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Lewiston, ID 83501
(208) 799-3096
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Parent Networks: Keeping Our Kids Safe

A recent study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that eighth graders in rural America are: 79% more likely to have gotten drunk, 50% more likely to use cocaine, 125% more likely to use smokeless tobacco and 50% more likely to smoke cigarettes that their urban counterparts. In Idaho, there were 9.329 referrals for child abuse or neglect, involving 6,633 Idaho families in 1999. The teen violent death rate of 74 per 100,000 teens ages 15 to 19 is almost 20% higher in Idaho than the national rate. More than one fifth of all live births are out of wedlock, and the majority of these involve teens. Parents can help reverse the trend.

Media and entertainment glorify gangs, drugs, alcohol, and teenage sex. Many parents feel powerless. But parents have the power to help reverse the trend. One key is PARENT NETWORKS, a simple idea turned into an effective grassroots program by parents who care.

Kids network all the time. They know each other's telephone numbers. They find out what's going on, and they plan activities together. But parents are often isolated and out of touch. It's time they learned about networking.

PARENT NETWORKS are informal groups of parents who communicate with each other on a regular basis about kids' activities, rules, curfews, parties, and problems. They help parents participate in their children's lives in a proactive, positive way.

Parent Networks: Something you can do right here, right now.

Have your kids make a list of the names of their friends, their parents, and their phone numbers. If your kids don't care to participate, pick up the phone. Call the parents you know and work up a list of parents of kids who do things with your kids - through school, sports, music, clubs, and the neighborhood.

Call and invite the other parents for coffee or a potluck. Find out the family rules that you and the other parents in the network share. Are you the only parent in town who establishes family curfews? Are you the only parent who calls ahead when your child is invited to a party or to stay overnight? Do your other network parents want to be called when there is a potential problem?

Four Positive Ways to Use Your Parent Network:

Encourage network parents to call each other if there's a problem. When parents become aware of a problem that requires parental leadership, encourage them to call each other. If they become aware of a dangerous situation, urge them to contact the police. In an emergency, call 911.

When your pre-teen or teenager is invited to a party, find out if there will be an adult present. Call the parents of the teen hosting the party. Ask the obvious. Will there be adult supervision? Will alcohol or drugs be present? When will the party end? If there is no adult in charge, alert your network parents.

If your kids haven't checked in, call your network to help locate them. For their safety, you should know where your children are at all times. If they haven't checked in, call your network. Have you visited the home where your child is spending a lot of time? You may make new friends, or you may find an unsafe situation.
It's your job to find out.

Explain PARENT NETWORKS to your children and enlist their help.

Some teenagers resist the idea of PARENT NETWORKS, but most eventually buy in. Here's why. Once parents know each other, they are less anxious about where their kids are and with whom they are spending time. When there is less worry, there is more trust. When there is more trust, parents give their kids more freedom.

For More Information on developing your own PARENT NETWORKS contact:

Arlinda Nauman, State 4-H Office, 208 Continuing Education Building, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-3015, 208-885-7276 or you local University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System office.