Everyone’s done it.
For parents, it’s leaving the kids alone in the house while you take a quick weekend getaway trip, trusting that they know not to throw an unsupervised party.
For kids, it’s waiting until mom and dad are gone, then inviting friends over for a drinking
party, courtesy of the family liquor cabinet.
It’s a natural part of growing up, and most parents struggle to balance trusting their children with protecting them.
The problem comes when the scales tip too far and a teen’s learning experience becomes a liability for his or her parents.
The Ponte Vedra High School PTO this week offered parents a presentation about teen parties. Nickie Gorce, director of prevention programs for Epic Community Services, and attorney Patrick Canan came to the school to discuss the effects of underage drinking and the ramifications it can have for parents.
"Based on surveys done at the beginning of the year, this is as relevant a topic as you are going to hear about," said Principal Craig Speziale.
"There is so much misinformation that we decided to address it in a meeting," said PTO President Yvonne Ratcliffe.
Gorce said one out of two youths drink monthly and one out of three binge drink monthly.
"Kids will be kids and its normal for them to try and experiment," Gorce said. "Be their parent. That is what creates a relationship of respect."
Canan said the topic of teenage drinking is dear to his heart because he has three kids himself.
"I don’t know all of the answers, but there are a few laws that deal with liability for parents," he said. "If you furnish alcohol to a minor you are guilty of a crime."
Canan said that if a kid wants to get alcohol they are going to get it, but the issue regarding liability is complicated.
"I know plenty of parents who say they’d rather have them drinking at the house than drinking unsupervised somewhere else," he said. "You should take reasonable steps to determine if alcohol is there [with minors]. If you allow underage kids to drink with you failing to take steps to ensure their ages, you have violated the statute."
So how do you protect yourself?
Canan explained that ownership means liability. Effectively this means if a minor is driving a car and injures someone, the owner of the car is liable for the damage. In the case of most teenagers, the owners of
the vehicle are generally their parents.
He admitted there are no clear rules on how to protect yourself and your children, but emphasized the importance of being aware of the consequences of underage drinking for your kids as well as for adults.
Canan said the key is understanding that we all owe a duty to each other.
"If you know it is happening and you don’t take reasonable steps [to stop it] you’ve committed a crime," he said.
