New Year, New Fear

U.S. News blogger, Nancy Shute in her post "How to Stop Teens From Drinking and Driving" says, "Yanking teenagers' driver's licenses if they're caught using a fake ID to buy alcohol may be one of the most useful new tools in reducing the risk of drinking and driving, according to a study of state laws aimed at discouraging teenage drinking. But some of the more high-profile efforts, including penalties for adults who host underage parties and, for teens, graduated driver's licenses that prohibit night driving, didn't appear to do any good."

Wow! Is she suggesting that parents aren't being responsible? You bet she is! And the statistics are there to prove it. Just check with your local authorities and youth coalition and you might find that the numbers are staggering...and so are our children!

Underage drinking and driving has been a concern since the Model T came off the assembly line. But let's look at the more potent combination when you add an ounce of "young love" to the mix and then throw them in the "finished basement" assuming they are safe from drunk driving. Let's not kid ourselves. What they have now is a "safe" place not only to drink freely but to cross the physical boundary lines that were washed away with the first swig. Maybe we kept them from wrapping themselves around a tree, but not around their "friend" from math class.

Let's do the right thing this year and replace drinking and sex with something that is fun, healthy and void of an accident. Here is one alternative...

Organize a group of families to go midnight bowling. You can divide the lanes up by age and separate yourselves to give the teens their space. No alcohol and I bet they aren't daring enough to have sex either. Remember, you don't have to tailgate!

Thoughts?
Lisa j

Bumpy ride

My car has been really giving me grief lately. Granted, it has 144,567 miles on it but I'm sure I have more miles than that and I run just fine!

It's the bumps. The ride just isn't smooth like I expect. Yes, I've changed the shocks, struts, greased up the bearings, checked the axles and even tightened the spare tire below.

Is this how you see you teen and the person they chose to date? Maybe her voice is irritating, maybe the way he chews gets on your nerves. You've tried every angle and nothing has worked from talking in a whisper and hoping it catches on to mentioning the elegant Christmas dinner at Grandma's and how important it is to have good manners.

Nice try. That would be like me suggesting to my car the importance of a smooth ride.

Pointing out the little irritating bumps in your teen's relationship will not make them go away. My car may one day drive me crazy enough to get rid of it, but in the mean time, I'm glad to have dependable wheels (for the most part.)

So what is the lesson in all this? If your teen is dating someone that drives you nuts, limit the amount of time you spend together to shorter stretches and it will be a bit more bearable. The half mile dirt road I live on is far more tolerable than taking my van on the family vacation to the Grand Canyon.

Thoughts?
Lisa J

Carfax

Who ever came up with Carfax was brilliant! What a great way to see if the car you are about to purchase is worth the investment.
You can order a report that shows prior accidents, manufacturers defects, recalls and even a recommendation on whether or not this car is a "top-pick."

Imagine what it would be like to be able to pull a report like that for our teen's relationship choices! What accidents have they caused? Are there any known defects under the hood? What is the reputation of the "parent" company?

Doing the research on the student your teen wants to date may not be as easy as getting an online report, but there are certainly many ways to gather information:
1. Facebook or MySpace
2. Other parent's opinions
3. Google their name

You wouldn't want your child to own a car without getting the facts, why would you want them to date that way?

Thoughts?
Lisa j

Speed Dating

Kalamazoo Weekly has an add in this week for Speed Dating. The ad reads like this, "Come meet someone special. Cupid.com/Predating is fun, no pressure way for busy professionals to meet. It's based on the incredibly hot, new way for singles to meet other singles with no rejection. Recent research shows that the chemistry between two people occurs within the first few minutes of meeting. With Cupid.com/predating you go on up to 12, six- minute dates in one evening. You can quickly determine who you would truly like to hear from again."

Wow. Made me think of what it might be like to take a test drive in a new car with that theory. Here's how it might look -

1. Choose 12 sports cars
   
2. Now you have 6 minutes or less in each vehicle to decide which one is right for you. (yes, that includes any research, facts, history, performance...you get the idea.)
   
3. Pick one based on how you "feel" and put down a deposit.
4. What????

Sorry, still don't buy it. Can't judge a car in 6 minutes, how can I be expected to judge a person that fast.

Thoughts?
Lisa J