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Learn more about the Family Pledge Print Informational Brochure The Family Pledge 2006 FAQ’s
1.
I trust my children completely. Why would I need to be involved? The Pledge Directory
provides information for each family about the rules and limits set by the
other families with whom their children interact. This can make it easier to ensure that your
own child will enjoy social events without being put in uncomfortable
positions because of a lack of parental supervision. In addition, it can help children, who
might feel self-conscious that perhaps their parents are more strict than
others, to know that many other parents have the same rules! 2.
Why do we need a Pledge Directory? Experts report that defining for your children your expectations
on acceptable and unacceptable behavior is a key factor in their making
healthy choices. Based on the Search
Institute’s survey of 100,000 young people from over 200 communities,
researchers identified 40 environmental factors that help young people grow
up healthy, caring , and responsible.
Those students (grade 6-12) who have these environmental
factors are LEAST likely to engage in high risk behavior. Environmental factors directly supported by
a Pledge Directory include: ·
Kids
who feel safe at home, school, and in their neighborhoods; ·
Families
who have clear rules and consequences and monitor their children’s
whereabouts;
3.
What about the liability of signing
the pledge? The Pledge is NOT a legal document, it is a statement
of concern and intent. It is intended
to facilitate communication between parents/guardians and children. 4.
Doesn’t the Pledge Directory provide a
false sense of security? The Pledge is not intended to provide any
guarantees. Rather it is a tool to
help parents feel more comfortable in making a phone call and asking the
tough questions, i.e. “My son is coming to your house for a party, are you
planning to be home?” 5.
What if I feel that young people should be allowed to drink alcohol if
they are properly supervised? You should not feel pressure to sign if you plan to
serve alcohol to teens. However: ·
Physically
and psychologically the adolescent is much more vulnerable to the effect’s of
alcohol than the mature adults.
Biological researchers have proven that young people who begin
drinking before age 15 are 4 times more likely to develop alcohol dependence
than those who began at age 21. The
risk of alcohol dependency decreases by 14% with ·
In Ohio,
parents may be held liable for any injury or damage caused by a teenager who
has consumed alcohol or drugs in their home. ·
Adults
who allow groups of teens to drink should know that teens who drink are more
likely to drown, be a victim of violent injury, engage in high risk
activities, and report higher rates of
pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease, including AIDS. Dr. Mike
Riera, a noted psychologist and best-selling author of Staying
Connected to Your Teenager, advises parents not to assume other
adults will chaperone the same way they do and encourages a phone call before
the child leaves the house. We cannot
stop all kids from drinking. That is
not the goal of the Family Pledge. We
wish to do three things: ·
Provide
a safe social environment for youth in OUR OWN HOMES. ·
Send
a clear, unambiguous, message to our children and all children that we care
enough for their safety to risk their displeasure to try to protect them. ·
To
inform other parents that if their children come to our home, they will be
supervised and that alcohol and other drug use will not be tolerated. Members of the |