SOS from a teenager

SOS from a teenager

Imagine: your teenager is ringing late at night, walking with friends. He has an uncertain and a little tense voice, but when you ask what the matter is, he says that everything is all right.

The next day it turns out that he used alcohol yesterday or first tried drugs ... because he did not know how to avoid this situation, but Bert Fulks, the father of teenage son Danny, was thinking about this problem. Fulks is the pastor himself and grew up in the pastor's house; He knows how difficult it is to grow in such an atmosphere.

Fulks trusts his son, but for him it was important that the son is not afraid to call for help, if necessary.

To do this, Fulks developed an original cipher, which allows his son to send his father a signal to the SOS, not embarrassed by his friends.

This idea came to Fulkes in the head when he communicated with adolescents in rehabilitation clinics across America. He tells:

"Recently I asked these guys:" You used to happen that you got into circumstances where something unpleasant for you starts to happen, but you do not go away, because you do not see any way out? "All of them raised their hands."

Fulks explains how his system works:

For example, my youngest son went to a party.

If for any reason he becomes uncomfortable in this situation, it is enough for him to send the letter X to one of us (mother, me, older brother or sister).

Next, the SMS recipient follows a simple protocol. A few minutes later he calls Danny. When he picks up the phone, the following conversation occurs:

- Hello?

"Danny, there's something happened, I need to pick you up urgently."

- What happened?

- I'll tell you later. Get ready, I'm on my way.

Then Danny tells his friends that something has happened at home, so now someone will come and take him.

Most importantly: children need to know that they will not be punished for the situation from which they want to escape.

Fulks insists that in order to build trust between the parent and the child, one must adhere to the policy of "no unnecessary questions".

Of course, not all parents can keep from asking ... but mutual respect and trust is the only way to protect the child from harm!