Be More Involved With Your Teen

Although teens who are close to their parents are less likely to engage in risky behaviors, ALL teens are at risk when it comes to drugs. It’s important for parents to talk to their teens and build open and trusting relationships. The more involved you are in your children’s lives, the more valued they’ll feel, and the more likely they’ll be to respond to you.

  1. Establish “together time.” Establish a regular weekly routine for doing something special with your child – even if it’s just going out for ice cream. Even a few minutes of conversation while you’re cleaning up after dinner or right before bedtime can help the family catch up and establish the open communication that is essential to raising drug-free children.
  2. Have family meetings. Held regularly at a mutually agreed upon time, family meetings provide a forum for discussing triumphs, grievances, projects, questions about discipline, and any topic of concern to a family member. Ground rules help. Everyone gets a chance to talk; one person talks at a time without interruption; everyone listens, and only positive, constructive feedback is allowed. To get resistant children to join in, combine the get-together with incentives such as post-meeting pizza or assign them important roles such as recording secretary or rule enforcer.
  3. Don’t be afraid to ask where your kids are going, who they’ll be with and what they’ll be doing. Get to know your kid’s friends – and their parents – so you’re familiar with their activities.
  4. Try to be there after school. The “danger zone” for drug use is between 3 and 6 PM; arrange flex time at work if you can. If your child will be with friends, make sure there’s adult supervision – not just an older sibling.
  5. Eat meals together as often as you can. Meals are a great opportunity to talk about the day’s events, to unwind, reinforce and bond. Studies show that kids whose families eat together at least 5 times a week are less likely to be involved with drugs or alcohol.

Source: The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign’s Behavior Change Expert Panel.


Membership Dues

How much are our local unit membership dues?  How can we change the amount of our unit’s dues?

Your unit’s dues are specified in your bylaws and may be amended by a vote of the general membership, following bylaws amendment procedures.  The amount should include a reasonable sum for the local unit, plus $4.25 for national and state dues ($2.25 and $2.00 respectively).  Total dues should be affordable by all prospective members of the community.

When should membership dues be turned in?
On the first day of the next month after collected.

How do we send in our membership dues?
Fill out a Dues Remittance Form, enclose a check for the number of dues listed and mail to the State Office at the address on the form, or submit your dues online and pay via PayPal.

How much do we send into the state office for our dues?
 For each member, a total of $4.25 is sent into the state office to cover the state & national dues.  For each business membership, $5.50 is sent into the state office.

What about “Family Memberships”?
Missouri PTA discourages group and/or family memberships. The concept of group memberships (e.g., family memberships) must include the payment of dues and a membership card issued to each member. Your PTA’s bylaws should stipulate the number of members considered a family and the price of said “family membership”.  You will still need to send in the appropriate amount of dues ($4.25) for each person included in the “family membership” price.

Where do I find a Dues Remittance Form?
On our website under Forms and Awards.

Can we increase our membership dues?
Yes, but only after following the steps outlined in your bylaws regarding dues increases.  The amount you send to the state office stays the same.

May we charge students a lower rate of membership dues?
Yes, you may have a student membership rate. However, the amount of student dues must be listed in your bylaws and must be enough to cover the portion of dues ($4.25) that is sent in to cover the state & national dues. Student members’ dues may not be subsidized by the unit.

Are membership dues tax deductable?
By virtue of being part of National and the state PTA, the IRS grants a local unit PTA non-profit (501(c)(3)) status and therefore dues collected by PTA units are generally tax deductible. This is provided that the services a PTA provides to members are intangible and do not provide any direct benefit to specific members or groups of members. Such intangible services include leadership and legislation.

* Please keep in mind:  PTA does not dispense tax advice.  It is the taxpayer’s responsibility to report income and deductions appropriately.  Members or PTAs should consult directly with a tax professional if they believe their circumstances are unusual.


Membership Cards

Who decides how many cards our unit gets?

Cards are sent to the unit president after they are requested through the Membership Card Request Form.

Can we use membership cards from last year?

Please do not use membership cards from a previous year.  The cards are dated and old ones should be destroyed.

How do I get more membership cards?

On the Dues Remittance Form is an area to ask for more membership cards.

Where do I find my unit’s ID number?

Units can find their ID# on the information sheet sent to presidents in the Membership Card mailing or by contacting the state office.

Who should get a membership card?

Every member.  A card is only issued to one person and should never list more than one name.  It should never be issued to “Mr.& Mrs.” or to the “Jones Family”.

Why should everyone get a membership card?

It is proof of membership. Most organizations provide a membership card. A membership card entitles a member to a ballot in an election.  Many PTA units & councils require that scholarship & grant applicants provide a copy of their membership card. PTA members are entitled to benefits of membership provided by PTA. The username and password needed to access a protected portion of the National PTA website are on the back of the membership card and change annually by November 1.

What do I do if a membership card(s) get damaged?

If a mistake occurs with your membership cards due to a misprint, damage by the printer, etc., return the damaged cards to the State PTA office and replacement cards will be sent to you.

Do I give business members a membership card?

Yes, they get one card issued to the name of the business.