Christmas has just passed and New Year’s Eve is coming soon, a time of resolutions, celebrating and partying. North Texas will not soon forget the Christmas Blizzard of 2009 nor will the many travelers who were and are still stranded here. 

With that in mind, the holidays and celebrations still go hand in hand, especially when you have college students in from campuses around the country. So what does a parent do when an adult child wants to go do his own thing? I mean, it is understandable that if someone is 21 and maintaining As and Bs in college that he is mature enough to make other decisions, right?

We make a compromise. He wants to hang out with old high school friends and that is understandable. Yet, the roads are treacherous and Mom is being over-protective. So after a minor disagreement we do a little texting back and forth.

I love you and I trust your friends. It is the road conditions I don’t trust. We are not used to this weather.

He texts me back and says that everyone is going to stay the night at his buddy’s house just a few blocks from us instead of anyone getting out with the temperature dropping to below freezing again. That was all I needed. These find young men showed maturity and I was proud of all of them.

However, some people do not always show maturity. Even without weather playing a part, people get out after imbibing in alcohol and make an intoxicated decision that changes everything forever if it leads to a fatality or injury. One decision made under the influence can ruin a life forever. It is not a dramatic statement, it is the truth.

Whatever your New Year’s traditions are, make sure that common sense, maturity and responsibility play a part. While drug and alcohol addiction are on the rise, this particular post is addressed to those who do not see themselves as having a problem. If you do not have one, great. Those who do can tell you how lucky you are. But that does not mean you are perfect and drunk driving accidents occur all the time and the intoxicated driver is not always someone who is an alcoholic.

If you go out to a club, have a designated driver. If you are having a party at home, consider making it an overnight stay. A little bit of discomfort for one night is nothing compared to an irresponsible decision that can cause injury or death. Besides, you want to be able to take part in all the good things 2010 has to offer, don’t you? I know I do.

Happy New Year, Everyone!!