I just heard Prom for Kinnick this year is at New Sanno.  I don't know if this is new or not, but who's watching all these kids.  Does the school think the students will stay away from Roppongi?  I guess the parents will have to have that responsibility, and have to attend.

  I know DODEA rarely makes good decisions, but gathering a large group of kids that close to Roppongi...fail.

  I wish I could have gone to Prom that close to a party town that doesn't ID, and had drugs running wild, but I was in a different country.  One that takes a lot more work to get into a bar.

Prom has been at the New Sanno for all three DoDDS schools for over a decade now.

My prom was at a castle in Germany, just below the Haupstrasse where there were no less than 75 bars. We went to prom, we danced, we had fun and we went home.

And the drinking age for US off base was 16. What are you implying?

I stayed there with my wife one weekend about a year ago, and they had the Yokosuka Prom there at New Sanno. I think its common. Most bases near Tokyo choose to have it at New Sanno.

There were parents attending. I saw them taking pictures with their kids in the lounge, and in front of the water fountain.

Personally I agree with you, that its near a party town, and very easy for kids to wonder off, but I remember my PROM.. I would of hated, if my mom came with me. Are you kidding me!

This is the time, parents need to start giving their kids a little room to grow and mature.

I think parents do their best to teach the kids all they can, but there comes a time to cut the leash. Kids will either SINK OR SWIM in this world. You can be as protective as you want, but Toyko is a lot SAFER than 90% of cities in the US at night.

I had my 16 year old sister come and stay the entire month with me. My mom was frantic about letting her loose. I let her go out explore do things all as she wanted. She is a responsible girl though, and we trusted her.

Some parents could tell the children to remain in the hotel. Some will listen, some wont. Its all in how honest you raised your children to be. Imagine you not going. Do you think they may sneak into the boys rooms/girls rooms, and spend the night if no supervision was there? I would say YES THEY WILL.

My senior prom, we all rented hotels rooms. Everyone partied all night long. I think I fell asleep on the bed with 3 girls. Ooops... Bottom line, kids need to be kids. They will one day be out in 2-3 years from now anyways, on their own.

What Adam said. They have chaperones at the dance, on the buses back to Yokosuka, and parents stay up at New Sanno that weekend.

Or they could have it at the old Prince hotel and kids could step outside and be in the Honch on a Saturday night. New Sanno is a fun and pretty place for a dance!

Hummmmm, I'm sure Natalee Holloway's mom tells herself that every time she see's VanDerLoot on television. She's a senior graduating, she's always been responsible and a great all around kid, never given me a moment of concern or trouble. Let her go....................

If you have children, you might have some insite into this fear, if not, you might consider that you could be looking at it from the perspective of the prom attendee, not a loving parent who wants to keep their loved one safe.

if not, you might consider that you could be looking at it from the perspective of the prom attendee, not a loving parent who wants to keep their loved one safe.

Your right. I am one with no children, and I do always look at things from both perspectives. Guiding and parenting is not something you have been taught, you have to learn as you go. Parents try to be the best parents they can, from the experiences they have gone through in their life. I just feel if a parent themselves had rough years through high school or not many friends, they dont really know what its like for their child who may be one of the most popular kids in high school for their life. Here that child wants to experience a fun, and exciting adventure but the parent is so protective because they feel its not something they did when they went to school. I have seen this in the past. Kids a very different now than they were 20 years ago in the 80's, and most parents that grew up in the 70's and 80's had to deal with different altercations and violence than the teens have to experience now. Like I have said before, parenting is something you learn as you go. Some parents make mistakes, and when I have confronted them about their decisions, they have said, "HEY I AM DOING THE BEST I CAN".. My mom had went through a different life than I did. My sister went through an entirely different life as well. I had to teach my mom, what is was like with my sister and letting her loosen the leash on her, so she could experience life, and learn from her mistakes. I am very close with my sister, and I try to guide her through the ups and downs. She is now 18, and has graduated HS, off to college. Bottom line, she got to experience a great senior year, because she called me, complaining how mom was being over protective and never letting her do things on her own. I had my say in things, and changed my moms view for how she was treating her. Not because I was giving in or trying to help my sister, it was because I feel children need to experience things. They need to have the opportunities to LEARN! They have to make mistakes.. If you shelter them or try to keep them away from things, they will never know what to do in situations when your not around.

Prom is a chance for teenagers to realize what its like to be alone on a date, or a dance with their loved one, and enjoy the night out. It doesnt mean party, sex, and drugs. If they are into any of the 3, I doubt they will begin only on PROM night. They have probably already been there done that from the above 3. Of course that fears parents, but if you think 1 night is going to ruin their entire lives your wrong. This is a chance for parents to set the ground rules, and see how well they follow them.

No, I wasn't making a blanket statement. Kids are going to find a way to do whatever it is they set their mind too eventually. As parents, most of us, are just trying to find a balance. If you are sending your daughters out to Prom as their first one on one date, you're in trouble already, but thats just my opinion.

I was only stating that, when it comes to parenting, it's not about generalizations or sweeping statements. There are way to many variables involved. For instance, even in the same household, each child is a completely different ball of wax due to a multitude of factors. Enviroment, peers, genetics...... and so on an so on. You can't just wave your arm and assume ANYTHING when it comes to the topic.

And, one of the most important tools of parenting that establishes trust with your kid, is learning how to listen and admit when you are wrong.

And, one of the most important tools of parenting that establishes trust with your kid, is learning how to listen and admit when you are wrong.

Nice.. I agree 100%

Prom is always at the New Sanno. My kid is going to Prom this yr and I think a group of them are getting a room up there. Happy?, not really ,but at some point in time you NEED to trust that you have done the very best to teach your kids they right and wrong way to do things. Kids are going to do it regardless, the best thing you can hope for is to have established an open line of communication so that no matter how bad it is, they can talk to you.
As far as being in a major city at that time of the night, I would rather she was in Tokyo than anywhere else in the world (well, almost ) No, Toyko, esspecially roppongi isnt perfect, but these kids are already used to travelling out here alone. Let them have fun while they still can and do it in an awesome place no less.

Hummmmm, I'm sure Natalee Holloway's mom tells herself that every time she see's VanDerLoot on television. She's a senior graduating, she's always been responsible and a great all around kid, never given me a moment of concern or trouble. Let her go....................

Her high school did not sponsor the trip. Ms. Holloway graduated a week before the "senior trip." She was with a group of friends that graduated together and went on a vacation to celebrate. If this had been a school trip, that school's administrators and teachers would have been in deep doo.

I know DODEA rarely makes good decisions, but gathering a large group of kids that close to Roppongi...fail.

WOW!

Be assured that there is ONE WAY into the New Sanno ballroom and ONE WAY out...to include access to the restrooms. Chaperones are all over the place. A bus transports kids from Zama High, Yokota High, and/or Kinnick High to and from the New Sanno. Those that allow their children to spend the night at the New Sanno and enjoy Tokyo during "after prom" festivities know enough about their children to make those decisions. King HS (Sasebo); MC Perry (Iwakuni) and Edgren HS (Misawa) don't have the luxury of a nice military hotel for Prom. Those students often have their Prom at the only facility on base...the Officer's Club or all hands club... and they are just as happy. Prom location is the decision of the host...the Junior Class of each high school.

76652 I hope you didn't think I was saying that her school had any responsibility for what happened to Natalee. I wasn't. I also think that bad things sometimes happen to good people even when all precautions are taken. I was just trying to demonstrate that parents worry. That's just how we are wired and we are just trying to find that balance. It's a struggle. Sometimes when in doubt, it's better to rest on the side of caution rather than be sorry and cry about the what ifs. Please don't think I am in favor of not allowing deserving kids of their fun at prom. NOT at all what I was saying. I think that some people just want to make VERY broad statements and I think that the issue is too complicated for a blanket.

Perhaps a square dance in the gym is more your speed?

As seniors, these kids are likely going to be living in dorm rooms soon with even less supervision. The prom is well supervised and the snide remark about DODEA is not called for. Any other "side trips" a student may take after the prom can be taken anywhere in Japan. If they are idiots they will find a way to get into trouble in an Iowa farm town. If they have common sense no location is going to rock that.

Ease up. Didn't you get to go to a prom when you were a kid?