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21st November 2021
07:30am GMT

Curious? Here's how it works:
"Let's say that my youngest, Danny, gets dropped off at a party. If anything about the situation makes him uncomfortable, all he has to do is text the letter 'X' to any of us (his mother, me, his older brother or sister). The one who receives the text has a very basic script to follow. Within a few minutes, they call Danny's phone. When he answers, the conversation goes like this:
'Hello?'
'Danny, something's come up and I have to come get you right now.'
'What happened?'
'I'll tell you when I get there. Be ready to leave in five minutes. I'm on my way.'
At that point, Danny tells his friends that something's happened at home, someone is coming to get him, and he has to leave. In short, Danny knows he has a way out; at the same time, there's no pressure on him to open himself to any social ridicule. He has the freedom to protect himself while continuing to grow and learn to navigate his world."
Pretty clever, no?
Fulks continues his post, highlighting one important component to the plan. "Once he's been extracted from the trenches, Danny knows that he can tell us as much or as little as he wants . . . but it's completely up to him. The X-plan comes with the agreement that we will pass no judgments and ask no questions . . . This can be a hard thing for some parents (admit it, some of us are complete control-freaks); but I promise it might not only save them, but it will go a long way in building trust between you and your kid."
What do YOU think, parents? Would you consider using this plan with your own teens? Or have you another method you would like to share with us?Explore more on these topics: