Your teen is at greater risk of participating in risky behaviours at times earlier than you’d suspect.

In today’s world it is very common for parents/ whanau to work full time. It can be difficult to find care for teenagers at this time, and parents often need to leave them unsupervised for a few hours. For some young people, this unsupervised time can increase their responsibility, independence and self-reliance; but for others it can lead to exposure to risky behaviour with their friends or acquaintances in their peer group.

Research shows that the period of time between 3.30 and 6.00pm is the time when unsupervised teenagers are most at risk of participating in behaviour such as alcohol and drug use, sex and juvenile crime. These are predicted to be greatest when teenagers are socialising with other peers outside of the home in an unstructured way.

Evidence shows that when parents set clear rules and boundaries for how their teen spends their unsupervised time, they are more likely to exhibit positive behaviours and grow into responsible young adults.

How to monitor your teen’s whereabouts:

• Know your teen’s afterschool activities
• Know who their friends are and who they hang out with
• Be clear with your teen as to your expectations concerning the afterschool arrangement
• Call the house landline to establish if they made it home safely
• Encourage and acknowledge them undertaking chores e.g. cleaning and cooking tea
• Encourage your teen to seek a part time job
• Discourage unsupervised gatherings at your home during this time
• Discourage your teen from spending time at locations that have not been previously agreed to, and with friends you do not know

Young people whose parents are supportive, trusting and have clear expectations for their behaviour during the unsupervised period after school are less likely to succumb to peer pressure and behaviours such as substance use.