For many parents, the idea of sending their teenage kids off to the prom is one that sends an intense shockwave of anxiety directly into their minds, bodies, and existences. After all, the word “prom” comes with its fair share of unfavorable connotations. From drinking to smoking to experimenting with members of the opposite sex, prom night offers all too many opportunities for teenagers to run wild, even if just for a single evening. Of course, no parent wants to be that person who forbids his child from taking part in such a momentous teenage occasion. Therefore, most parents who send their kids off to the prom are forced to resign themselves to hours of distress.
While the actual prom itself might be rather wholesome in nature, it’s the before and after events that usually send parents into a tizzy. For most teenagers, the prom, on its own, won’t suffice as the evening’s sole activity; a pre-party, after-party, and limousine party are usually all part of the equation. In fact, limos have become a standard component of prom night events in cities throughout the United States. These days, it’s more common than not to rent a limo and have a group of teenagers travel to and from their high school prom in style. Not only are limousine rides a source of financial stress for most parents (after all, they aren’t cheap), but they’re also a source of concern from a safety perspective. While usually a number of school-appointed chaperones are at the prom itself, a limo offers teenagers the opportunity to ride around unsupervised, minus the presence of a single driver who can only manage so much when he has no choice but to constantly keep his eyes on the road.
Fortunately, the right limousine company can help take the stress out of prom night – for parents anyway. Chris Welsher, the owner of the Missouri-based company Murcielago Limos, understands how nerve-wracking prom night can be for local parents. For this reason, he has adopted his own specific set of guidelines for prom night services. In order to enter one of Chris’s limos, all parties involved must sign a “prom promise,” which compels them to adhere to the policies as set forth by Welsher and the parents involved. The “prom promise” forces all passengers to agree not to bring any alcohol, cigarettes, or illegal drugs into any of the company vehicles. Furthermore, drivers reserve the right to inspect all bags that are brought into the limo and confiscate any items of question. Anyone who is caught violating this rule shall be removed from the limo and subjected to some serious repercussions.
As another component of the “prom promise,” all itineraries for prom night must be approved, in writing, by a parent in charge and submitted to Chris prior to the initial pickup. Once an itinerary is presented to Welsher, only the parent in charge has the authority to alter it. This particular aspect of the policy often puts parents at ease, as it gives them the opportunity to dictate that the only stops on the evening’s circuit will be the pickup point, the prom itself, and the drop-off point at the end of the night. No matter how much a passenger insists or begs, drivers will not make any detours or stray from an approved itinerary, thereby making it far more difficult for teenagers to sneak off to an unsupervised party and get themselves into trouble.
Finally, for all situations in which his passengers are under 18 years of age, Welsher has a policy of providing a parent in charge with the cell phone number for the driver on duty. This way, parents have a way of contacting a responsible adult at any time throughout the night and effectively tracking their children’s whereabouts. On the flip side, the parent in charge must also provide the driver on duty with an adult’s cell phone number so that the driver can get in touch in the event of an emergency or passenger breach of the “prom promise” contract.
Of course, Welsher says he finds that there are some parents who, despite his strict policies, still seem nervous about sending their kids off to the prom. After all, when it comes to children, it’s never easy to truly let go. But thanks to Welsher, a fair number of Kansas City parents will be breathing a lot more easily come prom night.
