Campaign aims to 'start the conversation' between parents, teens

By Mr. Karl Weisel (IMCOM)August 24, 2015

Campaign aims to 'start the conversation' between parents, teens
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Campaign aims to 'start the conversation' between parents, teens
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WIESBADEN, Germany - Living with a teenager can be perplexing.

And anyone who has experienced the tumult of adolescence can tell you that living with parents can be equally challenging.

That's where the Wiesbaden School Liaison Office's and AFN-Wiesbaden's new "At Home With a Teenager" public service announcement campaign enters the picture.

"We want to encourage parents, teachers and students to 'start the conversation' -- to start talking to one another," said Peter Witmer, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden school liaison officer.

Tackling topics ranging from date rape to college plans, homework challenges to the "mom taxi concept," Witmer said the idea was to use actual Wiesbaden community parents and teens to discuss real-world issues in a humorous way. "One of our future topics will be social media and bullying.

"I raised two teenagers, so a lot of this is from personal experience," he added, saying that the idea is to introduce a topic of conversation and to suggest a solution -- "in 30 seconds, which is definitely a challenge. It forces us to present our issues quickly, which I hope is in an insightful and funny way."

"Having a conversation started for you -- by way of one of these ads -- opens the door to a meaningful talk," said Patti Exstein, one of the parents who volunteered to help voice the spots, along with her son, Ben. "Once you've started such a conversation, the opportunity is there to continue it. It's critical to keep the lines of communication open between parents and their teens."

"As a parent, I think it's very important to start the conversation with our teenagers regarding many of these topics," said Mary Anne Allen, another parent volunteer who joined her son Atreyu in the studio to help voice the public service announcements.

"They (teenagers) are going through so many changes at this time in their lives," said Allen. "It is our responsibility to help them through these times and to assist their transition into successful adults."

All of the contributors said they enjoyed the chance to contribute to a vital information campaign by helping shape the content and add their vocal talents.

"I was on the radio in 2013 where I spoke about our school and events that would be taking place," said Atreyu Allen, a straight "A" student who is involved in the National Junior Honor Society, Student-to-Student, Student Council and other school activities. "I enjoyed the experience, and I am glad that I got to do it again."

"Last summer Peter Witmer asked Ben to record a radio ad for Parent to Parent and Show Me the College Money program," said Patti Exstein. "I was working for Parent to Parent, and Ben, being involved in drama at Wiesbaden High School, had experience with public speaking. When he (Witmer) asked again this summer, it was easy to want to be involved once again and share the important messages of these ads."

And exactly why is "starting the conversation" so important?

"You want the best for your kid," said Ben Exstein. "The only way you can be sure if your kid is following a safe and healthy path in life is if you talk to him or her."

AFN-Wiesbaden's Sgt. Boris Shiloff, who worked with the volunteers to record the spots, said they should start airing on the radio around the start of the new school year.

"Having our fellow community members in the studio makes AFN more tangible to them," said Shiloff. "I believe it encourages the community to listen, so they can hear their friends, family and colleagues, instead of the same old voices all the time.

"That's what is so great about this 'At Home with a Teenager' project. These are real-life scenarios that parents and teens face on a constant basis, and to hear these conversations coming from actual teens and adults gives it a gravity that a regular radio commercial might not always deliver; it is relatable on a much more personal level," he said.

Witmer invited community members to contribute ideas for future topics. If you are interested in contributing to the effort, call Witmer at civ (0611) 143-548-9305.

Related Links:

AFN-Wiesbaden home page

Wiesbaden FMWR Website