The teen years offer numerous opportunities for celebrations and festivities, many of which can be safe & appropriate. But there are parents who serve alcohol to their teenage children and their friends and allow parties, sleepovers, gatherings and other events without any monitoring or adult supervision. Not only is this against the law in NC, but it presents an added challenge for parents intent on doing everything we can to do prevent alcohol or drug-related problems from affecting our children's lives.

The Spirit of the Pledge

FAMILY GUIDELINES

• Inform your children that you have joined the SAFE HOMES Parent Network and why.
• Know where your children are, who they are with, what they are doing, and when they are expected to return home.
• Know ahead of time WHAT the consequences will be if they are not where they agreed to be or are late returning home.
• Be awake (or awakened) when they return home at night.
• Let your children know where YOU will be.
• Assure your children that they can phone you to be picked up wherever and whenever needed.
• Get to know your children’s friends and their parents.

As members, we are challenged to actively support and enforce a clear, consistent message and policy for all youth that there will be NO USE of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs by teens in our home or at our gatherings. We will take responsibility to secure any firearms in our homes and make them inaccessible to young people and their friends.

We talk to other parents (the parents of our children’s friends) and agree on expectations and rules for our children. We welcome a phone call from other parents supporting our combined commitment.

We provide support for each other in our joint efforts to have safe, healthy, drug-free homes and communities.

We communicate with our children so they'll know: 

• That being drug free & sober is the "norm" in our home
• That there are clear, consistent "expectations" for their behavior
• What the "consequences" for actions will be

We communicate with other parents so they'll know:

• That our home is a safe, healthy, drug- and alcohol-free place for all youth
• That all gatherings for youth are actively supervised by responsible adults
• That we welcome a call or communication from all parents

We communicate with other youth so they'll know:

• That there will be no possession, serving, or use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs in our home or on our property to minors
• That there will be regular contact with their parent
• That the "expectations" are the same for all SAFE HOMES Parents Network families