Bolingbrook Prom Guide: Have Fun, Stay Safe on Prom Night

Prom night for Bolingbrook High School students is Friday. 

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Prom 2013 will take place April 26 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The theme is "Midnight in Paris." Prom tickets are $70 each. 

• For the Bolingbrook High School prom dress guide, click HERE. 
• For prom guidelines, including rules and expectations, click HERE.  

Prom night can be a time for good, clean fun. But for some teens, it’s a night to throw caution — and rules about things like drinking and sex — out the window.

To prevent risky prom-night behavior like unsafe sex, drinking or drugs, now is not the time to relax parental rules, according to local police.

Police offered the following tips to help keep kids safe on prom night, and help parents breathe a little easier:

• Parents should know their children’s entire itinerary for the night. Parents should know their child’s whereabouts at all times.
• Parents should reiterate the dangers of drinking and driving — not only for their children not to engage in this behavior, but to [make sure teens] understand that there may be more intoxicated drivers out on the road at this time.
• Parents should make an unconditional option for their children that they will pick them up at any time of day or night if they need help and not belittle or reprimand them in front of their peers.
• Parents should establish boundaries such as a curfew for their children. Curfew laws are not suspended because it is prom night.
• If the child will be staying at a friend’s house, the parents should communicate with the other parents prior to prom night to discuss the details.

Avoid dating abuse, unsafe sex

For teens, the Centers for Disease Control offer the following advice for staying safe and  protecting yourself from everything from abuse to unintended pregnancy:

• Plan ahead for safety: Tell family what your plans are ahead of time. Make an agreement with friends to keep a check on each other during the evening. Be sure someone you trust is available for you to call if your plans change or you need help.
• Remember that you don’t need a date to have fun: Whether you plan to go with a date, with friends or on your own, the point is to have a good time. Going with a group or meeting friends at the event can be just as fun as going with one special person.
• Just say no: Some people feel pressured to drink, smoke, use drugs or have sex on prom night by friends or the media. However, drinking is responsible for over 4,500 deaths among young people each year and is associated with other problems, like sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy. Alcohol and drugs impair judgment and may result in being harmed or harming others. Just because others do something doesn’t make it a good idea or right for you. It’s OK to say no.
• Respect yourself: Dating abuse is a very real issue for many people. The abuse can be verbal, emotional, physical or sexual. Respect yourself and others, avoid alcohol and drugs and tell family or call 9-1-1 if you or someone you know is being abused.
• Know before you go to after-parties: If you plan to go to an after-prom party, be sure it is adult supervised and has an observed start and end time. Go with a buddy to ensure each other’s safety.