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Health & Fitness

Thinking About "Beach Week"

By George Young, LCSW

While parents deal with February weather and school closings, the high school seniors in our lives are doing their victory dances regarding the number of school days left in the year (and not having to make up snow days!).

At the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County (UPC), we have been looking ahead and discussing the annual tradition of Senior Beach Week. We all probably remember Maryland Attorney General Doug Ganzler’s high-profile media issues last year surrounding his son’s beach week event. So here are some suggested ways to manage the end of high school activities in a healthy, responsible manner.

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Frequently parents are a little behind their students in the discussion and planning of these events. February is very much the time to be talking together with your child about viable options and your expectations. Time after time, we hear that parents either don’t know what the plan is or by the time they begin to ask questions or hear about things, the students have already set their plans in concrete. Hence the train has left the station!

Thousands of students converge on a few beaches all at the same time to celebrate their completion of high school and their independence and movement to the adult world. Whenever you put a large number of people in one area, things can happen, and in a party atmosphere, the things that happen aren’t always good. 

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In Ocean City, Md., the typical citation number for underage possession of alcohol in June is about 800. As a therapist, I have worked with students, due to attend their colleges on scholarships, who end up with assault or drug and alcohol charges during beach week, impacting their transitions to college in significant ways.

Additionally, I have worked with families to develop a plan together with their student that allows them to celebrate with their friends, but in areas that are safer and less likely to cause chaos. I would offer the following tips for parents to consider now, before the “plan” is presented to you:

  • Sit down now with your student and find out if he or she already has ideas for the week after graduation.
  • Develop some options for places that your student could go with their friends that wouldn’t be where the “masses” go. Some of the local hot spots to avoid include Ocean City, Md., Virginia Beach, Va., and Myrtle Beach, S.C.
  • Brainstorm options for fun, exciting places that your student and their friends can be together, have fun under limited supervision and develop memories. Ideas might include Lake Anna, Wisp, Homestead or even more exotic places such as a house boat on Lake Meade or trip to the islands or even a cruise. The focus is their being with a select group of their friends, under some adult supervision to monitor behaviors, but more importantly to assist in developing the activities that will help them to have a great, memorable and safe time.
  • Discuss your expectations of behaviors that would be acceptable and not acceptable.  Remind them that alcohol is illegal to them, along with other substances and needs to be off limits.

Graduation is not a time to just let go; it is a time to continue staying engaged, but in a different manner. Work with your students to provide options to the “Beach Week” chaos that they might think is what they are supposed to indulge in as a rite of passage. Insist that your student put some of their maturity into planning a celebration that you can support, and even participate in.  After all, you were a significant part to their graduating and likely to their future. It is a celebration that requires your input, direction and approval.

George Young, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), is a senior clinician for National Counseling Group, Inc., and is vice president of the Board of Directors of the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County.

The Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County is a nonprofit organization with more than 60 community partners working together to keep youth and young adults safe and drug-free. Visit www.unifiedpreventioncoalition.org and www.facebook.com/unifiedpreventioncoalition. Follow the group on Twitter at www.twitter.com/keepyouthsafe

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