Isn't It Time To Say No to Sleepovers?
By Barbara Greenberg, PhD and Jennifer Powell-Lunder, PsyD, for GalTime.com
A TRAGIC SLEEPOVER
A 14- year-old Sonoma County girl died in her sleep at a slumber party this past weekend. Although the results of the autopsy are not yet available it is believed that her death was related to the consumption of vodka and soda. She is reported to have gotten the vodka from her own home.
Sadly, it was her mother who discovered her the next morning. She called 911 for help, but it was too late.
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This is every parent's worst nightmare. Parents across the country want to believe that this could/would not happen in their home and are already beginning to weigh in on the mother's character. Some are saying that the mother should have been more vigilant, especially since she was responsible for her teen and her teen's friends' safety while they slept at her home.
Apparently, the teens were vomiting and the mother was told that it was the result of food poisoning. While this poor mother is contending with her own tragedy and loss we all should focus on what we should teach our own teens -- and how we can prevent this type of death in our communities.
Drinking at slumber parties is not a West Coast phenomenon. It happens all across the country when parents are both present and not present.
We suggest that you let your teens know that if they are concerned about a friend who has had too much to drink that they can rely on you to help them and that there will NOT be harsh consequences for the disclosure.
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We also suggest that you let them know that the same will be true if they call you to pick them up for a ride home if they are in a potentially dangerous situation.
At this point, we are beginning to wonder if slumber parties are a way to avoid going home drunk. Many teens have confided in us that they sometimes sleep at a friend's home to avoid going home after drinking.
So, we have two questions for you.
1. Are sleepovers really necessary?
AND
2. What are your thoughts about how to prevent similar situations from happening in your community?
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