Encouraging our youth to ?choose life? : Quinte Pediatrics and ...

Posted by Dr. Paul Dempsey on Monday, April 8, 2013 ? Leave a Comment?

The PARTY Program helps young people to ?choose life? by encouraging them to say ?no? to drinking and driving and giving them a lifeline in the event that they get in over their heads.

Warmer weather is? slowly? approaching. I?m a summer fanatic. Three of my favourite words are Hot, Hazy and Humid. I drive a car with a t-roof and no air conditioning. My family schedules our annual vacation for the hottest weeks of the year. Entire summers will pass where the only restaurants we visit are at the pier or on the boardwalk.

One of the pleasures of living in town is hearing the sounds of young people deep into the night as they walk down the sidewalks, talking and laughing, apparently unaware how well their voices and sounds carry in the warm, lazy nights.

Summer, youth, energy, music, friends, good times roll together into an endless loop of refreshing, captivating moments and memories.

This is also one of the times of the year when my thoughts turn to safety. My son and his friends, who are often in our home, have grown up from mischievous?kindergartners?to young men and women. Last summer was the summer of the G1 for this crew ? Ontario?s beginner driver?s licence. 2013 is the summer of the G2? lots of independence, few restrictions.

Locally, Quinte Health Care runs the P.A.R.T.Y. program ? ?Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth?. Part of the PARTY program is the Contract for Life. Here?s how it reads:

Contract For Life

This is a contract between people who care about each other,?

a teenager and a parent, guardian or trusted adult.

Because I am a teenager beginning to understand the perils of taking risks, I _______________ agree to call you for advice and/or transportation at any hour, from any place, in any situation, where I feel uncomfortable or unsafe, or have been drinking or am otherwise impaired, or with a friend or date who is in a similar condition.
Yes, I choose life. ____________________ (Signature) ______ (Date)

Because I care about you and others, I _______________ agree to come and help you at any hour, any place, no questions asked, or pay for a taxi to bring you home safely. We will talk about this situation together at a later time. And if I or the person driving me is impaired, I agree to seek safe transportation home.
Yes, I choose life. ____________________ (Signature) ______ (Date)

The youth who spend time in our home are a mixed bag. For some, this contract is immediately relevant. For others, it?s still a bit theoretical, as they haven?t experienced situations in which this would be needed, yet.

But for almost all of them, talking openly about the Contract for Life makes an immediate connection. The eyes light up, the smiles range from small to big grins, but almost all of the young people I am privileged to know personally love the safety net, and the confidence that with one call or text, they can bail out if they wind up in over their heads.

Have I been called? Yep. Texted actually. And thanked a day or two later.

You who are reading this have a huge impact on the young people in your life, even those not necessarily related to you. Even if you don?t quite realize it.

As the summer approaches, may I suggest you find a moment over the next month to bring up the contract for life? Really, it comes down to ?any time, any place, any reason, I?ll be your lifeline.? ?Talk about it later? Definitely. But in the moment, let ?em know you?ll be there.

Source: http://quintepediatrics.com/2013/04/encouraging-our-youth-to-choose-life/

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