The countdown until ‘School’s Out’ is slowly but surely approaching zero, with just one week until thousands of school leavers prepare to descend on holiday locations around Australia for Schoolies Week.
Simultaneously, anxious parents are preparing to send their children away for the celebrations.
Some parents can feel nervous about their child being away for an extended period of time, and that’s why the Red Frogs are here; to provide tips to parents to best prepare their teen for safe celebrations!
Red Frogs Top Tips for Parents:
– Talk to your teen about Schoolies Week and how they plan to celebrate.
– Do not call or SMS your teen while they are driving down or home again – they don’t need the distraction.
– Stock your teen with a heap of pre-made meals for the week.
– Do not provide your teen with any alcohol. Although this might feel like you are protecting them, research has shown that providing them with alcohol actually leads to more risky behaviour.
– If your teen is over 18, encourage them to buy light beer, not full strength.
– Make sure your teen is stocked with slabs of water.
– Agree on check-in times and stay in touch during the week to make sure they are OK.
– Remind them to always stay with their friends.
– Make sure your teen has the Red Frogs hotline number saved in their phone and has downloaded our ‘Red Frogs’ app.
– Encourage them to call 000 in emergency situations, the official services are here to help.
Parents can also join the ‘Red Frogs Schoolies Advice for Parents’ Facebook Group to keep up to date.
Local support services and government safety responses are in place to keep Schoolies safe over the next few weeks, for more information visit: saferschoolies.qld.gov.au
For young people planning to head to Schoolies, the Red Frogs can be contacted 24/7 through the hotline number 1300 557 123 or by downloading the Red Frogs App.
For more information on Red Frogs visit redfrogs.com.au
