no-drinking teen clubs - opinions pls!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-13-2006
no-drinking teen clubs - opinions pls!!
5
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 12:31pm
Happy new year ladies! I'm seeking opinions. We live in the Chicago area. There are several clubs that admit only patrons under 21 years of age and do not serve alcohol. My opinion (in the past at least) is that "clubbing" is an adult behavior and that high schoolers don't belong in a club environment. I'm afraid that drugs or that smuggled alcohol would run rampant in this sort of environment. My almost 15 year old DD wants to go to a club with a girl friend. She has not shown very good judgement over that past several months and is on a very short leash. What do you ladies think of these places? Thanks!
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 12:35pm
We had one here our area.
Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-05-2006
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 12:47pm
There is a huge difference between a 14/15 year old and a 20 year old. Isn't there a minimal age requirement there? I wouldn't want my 15 year old there but she would probably sneak there at some time or another. If your daughter is on a very short leash I wouldn't let her go until you could trust her more. Also, is it a well monitored club? If it is chances are that not many 19/20 year olds would go if their intention was to drink or drug it up. In my experience it seems that this type of group would find it too immature and boring for them and go elsewhere. I think it also depends on the size of the club. The smaller the better in my opinion.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-1999
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 1:52pm
We haven't really had that issue come up, but I would say 15 is pretty young. I would think of those places as more for ages 18-21 who are too young to drink but still want to socialize like young adults and meet other people. I would be kind of worried that a 15 yo girl would be vulnerable to meeting 19 or 20 yo men. I would stick to school or church sponsored dances or things like that.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2006
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 5:59pm
Hi! I'm a 16 year old girl also from the chicagoland area, and I've been to one of these clubs before. Some have more secruity than others...you should look the place up online or call and check it out. Most of the people that go are 16 or 17, so she'd be a little young...you might want to wait a couple years before letting her go...but there are very few 19 and 20 year olds there. The atmosphere is similar to a highschool dance, with slightly less supervision. For example, the kids can come and go as they please, and at our school dances, once you're in, you're in. I mean, she COULD leave and sit out in the parking lot and drink, or meet a friend with a car there and leave, etc, but that's the same risk you're taking when you drop her off at the movie theatre. So I guess it only really becomes a problem is when parents drop their kids off at nine and let them stay until two. I would compromise and let her stay until 11:30. Also, don't let her spend the night at a friend's house after the night, and if you can, make sure you're the one to pick her up.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2006
Wed, 01-03-2007 - 6:29pm

We faced this recently. My 15yo DD wanted to go to a teen night with a friend. I looked the place up online, and called the owner. He discussed their security procedures, and reassured me. For example, he has his own security, asks for ID for anyone who "looks over 17", does not let kids leave and then return (can't get drunk in the parking lot). He invited me to come and look around - I didn't do this, but was happy that he invited me. He also said - "I'm a local business man, I don't want trouble, I want to stay in business".

Based on this - I drove my DD and friend there (they wanted to walk), waited until they went inside, and set an early pickup time ("Oh Moooooom!"). I told her if it went well, we'd talk about a later pick up time another night.

Things went well. There was another night last week, but she couldn't go. I would have let her.

Check things out and then go with your judgement.

HTH
Sue