We know you must be so proud of your child as they have navigated such a big year - and you may be a little worried as they venture to yet another big event: Schoolies. But don’t fear- we’ve seen young people come together to celebrate graduation since 1997, and in this time we’ve learnt a lot. We’ve taken some time to put together some of our top tips for parents in preparing their young person for Schoolies week, so make yourself a cuppa, sit down, and read through our tips below.
1. Read through the accommodation agreement.
2. Cook and freeze meals for them.
3. Have important conversations with your young person.
4. Organise a check-in day.
5. Add an In Case of Emergency (ICE) number and the Red Frogs Hotline (1300 557 123) into your teen's phone.
01
For many young people, this will be the first time they are staying in accommodation without their parents. While this can be exciting, it also means there are added responsibilities for them to be aware of in order to keep their manager on their side. Schoolies in particular is a time when hotels will often have additional policies, so it’s a good idea to read through the agreement with your young person so they understand what the hotel expects of them- and what could potentially lead to being evicted mid-celebrations. Some hotels require an adult to be present at check in, so knowing this beforehand will save you an unexpected car trip. If either of you have any questions about the agreement, give your hotel a call and ask for clarification to ensure your young person’s check-in and stay is as easy as possible for everyone.
02
Not every student took home-ec or hospitality, and sometimes this means school leavers end up eating noodles for the week at Schoolies- not ideal! We as Red Frogs encourage young people to eat well while at Schoolies because we know it can be a big week which noodles- and even our delicious pancakes- can’t fully sustain them for. In our Schoolies Program delivered in high schools throughout the lead up to November, we encourage students to do a grocery shop for easy to prepare but nutritious meals (such as avo on toast or tacos, and buying fruit as snacks!) and also suggest asking parents or family members to prepare and freeze meals they can take with them to Schoolies. This can even turn into a fun family activity by preparing meals ahead of time together.
03
There are a number of issues young people may face or be challenged with in environments like parties or Schoolies. At Red Frogs, some of the more serious call-outs we receive often involve alcohol, sexual assault or mental health. We’ve written previously on how to have these conversations with your young person so they know who to call to help them handle these situations
04
Even if they don’t admit it, your teen will definitely miss you while they are away! Before they head off, organise a day (or days) you can check in with each other. It will help you feel less anxious and your young person will appreciate the love!
05
An ICE number is a number that first responders can access to contact the next of kin of someone they are attending. Decide with your child who their emergency contact should be, and then add this into their phone as a lock screen. You can learn how to do this for iPhones, Androids and Samsungs through the link below.
Our Red Frog Hotline (1300 557 123) is open 24/7 over Schoolies Week, allowing young people to contact us if they want to hang out, need someone to walk them home, are craving midnight pancakes, would like to talk to someone, or may be facing a more serious issue. In case of an emergency schoolies are urged to always call 000 first, and then call Red Frogs for further support. Having our number in their phone before heading to Schoolies means we’re basically on speed dial for any of the above situations!
