High School After-Prom Parties at the Shore

A recent unscientific poll of Madison High School parents revealed that some were confused about the prom parties held at the shore. Some thought the parties were sponsored or sanctioned by Madison High School.   Others weren’t sure.  In truth, the shore parties have nothing to do with Madison High School.

Principal Bruce Padian stated, “This is not a school sponsored party.  In fact, if I were the parent of a senior, I would think twice about letting my child stay overnight at the shore without a parent chaperone.”

At last year’s informational program given by the Chatham and Madison Municipal Alliances Against Substance Abuse, "Shore Prom Parties-What Really Happens at Unsupervised Weekends Down the Shore.", Madison Eagle writer Julie Lange reported following:

Parents may want to check on the lodging their seniors have arranged.  Some unscrupulous owners have been known to charge as much as $200.00 per person for double rooms, and then assign eight people to the room.

Kids have also found themselves in broken down rooms that may have been trashed previously, but the owners won’t return their security deposits, blaming the damage on the current weekend group.

One of the speakers said that it doesn't mean kids can't go down to the shore with their friends. There are things that can be done to avoid these problems so everyone has a great time.

One precaution to take to avoid being overcharged is go see the lodging in advance before making the reservation to be sure it’s worth the price.  Something for parents and kids to remember is that whoever books the reservation is responsible for any damage.

It was also recommended that when young people rent a house or apartment, one of the parents be along to stay in the home to be available in case of trouble.

Places that expect to see unsupervised teens may also attract people who prey on kids.   As a result, young people are sometimes victimized by thieves, cheats or sexual predators.  It is better when outsiders are barred from the property; this helps keep predators from coming around.

When choosing a place to stay,  parents should make sure the lodging has security service, and find out whether it is provided by off-duty police officers, who are more experienced and have full resources unlike less-experienced, lower-paid security guards.

Today’s kids are savvy and street wise, but anyone can become a victim.   It is important to help our kids avoid dangerous situations where they could, at best, be cheated out of some money and at worst, get hurt.

The problem isn’t just with shore towns; the same things can happen to kids anywhere if they’re unsupervised and unprepared.  If parents and kids work together with a few precautions, celebrations can be fun and safe.