It’s Getting Close To Prom Night

… and wouldn’t you like to be able to run a few background checks on your children’s friends before they go out on the big night, and possibly party hard?  Well, we’d love to offer you that service because we would probably make much money at it … but we don’t do that, and legally we can’t.  We actually advise you to not try to find anyone that does that either … the legal ramifications can probably be more than you want.

There are things you can consider, though:

• Many teens that are prom age don’t yet have enough sense to not brag or announce what they want to do on prom night via the Internet – in other words “Google” your children’s friends names, etc.  Believe me, most Internet-savvy parents are going that now.  If the kiddies put the info on their web, MySpace, or Facebook page – it’s now public information (unless you hack into a protected page … then you are on legal thin ground).
• Be honest with them about any prom night concerns … don’t present your concerns angrily.  You will probably be surprised what they might open up about, since they will probably figure out that you are going to check up on them anyway.
• Don’t act like you “never did that …..” when talking about a possible prom night scenario. If you lie to them, it opens up the option of your prom night children thinking you are a hypocrite and doing whatever they want without regard to consequences.

Here are a few reference links:

• From the Concerned Women for America – Prom Promiscuities
• From Education.com – Senior Prom Drinking
• From Consumer Reports – Tips For A Safe Prom Night

What does this have to do with background checks? Nothing really, except that fact that all companies have people with families and children in them that will end up going to proms.  So, this is our way of reminding those parents within our own company with prom aged children get get to know their children’s friends a little more closely around this time of year.

-Lawrence C

IT Tech (ciilink.com)

PS (and disclaimer) – None of this is “official” advice from CII … we are just passing on what we know other parents do – and no matter how concerned (or sometimes how overprotective) you can be, we can’t state the following strongly enough: Keep anything you do to check up on your kids during prom night legal!

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