17 year old going out advice

[Mickey540]

My DS is turning 17 this week. He goes out a lot and likes socialising parties, drinking you name it. He thinks we have been strict over last couple of years with curfews etc. I know now he will be 17 won’t be putting on any curfews et . However he came home 230am yesterday I was awake listening and waiting for him to come home.
What do people do - wait for their kids to come home
or go to sleep and he will make his own way home .
I feel like if I keep awake I’m going to be very tired for enough years! His dad thinks Wd should go bed and leave him to it !!!

Is this just at the weekends or during the week too?

You certainly can put a curfew on during the week if he’s still in education and needs a good nights sleep.

At weekends, I would go to sleep but only because I know my DH is a worrier and would do the staying up until our DS 17 is home but most of the time he gets a call to pick him up too.

@beautifuldayforit yes definitely only weekends as still in college. That’s it my husbands dad used to wait up for him but my DH will just go to sleep so it will prob me awake worrying 😂and he possibly won’t ask for lifts as we near bus, train uber etc 🤞🤞🤞🤞

You get used to it. My dd is almost 18 and has been going out and about, clubbing etc. The real late nights of going out and about started about a year ago, before that it was mainly friend’s parties.

I go to sleep. So does dh. My phone is on. But dd knows to depend on me! I regularly pick her up and a few of her friends have cars so they drive her around as well if they’re not drinking. She’s got her driving test soon. That’s going to be a different story then!

My ds is 23 and goes out most weekends but he’s autistic and I do worry slightly despite him being really sensible and not drinking too much.

i do tend to sleep with one eye open but recently he’s been out a few times quite late and I’ve had to go to bed but he stays in contact with me as in texts to let me know when he’s in an Uber or whatever. I dont ever properly settle until he’s home to be honest.

@Mummyoflittledragon yes I think this is the future for a while. Will have to see if I can switch off I think whilst he’s out 🤞

@Zoflorabore its just natural I think to worry they are ok 🙏

My DS was the same from quite young, wanted to be out, so had a curfew until around 17, then it was communication, communication, communcation, messaging me if he was running a bit late, and always, always messaging when he gets home - so I can go to sleep and if I wake up worried I can check my phone and know he's home (or not!). Either way, drumming in to them from a young age that if they want freedom and independence, it also comes with responsibility. I'll be doing the same with my DD who is 14.