Winter Formal and Senior Prom from the Private Investigator

A Private Investigator knows what goes on with young people.

• Are you a helicopter parent?

• Have you given any thought to what goes on at some of the functions your kids attend?

• Is your daughter going to the winter formal? Has she already gone?

• Have you given much thought about the senior Prom?

• You need to pay a lot of attention and not make too big a nuisance of yourself in the process.

• Meet the parents of the other kids and draw your own conclusion.

High School Party - Teen Drug and Alcohol abuse

The Winter Formal and the Senior Prom are not your biggest concerns and admittedly not as popular or as potentially problematic for parents and students but the same risks are present and cannot be overlooked.

You need to be involved and if not volunteering for a carpool ride or other presence you should keep a fairly tight schedule and not allow your son or daughter to deviate from the plan. Last minute changes to stay over at a friends' house or a hotel are generally bad decisions. To say "this is experience they need as a part of growing up" is unwise and dangerous.

We all trust our children and know that they will most likely do the right thing when faced with a choice at a critical moment but when they are among their closest friends they feel safe, secure and like nothing could put a damper on their life. No consequences. Remember, there are other people who they know who have a track record or pattern of bad decisions and behaviors that can lead to a catastrophic end for some.

Most all high school age people know a lot of troubled kids who have problems at home or belong to groups prepared to do anything to bolster their perceived popularity.

Private investigators are hired by parents and family members to check on the activity of minors. We are often asked to speak to them and contact friends and the parents of other young people. We investigate behaviors and work with law enforcement to stop bad behaviors before they lead to a criminal record or worse.

Points to remember and to be concerned about:

• Make sure that once the party is over, you pick up you child. If the other kid's parent is going to be picking up the kids you need to talk with them first.

• Drinking alcohol is very common at high school functions and not easy for parents and staff to catch. We noticed limosine drivers purchasing alcohol for the cars while hauling kids around. Most of the kids that will be promoting drinking on these otherwise fun and relatively innocent nights will bring their own or have an after party where they have just enough to get the right people smashed. Children and young adults are not strangers to accessing their parent's liquor and they can still get someone to buy it for them or sell it to them if they want. Many parents allow their kids to drink at home or in mixed company as they feel they are going to do it anyway. These people will allow your child to participate in this behavior without your knowledge.

• Unfortunately the inexperience of most young people causes their downfall on an evening such as this. Parents may never learn the truth or worse still may find out the hard way, after a tragedy like an auto accident or forced sex, or other.

• Drugs are extremely common at youthful functions. You have the regular problem kids and you have the basically good kids that will follow the wrong lead and try drugs for the first time or again, or allow their safety to be in the hands of the wrong people. Young and inexperienced people do not know their limit and are the first to find the danger zone, cross the limit line and have big problems.

Would you rather chance being a nuisance to your young loved one, or allow them to learn the hard way that they are not yet an adult and not yet capable of making the best adult decisions. Overdose, forced sex and rape, injuries and worse can be the result. Keep the occasion fun, healthy and help to make it a great and memorable experience by maintaining structure and getting everyone home safe and sound.

The prom, winter formal, graduation and the parties can be positive and fun experiences but we should not take it for granted that everything is fine when we are not there. You should be a part of this very special time and see first hand how your child is growing into an adult.

Are You a Teenager Dealing with Tough Decisions? You Know What is Right and Wrong but sometimes the answer is not clear.

If you are conflicted and are not sure what you should do and you don't want to risk exposure for speaking out or seeming like an outsider, you are welcome to call us and talk in confidence. We will give you our opinion and best recommendations based on our having been in difficult situations throughout our life and with our thousands of clients like you. We will not charge you for our time on the phone or in a face to face meeting and we will not discuss your situation with others without your permission. Many people feel they or a friend of theirs have already gone too far or are in too deep. It can't hurt to discuss this with someone who knows, for free and in private. We are PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS and your safety and welfare are our concern.

Mike Garroutte has been a private investigator in Southern California for over thirty years. He is the owner of Linked Investigations in Costa Mesa, Ca. Linked Investigations provides investigative services, conducts surveillance for clients locally, nationally and internationally. We provide detailed background checks, asset searches and find people regularly. To verify our license or that of another private investigator in California, click on the box below and you will be forwarded to the state of California's website.