Maybe it skips a generation.
I was fairly wild in high school- I didn't go to prom, but I did go to the senior keg graduation party when I was a sophomore ( in the woods- one reason I moved to the city when I had kids)
However my daughters would never find themselves in the backseat of a car, they did things as a group in high school and I always knew where they were.
My oldest took a friend from grade school to prom and since the limo that they had called never showed up ( it was also opening day of boating season & I figure the company thought they could make more money elsewhere- something to be aware of when your kids are renting limos), I ended up at a small dinner party at her friends house and when they were done with their after prom events the mom went to pick them up.
My younger daughter is going with friends, they are getting their hair done together- eating at a friends, and going to another friends home after the dance. Which sounds good to me, cause the parents have been talking to each other to get the scoop and we are comfortable with it.
But then I just spoke to a friend whose daughter ( younger than mine) is going with two other couples and they are going to a hotel afterwards. She doesn't know the other kids or their parents, but she seems to be fine with the hotel room because that is what all the (
popular* unstated but implied) kids do.
She isn't even a senior but a junior- personally, I think my daughter would be responsible at a hotel, but she didn't even mention it. I think it is one thing not to be handholding them when they are in college, but my friends daughter still has another year of high school.
I sound awfully judgemental- but I really don't think it is good for kids to get to do things like that in high school. I would have loved to have had parental structure and involvement, I think most kids would, despite violent eyerolling.
I know some of you have hosted after grad/prom parties and I think that is great- I know others also have opted out of the whole prom thang and I think that is fine too. I hope that everyone stays safe, but I wish that parents weren't placated by thinking their kids were safe staying unsupervised in a hotel.