Although my unborn child is currently in the safety of the womb, I feel like it’s never too early to start filing parenting tips for when they become a teenager. I absolutely love this concept of X-Plan. Here’s an excerpt from Bertfulks.com:
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.
This is one of the most loving things we’ve ever given him, and it offers him a sense of security and confidence in a world that tends to beat our young people into submission.
You can read the full article here: bertfulks.com/2017/02/23/x-plan-giving-your-kids-a-way-out-xplan/#more-2025
It sounds like the simplest concept but it seems to be a great way to be there for kids without being overbearingly protective. I like that there’s mutual trust. I definitely plan to use it when my kids are older. What do you think?
