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Educating Your Child About the Legal Ramifications of Truancy

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So many kids these days play truant – because they can easily get away with it. They skip classes because they want to do other things other than study; and there are also some who just want to sit around and do nothing. But truancy or being absent from class has some serious consequences, especially if there’s no valid reason for an absence. Parents of truant kids could be fined, or worse, go to jail. Truant students could also be punished. Apart from punishment, children who don’t regularly go to their classes fall behind in class. This could lead to a variety of academic problems. For instance, they won’t be able to attain the grades that they need in order to get accepted into a good university, and they might also fail or get low scores on assessments and other examinations.

The Chronic and Habitual Truant

Is your child absent from school for 10% or more of the school days in a designated school year? If so, then he is classified, under Education Code Section 48263.6, as a chronic truant. Also, a child who has been reported for truancy 3 or more times in one school term is a habitual truant. In case a student is a habitual truant, the school will most likely have reported or have tried to communicate the truancy to the child’s parents, guardian or custodian.

Students – Penalties or Punishment for Truancy


Education Code 48264.5 defines the punishments for kids who play truant. In general, punishments for first-time offenders are not as severe compared with what’s in store for habitual or chronic truants. Schools can use several methods to punish truants, but actions should still be in accordance with EC 48264.5. For instance, the punishment for a teenager who plays truant for the first time will most likely include a written warning, and the student will have to go to makeup classes. Kids who always fail to attend their classes will endure more serious consequences. More serious penalties include community service, payment of fines, or suspension of learner’s permit or driver’s license. Some students may also be required by the court to attend truancy prevention programs.

Parents – Punishment for Child Truancy

The parents or guardians of a truant child can be punished under the Education Code and Penal Code. Parents of first-time truants will likely pay fines. But penalties will progress in case truancy persists. Fines will increase, and there is also possibility of conviction. Depending on the court’s decision, parents will also be required to meet with school representatives, including teachers, counselors, or psychologists. If parents have existing problems, such as addiction or lack of finances, the court might also refer them to government services, like those that help with child care and housing, or substance abuse treatment.

Dealing with Truancy

In order for parents to know the activities of their kids in school, they should regularly communicate with teachers and other school authorities. It is also essential for parents and children to have open lines of communication. This way, a child will be able to inform his parents why he doesn’t want to go to school. There might be issues regarding bullying or inability to cope with academic activities.

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  • Photo courtesy of Ambro at www.freedigitalphotos.net/.
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Claire Brown is a freelance writer. She blogs for many legal websites. She also writes for Bail Bonds Direct, CA which is a company that provides bail assistance to those who are having problems with the law.





How to Deal With a Teen Who Drinks

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Dealing with a teen who drinks is difficult. Not only will you have to deal with his defensive arguments and behavior, but you will also have to deal with his belligerence and some hostility as well. If you don’t know how to handle the situation properly, it could easily make things worse between the two of you.

Below are some tips for dealing with a teen who drinks.

Talk to Him

One of the reasons why teens drink is because they have problems. It could be problems in school or at home, and it could even be peer pressure. If you know the reasons why he drinks, then you will know how to help him break the habit.


However, when you talk to him, don’t be so critical and harsh. It could only push him away. Instead, approach the issue carefully. Talk with him when he’s in a good mood and relaxed. In fact, it’s better if you talk about mundane things first to make him feel comfortable before you address the issue of his drinking problem. You’ll find that it’s going to be easier for him to open up to you.

Remove Any Alcohol at Home

Once he’s opened up to you about his problems and you two have a good plan to address the issues, the next step is to remove all alcohol at home. If you always keep bottles of wine at home, then be sure to keep them in a locked cabinet. Keep the key with you at all times, and make sure that the lock is sturdy. If possible, hide the bottles where he can’t find them, instead of keeping them in the kitchen, the pantry, or cellar.

You don’t want to give him easy access to alcohol as this can tempt him to go on a drinking binge. If he feels that things are becoming too stressful for him to handle, encourage him to approach you. Together you can come up with better solutions, than your teen resorting to alcohol again to forget the problem.

Know Where He is

Make it a house rule to always know where he is, may it be at a friend’s house, the mall, or school. While it won’t assure you that he won’t drink, at least he knows that you can easily check on him if you want to.

If he’s going to a party or to a friend’s home, tell him that you’ll come pick him up if he needs a ride. It doesn’t matter if it’s late or where he is, and it doesn’t even matter if he’s drunk or not. The important thing is that he knows you’ll be there for him if he can no longer drive himself home. You don’t want your teen to be so afraid of your reaction that he’ll risk getting behind the wheel and drive home even if he’s had something to drink. If this happens and he’s caught, he could end up facing DUI charges or, worse, getting into a car accident.

Let him know that you trust him and that he can trust you as well. Let him know, too, that you’re always there to help him. If these don’t help though, then it’s time to seek professional help.

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Jennifer Dahline writes for a DUI attorney in Broward County. Teen drinking is a prevalent problem nowadays, but it can be stopped. If your teen has already been charged with DUI, then hire a good lawyer who can help him.

 

4 Ways To Save Big For Those Who Are "Big Spenders"

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If being frugal with your pennies rather than frittering them away on whatever tickles your fancy was fun, then surely Dame Shirley Bassey would have been singing ‘Hey Big Saver’ wouldn’t she? But she’s not; she’s singing and celebrating the fact that spending money is just plain fun. In the name of research lets pretend that the great Dame has fallen shy of the rent for a couple of months, and needs to find a fun way to curb her spending tendencies for a while.

Image courtesy of Jeff Belmonte from Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/72236935@N00/8228640/

1)  Dining at Home

Instead of taking to the a la carte menu at the Raffles every night (or in more common cases the occasional buy one get one free Italian) Dame Shirley could try getting creative in the kitchen at home. Make cooking a social activity, get friends over, cook for a partner and test those culinary skills to the limits by riffling through recipe sites. For really cash-strapped times making a trip to the  green grocers may be more economical than the average supermarket.

2)  On Your Bike

Ethical travel is all the rage right now, so even a megastar can look hot on two wheels instead of behind the blacked-out windows of her chauffer-driven limo (expensive!) It’s surprising how much can be saved from avoiding the car whenever possible, take the money saved in petrol from short trips and pop it in a jar, the pounds will soon mount up and you can spend them on something even more fabulous.

3)  Home Screenings

Instead of attending that movie premier, or paying out an extortionate amount for cinema tickets with friends, try hosting a home movie night; pop your own corn, grab a bowl of chips and snuggle around a classic film. You could even pay out for a monthly download package and split the cost with friends, it’s likely to be less than the cost of one trip to the flicks. Make even more money sense by transforming your lounge into a screening room for the night, ask guests to bring a bottle of wine or some nibbles (cutting costs for you) and be the hostess with the moistest for the night.

4)  Swap Shop

Clothes swapping is one of the biggest sustainable trends around, and it’s seriously cost effective way of revamping the wardrobe. Bassey would only need to perform a quick Google search for clothes swapping events in her area (likely to yield some serious fashion potential, or she could play host and invite round all her most fabulous friends, just make sure people attending bring clothes of equal value or quality or there could be fisticuffs.

What Now?

So saving Vs. spending might not be the ideal, but in times of need even large-lunged megastars might need to cut costs a bit in order to get by. By planning ahead, getting creative and involving friends in frugal activities it means you don’t always have to miss out on fun times.

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Author Bio | Geoffery is a finance guru who specialises in instant access savings deals (http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/instant_access_savings_accounts.aspx) and high interest savings accounts (http://www.fairinvestment.co.uk/savings_accounts.aspx)

Decorative Fypon Elements For The Whole Home

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Homeowners are often looking for new and affordable ways to update the look of the interior or exterior of their homes. As they investigate the different options, they may find that certain construction materials offer more convenience than others and Fypon urethane falls into that category. Environmentally conscious homeowners will appreciate an option that doesn’t deplete the amount of trees and forestation across the country. With many weather resistant qualities, Fypon products are ideal for exterior home improvement projects, and homeowners who are looking for a way to update the look of their entire home will appreciate the versatility of Fypon decorative elements.

Just what is Fypon urethane?

Fypon is actually the name brand for products made from urethane foam and forced into the decorative shapes and designs that are so popular in new homes and in remodeled older homes. These products provide homeowners an alternative to wood. Without needing to provide the continuous maintenance that wood products require and without feeling guilty about reducing the forests for their decorating purposes, homeowners may use Fypon elements on the exterior and interior of their homes. Some examples of decorative elements include:

                Exterior Elements

  • Louvers
  • Trim
  • Keystones
  • Door and window surrounds
  • Pediments
  • Crossheads
  • Pilasters
  • Balustrades

Interior Elements

 

  • Faux beams
  • Decorative trim moldings
  • Window trim and brackets
  • Ceiling trim and brackets
  • Interior balustrades
  • Ceiling medallions
  • Column wraps

While many people will think of these elements in the traditional white, there are also many other colors available for either exterior or interior applications.

Benefits of Fypon for Exterior Decorating

There are many decorative reasons to consider adding Fypon decorative elements to the front of the home or for any of the doorways and windows around the sides and back of the home. The framing around doors and windows creates a multi-dimensional look and enhances the existing beauty of the home. Adding extra details such as sunbursts, molding, rams head pediments and more will provide a fresh, new look to the exterior of the home and will also create an appearance that stands apart from the other homes in the area. Homeowners will also appreciate the use of these decorative elements as they work to seal up any areas around doors and windows that may have been a source of drafts or air loss for the home. With Fypon elements, homeowners can create a variety of different decorative styles and may be able to reduce the amount that they pay for their heating and cooling costs. Plus the weather resistant qualities make this decorative material a worthwhile investment.

Fypon Benefits for the Interior of the Home

Many of the benefits relating to the use of Fypon will be the same both inside and outside of the home. The added detail can frame an attractive display or may be used as a display in and of themselves. Molding full of grape bunches, twining leaves or other decorative patterns can increase the formal tone of a room or could be used to create a traditional and homey feel throughout the home. Cleaning and other necessary maintenance inside the home may be simplified when Fypon elements are used.

Whenever a remodel is in order or if the time has come for a complete change with a new home, Fypon decorative elements are an affordable and convenient alternative to wood décor. Both resistant to the elements and adaptable for many indoor and outdoor decorating, Fypon elements are growing in popularity in the building and reconstruction field.L

Lawrence Reaves writes for Accent Building Products, a home improvement company offering kitchen cabinetry, fireplace mantels and a wide variety of Fypon accents for your home.  Check out Accent Building Products and the productst they offer here.

Setting up your Yard Sale

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Having a yard sale can be a challenging, yet incredibly rewarding experience. While it’s easy to cling to items of our past, getting rid of the clutter can give us a fresh start and a cleaner and more organized house. One of the most difficult parts of putting together a yard sale is deciding what stays and what goes. Some things may just need a replacement part, such as a Kitchenaid food processor, Maglite bulb, or wick for your Zippo lighter. Here are some great tips to get you started on your yard sale and help to make it a success.

Weeding out the things you don’t need

The best approach to finding your yard sale inventory is to go through everything and ask yourself a few questions. Have I used this item in the past few years? Will I use this item in the future? Yes, it might be your wedding china, but if you haven’t pulled it out since the wedding to use it at least once a year— is it worth keeping? Go through boxes, shelves, cabinets, attics and garages to find items that haven’t been utilized. A few items might be exceptions. Other than coveted items in need of a little repair, most items that aren’t used should be placed for sale. If you find yourself clinging, try taking a picture. Many find it easier to let go of something they have a tangible memory of.

Don’t price too high (you’ll end up giving it away for free anyway)


Once you’ve gathered items for the big event, it’s time to decide on pricing. There is a fine art to pricing for yard sales. Price too high and you’ll put off the customers. Refuse to negotiate and you’ll end up selling nothing. Once you’ve cleaned everything out, chances are you won’t want to put it back in your newly organized home. Remember that one dollar is more than none and all items that are unsold will end up being donated for free. Do a little research for the going rate of high ticket items on EBay or Craigslist and price accordingly. Also it’s helpful to go to a few yard sales to see what prices keep the consumers buying.

Marketing, dates, and Signage

Choosing a weekend that has the potential to be high traffic is a great way to go. If you know people will be out and about for an event, optimize your advertising to snag those who will be driving by. Use the internet to list your yard sale for free, luring buyers by listing your top items, and consider that you can never have enough signage throughout the neighborhood. Target busy streets and display signs that lead yard sale fans straight to you.

Once you’ve had your sale, you can relax in your newly cleaned home. Take some of the money and put it toward the items you’re keeping. Kitchenaid food processor replacement parts, cleaning supplies for your freshly cleaned bookshelves, and cookbooks to go on them are just a few ideas. Repair what you are keeping, and clean things out on a regular basis to keep from having to have another sale soon!

Patrick Whalen is a part of an elite team of writers who have contributed to hundreds of blogs and news sites. Follow him @2patwhalen.

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