Yahoo Lifestyle 
Parents fury after teen's party causes $25k damage
After using her parents’ credit card to rent a house to throw a wild party, a Canadian 14-year-old is in major trouble - $25,000 worth, actually.
That’s the amount of damage the teens caused, and which her parents must now pay.
Last week, police responded to a call that reported an 'uncontrolled party' at a neighborhood home in West Vancouver, where nearly 200 teens were seen “flooding out” once officials arrived, according to CTV News.
Left in their wake was a house that had been destroyed - with walls, furniture, and artwork damaged - all of which her parents will be held accountable for.
According to the police report, the young girl responsible for the event had used her parents’ credit card without their permission. But the parents will still have to find a way to pay.
Experts say the Canadian party disaster can serve as a wake up call for teens who may be thinking about throwing their own out-of-control party.
“The first thing parents have to do is talk to their kids,” child and adolescent psychologist Barbara Greenberg tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Approach it in a two-pronged way. Empathise with your kid and align yourself with them so that they know you’re on their side. Explain the peer pressures and negative outcomes. Secondly, explain that this is our home that we’ve worked so hard for, and as a part of the family, you need to protect it too, and our resources.”
It’s also important to have an adult supervising, she says, as a grown-up’s presence can help a teen deflect inevitable peer pressure.
“You’re actually helping your child by having an adult in the house or a neighbor stopping by, because you’re giving your child an out,” Greenberg explains. “Kids get really scared, and they’re going to be secretly grateful that you helped them,” especially with social media‘s ability to turn a seemingly innocent party into something that is out of a kid’s control.
As for what can be learned after a child makes the mistake of throwing a party that results in financial disaster? Greenberg says the bottom line is that “young teenage children and unlimited credit cards are a dangerous recipe.”
“These parents should work out a plan for the teen to pay,” she says of the 14-year-old Canadian girl, adding that this extreme example should serve as a talking point for parents everywhere. “Show your kids the article, and ask them what they think. They want to know that you value what they say. They want to feel relevant and want to be heard.”
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