The short answer is yes. Now those parents reading this are likely doing a lot to keep their teenagers out of trouble. So you will likely stop reading, but there might be a few things you could do a little more.

1) Know your kids’ friends. Get information yourself from their parents. This might be a surprise but your teenage is going to put their best foot and their friends best foot forward. They may not give you all the information you want in a direction way. Go to the source, the other parent. Yes it will embarrass your kids. And while it may seem you don’t trust them, “trust but verify!”

2) Talk to them about what they would do. If your teenage found themselves in a mob situation, what would they do? Ask them! Plan ahead. Share your experiences because we have all gotten caught up in group think.

3) Group think is easy to fall into and it diffuses responsible. If everyone is speeding, then it is easy to say “it’s ok, everyone is doing it and they can’t stop us all.” It’s hard to remember that it is still wrong.

4) Teach them to respect authority and stand up to their friends. If the person in charge tells you to do something (and it is safe), do it. Challenge the action later. File a complaint after the event. And if your friends don’t decide a different path, then let them stand on their own.

Dr. P