom, before your sons and
daughters leave for college and even now to educate them to be
responsible for their actions. Peer pressure is a challenge, but
the results could lead to more deadly consequences if parents do
not take the time to talk to their children both boys and girls.

Resource:

Sparks of Life in Our Children
http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/400553/william-jackson/2013-04-17/sparks-life-our-children