Going Out Partying...

[mom2many]

Wow, I can't imagine living like that! Who are they to tell an adult where they can be at night? My husband and I love to go on midnight walks. We often take our kids out on late night walks to see the stars, watch the auroras or listen for owls. If a particularly good meteor shower or auroras are predicted, we put the kids to bed at 7 and wake them up at midnight to see it. We put them in snow gear and pull them in a packing sled down the roadside ATV trail.

When I was a teen we loved hiking at night and trying to scare each other. Obviously not every night, but it was definitely something we thought worth doing! What kind of world is Idaho??

If they are out with parents/relatives they are fine. They can also be coming and going from work or home to home. I think the law was originally intended to put a stop to a lot of the late night joy riding that was going on. There were quite a few accidents involving that age group so that was their solution to it. It's really not that big of a deal. Like I said nothing is usually open that late, and if an event is in town, cops don't harass that age group as long as they are behaving and at least headed home.

Hell, most places aren't even open on Sundays. It's a pretty conservative, religious state. Originally it was quite the culture shock for this California girl.

 

[akmom]

Waking them in the wee hours asking them to sit with me in the living room for something important. Then while they wipe the sleep out of their eyes explain that his is how I feel when they dont respect my sleep.

This!

I worked nights at a factory over the summer when I was 17 to 20, and the shifts were long. I'd usually work 12-16 hours, because at minimum wage, overtime is the only way to make money. And every time I'd come home, there'd be a blaring television and barking dogs. No one would turn down the volume, or get around to letting the dogs out, and it was so hard to sleep. When I complained, my parents told me the world didn't revolve around me, so I just pitched a tent in the yard and slept there. My mom said I was being dramatic, but they did start keeping the house quieter because they didn't like me camping on the lawn. They just didn't seem to appreciate that everyone needs sleep.

To this day I don't own a television or dogs. I like a quiet household at least some of the time.

 

[Shaun Austin]

Yeah it sounds a really nice area. I feel quite Jelous, here in the Uk it seems so loud and busy mind you we live in a village on the outskirts of one of the largest towns in the country. I remember a road trip we took in America about a year after our wedding, and Charlotte said she would love to bring up kids over there, shame it never happened, members of my family live in the states like my brother Jake lives in New York and my mum's family is Hispanic/american, they all live around Colorado and the surrounding area

 

[Testing]

singledad: Wait. There's an elephant in the room.

Now, I'm not one to freak out about a 17 year old drinking, and I know it's legal in the UK, but a 17 year old <U>getting drunk on a regular basis</U>? Do you think that's ok? Do you realise that his brain is still developing, and that excessive use of alcohol can have disastrous effects on an immature brain?

Yes! I was wondering if I was the only one who found this to be a serious problem. That kid is killing brain cells! This is not ok.

A truthful excuse is not necessarily a good excuse. "Had no way to get home" - really? That sounds like lack of planning. If he can plan for something as basic as getting home, he shouldn't be going out.
"Had to take a friend home". Ok, so why couldn't he have taken the friend home before his curfew?

I would not have accepted either of these excuses...

Me either. Once, maybe. Not repeatedly. Not ok.

 

[NancyM]

Wait. There's an elephant in the room.

Now, I'm not one to freak out about a 17 year old drinking, and I know it's legal in the UK, but a 17 year old <U>getting drunk on a regular basis</U>? Do you think that's ok? Do you realise that his brain is still developing, and that excessive use of alcohol can have disastrous effects on an immature brain?


A truthful excuse is not necessarily a good excuse. "Had no way to get home" - really? That sounds like lack of planning. If he can plan for something as basic as getting home, he shouldn't be going out.
"Had to take a friend home". Ok, so why couldn't he have taken the friend home before his curfew?

I would not have accepted either of these excuses...

Make that two Elephants. lol I agree.

I never cared about what the laws allow as far as the drinking age goes, everyone is different, I still advise my son to avoid all drugs including alcohol for his own good.

I'm not naive enough to believe that doesn't drink or has never experience with drugs at some time in his life, but since drug and alcohol addiction run in his family, I think it's important for him to keep himself in check.

 

[Mom2all]

This!
I worked nights at a factory over the summer when I was 17 to 20, and the shifts were long. I'd usually work 12-16 hours, because at minimum wage, overtime is the only way to make money. And every time I'd come home, there'd be a blaring television and barking dogs. No one would turn down the volume, or get around to letting the dogs out, and it was so hard to sleep. When I complained, my parents told me the world didn't revolve around me, so I just pitched a tent in the yard and slept there. My mom said I was being dramatic, but they did start keeping the house quieter because they didn't like me camping on the lawn. They just didn't seem to appreciate that everyone needs sleep.

I've worked night shift for 17 years. 12 hours. And your absolutely on the money here. Most people assume that if your sleeping in the day time.. its like taking a nap.. and that being woke up is not that big a deal. The children were pretty good about being quiet. I can only remember a few times they woke me up. I found that by waking them up in the middle of the night to chat it up and then waking them up for school the next morning bright and early.. they got the picture.

Grown people were worse. Saying.. "I know your sleeping but I just had one question..." REALLY????

Back to the earlier comment about it not being safe to leave your son outside through the night after he's been drinking... sleeping on the porch at home drunk is better than roaming around town with god knows who doing god knows what while drunk. While I wouldn't let him sleep outside in freezing weather for fear he's freeze.. if he's grown enough to get drunk and party til the wee hours.. he's grown enough to suffer the consequences of sleeping in the hammock for the night.

If that sounds to harsh.. try waking him up at 6am for breakfast and then a day of cleaning up around the house. A hang over is the best time to learn that if your grown.. you have more responsibilities around the house to attend too.

 

[Shaun Austin]

May I just say now our rules state that weekends are the only time Sam can get drunk. I know that this rule is followed because they haeve never had a hang over on a week night. If he had I would ban alcohol completly until me and my wife felt he was responsible to handle alcohol. We believe personally that we may as well allow him to have alcohol with our knowlege rather than him doing it behind our backs and it being a serious issue for him. We also know that he would probably still consume alcohol even if we didn't know it, so thats why we have been open about it and applying conditions rather than right out banning it.

 

[Shaun Austin]

Time to put the locking door idea to the test... Both teenagers are out tonight (Callum at a concert, Sam at a house party) They both know we expect them home at 1AM at the latest or they will have to prepare to sleep in the garage (theres a sofa with a duvet in there). They also know to call if there is an issue and we will go and pick them up. So fingers crossed Sam will follow every rule

 

[Shaun Austin]

it worked Callum's lift had broken down and when we got home (at about 1:05) Sam was walking through the door. I'd say thats an improvement now i'm going to make sure it works

 

[cybele]

Good to hear.