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Banana Moments
Banana Moments
Parent Factor Column
No You are Not Crazy. Parenting is Hard.
Copyright 2009 Joanna Marie Jullien
One and two generations ago, the primary “counter influences” were peers and rock groups. Legitimate authority was ascribed to parent
and teacher roles. Today, authority is more earned than ascribed and we parents are faced with a leadership challenge which
requires us to stay well connected and informed.
The Law and Your Child
November 2008
Christmas is a great time of year to reinforce the values that are most important to our families. While much of holiday “gifting”
involves material items, some gifts are enduring treasures. The authority of a parent, for example, can be viewed as a gift
that involves an enormous trust. Trust in the sense of the word that refers to looking out for the best interest of another; as children
trust that their parents will provide for their basic needs. Often there is a desire to reciprocate trust in the child, which
when confused with faith can leave the child more vulnerable... (download column)
December 2008
The Gift of Trust
When it comes to the law and parenting, a generation ago it was a more simple matter. Parents were “the law”. Children caughtdoing stupid things that were illegal, such as vandalism, burglary or experimenting with drugs and alcohol, would be turned over to
their parents because there was an expectation that appropriate consequences would be imposed to correct their conduct...(download
column)
Among the new California laws impacting minors in effect for 2009 is AB86, which addresses on-line bullying during school hours or
school-related activities. This legislation gives schools the authority to suspend or expel students engaged in such activity. According
to a press release from the office of Assemblyman Tim Lieu (D-Torrence), who authored AB86, the advent of chat rooms and social networking
sites have made “bullying more commonplace”, and the results of “internet torment can be fatal”.
(download column)
AB86 Cyberbullying: Can Common Sense and Decency Be Legistated?
January 2008
Texting and Drivng: Do You DWPA?
As most of you know, SB28 – No Texting While Driving Law went into effect January 1, 2009 in the State of California... I came across
a very interesting acronym used to describe the “crime”: DWT or “driving while texting”. Another recent story out of Texas came through
informal emails circulated via the Department of Transportation Safety officials. Driving while “inTEXTicated” was the phrase
used to describe a tragic auto crash that nearly killed a 2-year-old boy in October 2008 (Texas) when his parent’s car - stopped in
traffic on the highway - was plowed into by a teenager driving 70mph. She didn’t swerve. She didn’t even hit the brakes. (download
column)
February 2008