Prom queen and king: Should your teen run for prom court?

Apr 05, 2011 5:55 AM by Michelle Maffei

Posted in Parenting / Parenting Tips & Advice / Teen Behavior

5 Questions To Ask Before Deciding

When it comes to running for prom queen or king, this teen prom popularity contest can have two sides. From dealing with disappointment to costs and parental involvement, here are five questions you'll want to ask your teen -- and yourself -- before making the decision whether to let your child participate in this high school highlight. After talking to your teen, you can decide: Should your teen run for prom court?

Will your teen be able to handle it if he or she doesn't win?

The teen prom dream of becoming prom queen or king is packed with competition, so be sure your youngster will be able to deal if he or she doesn't win before green lighting participation in the prom court race. "Equip your child with coping skills to deal with disappointments," advises Dr. Fran Walfish, child and family psychotherapist, author of The Self-Aware Parent. "We cannot protect or prevent life's disappointments. The best we can do is equip children with inevitable life letdowns."

Can your teen deal with jealousy of other classmates?

Peer envy is inevitable when contending for the crown, even amongst friends of your teen's social circle. Help her prepare for potential bouts of jealousy from classmates and support her when faced with the green-eyed monster.

>> Learn more about the popularity game: teaching kids how to cope

Are your teen's grades good enough for this distraction?

Although your teen's prom is a milestone in high school, running for prom court should be a reward, not a privilege. Use your adolescent's grades as a guide in your decision.

How much time and money will it take for your teen to achieve his or her goal?

Creating, promoting and following through with a prom campaign involves a lot of hard work and cash. Require your future prom queen or king to uncover all the requirements involved before giving your permission for him or her to run for court. Then agree on the amount of financial backing you'll give to your teen, from campaign to prom apparel.

Why does your teen ultimately want to be prom king or queen?

Use your parental insight when talking to your teen about his or her ultimate reason for wanting to run for prom court. Unhealthy reasons, like a desire to feel more popular or to one-up another classmate running for prom king or queen are unhealthy and should be addressed.

>> Get tips for helping teens combat peer pressure

So, should your teen run for prom court? Remember that helping your teen run for prom queen or king will not only offer a great way for you two to bond, it can be fun to relive your own teen prom experience, so long as you don't try to steel the royal spotlight!