Though alcohol is illegal for those under 21, some teens will inevitably still drink. Many students drink alcohol when they hold or attend parties when parents are absent. Because of this lack of supervision, there have been many cases where teens have driven under the influence and gotten into fatal accidents. Though many adults know that underage drinking is illegal, they have been taking the wrong approach in strictly enforcing the law. Parents need to realize that their children may drink and the best way to protect them is to supervise them.

Parties do not need to be banned. However, stricter parental supervision is necessary to guarantee the safety of teen parties, especially those with alcohol. Parents should allow their kids to invite only a number of people that will be controllable; the kids should also be familiar with everyone they invite. The party should be kept private to ensure that strangers do not crash the party.

If alcohol is involved, parents can control the amount the kids drink, reducing the risks of alcohol poisoning. Also, parents can ensure that no inebriated guests drive home by taking partygoers’ keys and encouraging them to spend the night. This would be especially effective if all guests drink, because no one else would be able to stop a drunk guest from driving him or herself home.

Furthermore, if parents are present, students will be more aware of their limits and will be more likely to drink responsibly. By introducing alcohol to children, parents can show their children that alcohol is not as much of a taboo as it may seem to be, downplaying the image that alcohol is a “forbidden” beverage and reducing the number of people who drink extreme amounts as a sign of independence or rebellion.

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof method that can prevent some underage teens from drinking. The debate that parents face now is how to deal with them. The Palo Alto police have proposed an ordinance that would fine any parents hosting a teen party with alcohol involved.

But what about those parties held in the parents’ absence, where alcohol is served without adult supervision? These parties are typically more out-of-control and dangerous than those with parents present, especially at the end of the party, where intoxicated guests sometimes foolishly drive home drunk. With parents present, they can prevent any accidents—or even fatalities—caused by drunk driving. Instead of punishing them, we should acknowledge those brave parents’ attempts to tame underage drinking.