That’s neat Dale…and so true. I had an agreement with my parents. Had to be home by a certain time. I couldn’t take passengers to/from school. (Except my lil bro), and if they could hear the radio if they were to come alongside me on the road, I was in trouble. I support your words…
…and had no idea you were Dr. Wisely
Dale Wisely, PhD, a psychologist in Birmingham, Ala.
She liked the site and told me she was planning to use the contract with her boys.
I remember reading somewhere a story Dale related about a teen who was afraid to drive. I didn’t see it on that site but it made an impression on me and I kinda feel it belongs in there somewhere.
I got a mailing recently from a residential treatment facility for troubled youth that used the slogan “Choose Wisely.” I have to confess that when I opened it up and saw the slogan, I had a brief moment in which I thought, “Jeez, what an incredibly narrow marketing campaign.”
Good advice, Dale! I’d add one thing for parents of kids who bike to school (and maybe it’s not bad advise for parents of kids who drive to school either)…follow them discretely from time to time to make sure they’re following the contract.
I’m a morning campus supervisor at my daughter’s school (Junior/Senior High combined), and I can’t begin to tell you the number of kids I see arrive at school on their bikes with their helmets dangling from the handlebars. We remind them that they are required to wear the helmets on campus (and that state law requires them to wear them at all times), but we still see at least some every morning. I’ve also driven around the block on mornings when I’m not on shift and spied kids quickly stopping and strapping on helmets before they turn the corner where they’re visible from campus. I’m willing to bet that most of these kids leave home with the helmet vituously in place and take it off as soon as they’re out of sight of mom and dad because it’s “not cool.” Parents can, and SHOULD, take biking privileges away if their kids are not going to adhere to safety rules (particularly when those rules are also the law!). Same thing with driving.
I had a wonderful contract with my parents. If I stepped out of line, well…I was sore for a while.
If you think becoming a teenager made that better, you are sadly mistaken. The LAST thing you ever want to say to your father when you are a smartass teenager is “Is that the best you can do old man?”. Let me tell you…it isn’t.