How to Have Fun on Your 21st Safely
The 21st birthday is a big one. Sure there are more perks when a person turns 18, but from the age a child sees a parent drinking a beer and enjoying it, they long to turn 21 and do the same. Other than being able to rent a car or run for Congress at the age of 25, it is the last real milestone age until 55, when amongst other gifts, a person becomes eligible for the senior discount at Denny's. But, most people do not have their sights set on running for Congress, and not too many teenagers are looking forward to the day they can get a mild discount at Denny's. For this reason 21st birthday parties are generally regarded as the most important ones in American culture.
It is no secret that most teens have consumed alcohol prior to turning 21, but this is not true of all teens, and even the ones that have drank underage consider their 21st birthday a rite of passage with the ability to drink legally as the ultimate of all gifts. This creates a potentially treacherous event, as 21st birthdays commonly turn into drinking binges. However, this does not have to be the case if proper ground rules are put in place.
In order for a person to have a happy birthday without anything going wrong, it helps to have a parent or responsible adult to plan ahead of time. In all likelihood the newly minted 21 year old will want to celebrate their newfound freedom at a bar. This can easily be done safely if proper precautions are taken. First and most importantly, the person organizing the party should make sure that all guests are already older than 21. After this has been established, it would be a good idea to chaperone everyone to the bar. Once at the bar, the party organizer should alert the bartender of the circumstances and tell them not to serve anyone that appears to be drunk. Finally, at the end of the night it is extremely important to make sure that all guests have either a cab or a sober driver to get them home safely. Without this a happy birthday can quickly turn into nightmare. For parents that are uncomfortable with letting their children go to bars, throwing a surprise party at home is another safe alternative.
While some kids might be skeptical about having restraints on their 21st, if the celebration is handled properly they will quickly see that it is possible to have a good time by acting responsibly, without drinking oneself into a stupor, and this is a valuable lesson for a person to begin their ascent into adulthood with.
It is no secret that most teens have consumed alcohol prior to turning 21, but this is not true of all teens, and even the ones that have drank underage consider their 21st birthday a rite of passage with the ability to drink legally as the ultimate of all gifts. This creates a potentially treacherous event, as 21st birthdays commonly turn into drinking binges. However, this does not have to be the case if proper ground rules are put in place.
In order for a person to have a happy birthday without anything going wrong, it helps to have a parent or responsible adult to plan ahead of time. In all likelihood the newly minted 21 year old will want to celebrate their newfound freedom at a bar. This can easily be done safely if proper precautions are taken. First and most importantly, the person organizing the party should make sure that all guests are already older than 21. After this has been established, it would be a good idea to chaperone everyone to the bar. Once at the bar, the party organizer should alert the bartender of the circumstances and tell them not to serve anyone that appears to be drunk. Finally, at the end of the night it is extremely important to make sure that all guests have either a cab or a sober driver to get them home safely. Without this a happy birthday can quickly turn into nightmare. For parents that are uncomfortable with letting their children go to bars, throwing a surprise party at home is another safe alternative.
While some kids might be skeptical about having restraints on their 21st, if the celebration is handled properly they will quickly see that it is possible to have a good time by acting responsibly, without drinking oneself into a stupor, and this is a valuable lesson for a person to begin their ascent into adulthood with.
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