House party night - It's a night many parents would look to with some reasonable amount of dread, but with a little forethought and planning, you can at least ensure that your teenaged son or daughter hosts a party that doesn’t get out of hand, where no one drinks or does drugs and where everyone gets home at the end of the night…safe and sound.

You don’t want to kill the fun, but you do want to keep everyone safe – and you definitely don’t want to let things get out of hand…in your home! You also want to remember that you are legally responsible for anything that might happen to an underage person if they consume drugs or alcohol in your home…and you remain legally responsible even after they leave your home! You definitely want to make sure that no one drinks or does any drugs at any party of your son's or daughter's!

Here are some tips from the American Academy of Physicians for hosting a safe and substance abuse free party

Teen Party Planning Tips

• No surprises. Make sure the party is planned, and make sure you are aware of all the party plans.

• Make sure you have adequate supervision. A recommended guideline is 1 adult "chaperone" for every 10-15 teenaged revelers.
• Make sure you know who's invited and who is not. The last thing you want is a party that gets out of hand – and a party that swells with uninvited guests. Write down the guest list and answer the door yourself.
• Make sure everyone knows when the party is going to end. Set an ending time, and make sure all guests depart as planned.
• Have zero tolerance for drugs or alcohol. Make sure that your son or daughter knows that if anyone is using/has drugs or alcohol on the premises – the party will be over.
• Don't let people come and go either. You want to keep control of the situation, and you can’t do that when people are going who-knows-where, and doing who-knows-what, and then returning to your house (where you are legally responsible for what they do!).
• Make your presence felt and known – but don’t hover. These kids just want to have some fun, and that fun probably doesn’t include you! Be there, be aware – but give them the space they deserve.

That's about it! With a little thought, a clear setting of ground rules, the determination to stick to those rules and adequate, but unobtrusive, supervision, your teen can host a great shin-dig, and you can rest easy knowing that everyone had good, clean and safe fun.