Hosting teens in Wānaka over New Year is a mix of magic and mayhem. Following on from last week’s blog, here’s a practical framework sharing one Wānaka family’s lived experience of hosting teens over the New Year period.

Communication

Start talking early on. This family contacted every parent, agreed to a consensus and the same rules applied to every teen in their care, set up group chats, and no-questions-asked pick-up from anywhere, at any hour. Clear plans meant fewer 1:00AM surprises and far less guesswork.

Courage

Set boundaries early and stick to them. Non-negotiables included parent consents, no alcohol brought from home, curfews and car keys handed in on arrival. The difficult kōrero always came before the difficult nights. They also had other parents to stay - extra eyes, shared responsibility, and someone else to laugh with when the dishes started piling up. And if hosting a party, have plenty of parents around to help. 

Connection

Being active and fresh air kept everyone grounded. Tired teens tend to be kinder teens. Lots of daytime activities, eating together morning and night before going out, and everyone pitched in with chores. The staples that never ran out: food and being active.

Consent

Two layers mattered.

• People: Respecting neighbours, police, parents, and friends was expected. Consent was ongoing and could be withdrawn anytime.
• Alcohol: Only with explicit parent approval - served with food, supervised, and with a ride home sorted. Otherwise, it was soft drink and spaghetti. They measured, monitored, and stopped at the first wobble.

Contribute

Everyone played their part: pitching tents, bringing their own bedding, pooling New World or Subway vouchers, sharing BBQ duties, rotating showers, and checking in on their mates. The adults stayed visible, sober, and solution focused. If anything tipped up, they answered every call with no judgement, just action. End-of-night “chair chats” with toasties, water, coffee, and story telling. 

Mistakes are always OK! They made mistakes, like every family does. The police returned a wanderer once; sick teens needed support other times. They owned it, phoned parents when necessary, and kept their promise: whatever it takes, we’ll get your child home safe.

Bottom line: Be the host, not the doormat! Everyone contributes (because you’re not running a free-range teen resort). Courage, clarity, connection, consent, and contribution. Set the rules before the first chilly bin opens, stay present, and keep expectations consistent. If you can still have good honest chat, laugh, share great food, and say “no” without flinching on the 1st January, you’ve survived a New Year ‘hosting teens’ in Wānaka: all home safe, a tidy-ish house, and stories you can all actually tell in the daylight (without a lawyer, a medic, or a massive apology text).

This post follows on from last week’s blog, Hosting Teens at New Year: What One Wānaka Family Learned, which shares a lived experience of parenting through the New Year period in Wānaka.