Peer pressure can be rough on kids, especially teenagers. One of the hardest parts of middle school and high school is simply 'fitting in' with your peers. Blogger and father, Bert Fulks, developed an important tool he calls the 'X Plan'. The dad of three recently shared his method for keeping his children safe, and thinks other parents should adopt his method as well.
A lot of teenagers, often at times, find themselves in a uncomfortable situation but stuck around mainly because they felt as they didn't have a way out. The trapped feeling is what inspired Fulks to create a special code for his family. Whenever his kids are in a situation that doesn't feel right, they simply text the letter "X" for an easy and discreet way out. Whoever receives the text then calls, faking a family emergency saying they must leave and return home right now. The trick provides an easy way out of an unpleasant situation, and avoids immediate judgement from parents and friends.
"I urge you to use some form of our X plan in your home. If you honor it, your kids will thank you for it," Fulks says. "You never know when something so simple could be the difference between your kid laughing with you at the dinner table or spending six months in a recovery center."