Adolescents and teens should employ a code word to alert their parents that a social situation has spiraled out of control. The use of a code word can be applied either by a phone call or a text. When the code word is employed, it enacts a pre-planned scenario in which the parents actively extricate them from the bad situation. It can be any number of things. You can say, there is an illness in the family, a death in the family. Maybe you even play the part of an insane parent and you can scream at them over the phone, so your kid can say, "My mom has lost her mind, you guys, I gotta go." It's important when you employ the use of the code word, that it be a word that you can actually use in conversation. "Onomatopoeia" is not a good conversation starter. It needs to be a common word that can be used in conversation. For example, we use sweatshirt as a code in our parent presentations. Kids should also understand that code words should not be used for mundane situations. They are for emergencies only. They are not for when you are bored and you want me to pick you up. Also, P.S. if your kid has had to use the code word three times in the same month, it is time to sit down and have a conversation about your family policy about being around drugs and alcohol. They are abusing the situation.