Child Friendly Meetings

We meet on the fourth Monday at 6 p.m. in the big room at Trinity Presbyterian Church (420 Melrose Place). We welcome new members and are willing to consider making the meeting hybrid – please email accessibility@aasantacruz.org).

AASC-Child-Friendly-MeetingsDownload

The meaning of a “child-friendly” AA meeting is determined by individual AA groups.

Here are some issues to consider:

  • What age of children are welcome? Can parents/guardians bring multiple children?
  • If babies are welcome, is some noise and crying tolerable, or are parents/guardians expected to step-out?
  • Are children encouraged or required to wear headphones? (If so, are they provided?)
  • Are attendees expected to minimize swearing and/or non-child content?
  • If an adjoining room is available, how old should children be to use it unsupervised?
  • If desired, a child-friendly meeting can have a “rotation” system where attendees supervise children in another room. If a babysitter is hired, consult with the Central Office regarding liability issues.
  • If your meeting is child-friendly, consider announcing what parents/guardians can expect.
  • Encourage participants to direct any feedback to the secretary (not the parent or child).

 Below is information you might announce at child-friendly meetings.

This meeting is listed as child-friendly, and we welcome parents and caregivers with children of all ages. Children necessarily bring some noise and movement, though we ask that parents step-out if children are persistently disruptive. Parents may wish to bring headphones for children, as AA meetings sometimes have difficult content and adult language. Please attend the business meeting or speak to the secretary if you have concerns or feedback. 

Questions can go to accessibility@aasantacruz.org 

Have a drinking problem? Give us a call at (831) 475-5782