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Bolton Bulletin The March 2024
Tomball 990 Village Square, Suite G1100 Tomball, TX 77375 (281) 351-7897
The Woodlands 2441 High Timbers Dr., Suite 400 The Woodlands, TX 77380 BoltonLaw.com
The Impact of Divorce on Teenagers NAVIGATING ANGER AND RESENTMENT
match. But now, they are all best friends. Nathan and Meagan are roommates in college. Sierra invited Savannah on her graduation trip to France. Justin plays video games online with his siblings several times a week. When I see what good friends all of my children have become with each other, I feel a sense of great satisfaction, and I know that despite all the mistakes I made as a parent, I must have done something right. However, navigating the teenage years isn’t always smooth sailing — especially for parents who are divorced. Many children of divorced parents are angry at one or both of their parents, and they can be ruthless about trying to cut that parent out of their lives. Some parents are bewildered and feel they have no choice but to step back and hope that at some point in the future, their child will want to have a relationship with them again. This is usually a big mistake. As angry as teenagers can be with their parents, they are still not adults. They do not have the maturity to make a major decision like whether a parent should be cut out of their lives. They don’t have the emotional maturity to look past their current pain and see the value of that relationship. All teenagers have moments, or even days or weeks, when they are furious with their parents and do not want to speak to them. If you are living with your teenager, be assured the teen will almost always get over that anger because they have to. If you are not living with an angry teen, you have to weather their angry moments and stick around. Even if your teen doesn’t want to see you, you need to see them. It may seem paradoxical, but if you do not insist on your teen spending time with you, they will see it as if you have abandoned them. This can make a temporary hurt turn into a permanent estrangement. Those meetings with your angry and fuming teen may be unpleasant for a time, but those moods will pass. You want to still be in their lives when they do, because your teen is metamorphosing. That is a wonderful thing to watch, and you want to be there every step of the way to witness it. -Ruby Bolton
Ah, the teenage years! March 21 marked National Teenager Day. I feel like teenagers get a bad rap. Everyone rolls their eyes when talking about them, and we hear countless jokes and stories about how difficult teenagers are to deal with. When my children were young, those teen years loomed ahead of me, and I dreaded them. Now that I have raised and survived five teenagers, I want to share the other side of parenting teens. Having a teenager in your house is remarkable. When children are young, as parents, we largely create their interests and opinions. My daughters did ballet because I signed them up for ballet and drove them to classes. My sons were in Cub Scouts because I put them in Cub Scouts. As my children became teenagers, they developed interests and hobbies I had never imagined. Savannah became the captain of her color guard team. Nathan was on the debate and tennis teams. Sierra took an interest in health care and developed a love for languages. Those teenage years were when I was introduced to the adults my children would become. I got to watch them decide who they wanted to be and stretch out their wings for the first time. One of the most rewarding aspects of raising teenagers was watching them form close bonds with each other. Several times when they were growing up, I felt like the referee at a pro wrestling
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How Someone Under 21 Can Legally Consume Alcohol WHEN MINORS ARE ALLOWED TO IMBIBE
When it comes to drinking age requirements, the U.S. is strict for a Western country. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act was enacted in 1984, which raised the minimum age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21. It also set a precedent for the age requirement for other substances. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned tobacco purchase for anyone under 21, and recreational cannabis is similarly age-restricted. While the law dictates that people under 21 can’t consume alcohol, that’s not the whole story. There are many exemptions nationwide, with every state having unique age requirement laws. Even counties can have special restrictions. American Indian reservations have independent sovereignty, so they don’t follow American laws at all. Religious Ceremonies and Services Currently, 26 states allow for religious exemptions for underage alcohol consumption. Alcohol is commonly used in many religious services; for example, Christian communion often involves a sip of wine. These legal loopholes are why priests aren’t arrested every Sunday. States that don’t have laws for religious exemptions never generally enforce the alcohol requirement on religious organizations, so they are practically legal. Medicinal Purposes People use alcohol for more than just recreation: it’s often used for medicinal purposes, too. For example, cough syrup uses it to break down ingredients. It is thus legal for medicinal purposes in 16 states, including Wyoming and Utah. Isopropyl and rubbing alcohol are distinct from the ethyl alcohol used in spirits, so they aren’t regulated similarly. Drinking for Education Alcohol is a culinary mainstay for many cultures, and many dishes include alcohol as an essential component — tiramisu, coq au vin, and flambé, to name a few. For minors interested in pursuing a culinary career, preventing them from accessing alcohol can be detrimental to their education. So, many states allow students enrolled in the culinary arts — including brewing, enology (the study of wines), and hospitality — to consume alcohol for educational purposes. For example, in Florida, students can drink as much as they want as long they’re on campus and have specific curriculums. Undercover Imbibing Minors can work for law enforcement. If they’re going undercover to expose illegal activities, there’s a good chance they’ll be offered
alcohol or put into situations where drinking is advisable. In Hawaii and Michigan, undercover agents are allowed to purchase or consume alcohol so long as it pertains to their assignment. With Family Some parents prefer that their children drink at home for various reasons. A few argue it discourages drunk driving and other risky behavior. Others just like to share a beverage with their children at dinner. Regardless of the reasons, several states allow underage drinking in the presence of a family member or guardian. The details of this exception vary widely. For example, some stipulate that a family member must provide the alcohol, like in New Mexico. Many states restrict alcohol to home use only, such as in Nebraska. Texas and other states allow the exemption in any location, such as restaurants. Drinking is distinct from possession, in case things weren’t complicated enough. In 19 states, minors can possess alcohol with parental consent. Other states, like Utah, prohibit alcohol possession at all times. Other Complexities The law is always nuanced, but few are as complex as the tangled web of alcohol restrictions. States like Pennsylvania restrict the drinking age and require sellers to fulfill strict requirements, like only selling beer and wine under 5.7% alcohol. Meanwhile, Louisianians sell daiquiris from drive-thrus (so long as they don’t have straws). The bottom line is that the U.S. has so much variety because it allows the states to set their own guidelines, and the differing cultures within states and counties affect their drinking laws. “The bottom line is that the U.S. has so much variety because it allows the states to set their own guidelines, and the differing cultures within states and counties affect their drinking laws.” ”
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BIGFOOT IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES!? A Washington County’s Unique Hunting Ban Most people don’t consider the legality of Bigfoot hunting, but in Washington state, it’s part of the law. In Skamania County, it’s illegal to kill the mythological ape. Should someone murder the creature, they’d face a stiff penalty. Bigfoot — sometimes called Sasquatch — is an elusive ape-like cryptid said to roam the forests of North America. It allegedly has reddish-brown fur, a gorilla-like body, and its namesake big feet. Some claim Bigfoot is the “missing link” between walking apes and our ancestors, who walked on all fours. Most scientists dispute the claim, saying that any ancestor this old likely would’ve adapted or gone extinct. Bigfoot was first spotted in California in 1958, and most sightings since occur in Washington state. Per every 100,000 people, 9.12 sightings are in the Evergreen State. That’s a third more often than its neighbor Oregon, the runner-up at 6.06. If there were a Bigfoot capital of the world, it’d be in Washington. On April 1, 1969, the Skamania County legislature enacted Ordinance 1969-01, the first law prohibiting the killing of Bigfoot. Anyone convicted of murdering the cryptid would be classified as a felon and imprisoned for five years. While modified decades later, it set an important precedent: Bigfoot is a protected species. Tourism picked up shortly after that. Bigfoot mania officially hit the U.S. in the 1970s as directors released films like “Sasquatch, the Legend of Bigfoot.” New Bigfoot enthusiasts started to visit Washington in droves, hoping to be the first to find proof of its existence. While locals appreciated the influx of cash from tourism, they didn’t appreciate the influx of guns from Bigfoot hunters. County legislatures enacted a new ordinance in 1984. It further clarified the regulations on Bigfoot and designated the ape as an endangered species. As such, hunting Bigfoot with the intent to kill is illegal. However, the ordinance softened the penalty for hunting Bigfoot, lowering the penalty for poachers to a year in prison or a fine of up to $1,000. Every law has some logic; no matter how frivolous it may seem, there’s a reason why lawmakers went through the trouble. While this law may seem unnecessary, it protects “Bigfoot” and the Skamania County citizens alike.
TAKE A BREAK
Chipotle-Inspired Chicken Burrito Bowl Inspired by EasyChickenRecipes.com
Ingredients
• 1 cup canned black beans • 1 avocado, cubed • 1/4 cup sour cream • 1/4 cup shredded cheese For Salsa • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro • 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 2 boneless chicken breasts • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 tsp paprika • 1 tsp cumin • 1/2 tsp chili pepper • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp pepper • 1 cup white or brown rice, cooked • 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce • 1 cup canned corn
• 1/2 onion, chopped • 2 tbsp white vinegar • 4 tbsp lime juice • Salt, to taste
Directions 1. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. In a medium-size bowl, add chicken, olive oil, paprika, cumin, chili pepper, salt, and pepper. Mix until chicken is evenly coated. 2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook chicken for 7 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside on a plate. 3. In a large bowl, layer the rice, lettuce, corn, beans, and cooked chicken. 4. In a separate bowl, mix together salsa ingredients, then pour over the chicken mixture. 5. Top with avocado, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Enjoy!
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(281) 351-7897 BoltonLaw.com 2441 High Timbers Dr., Suite 400 The Woodlands, TX 77380
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Building Resilience in Teenage Relationships
1
When Minors Can Drink
2
Chipotle-Inspired Chicken Burrito Bowl
3
Why Bigfoot Is a Protected Species in Washington
4
The Marketing Campaign That Cost Red Bull Over $6 Million
MARKETING CAMPAIGN DISPROVED IN COURT RED BULL DOESN’T GIVE YOU WINGS
a voucher for $15 of Red Bull products. But before you go writing a letter to Red Bull for your voucher, know that customers are no longer eligible for this compensation. In Red Bull’s words, they settled to “avoid the cost and distraction of litigation,” noting that their ad campaigns and can labels “have always been truthful and accurate.” Red Bull denied any wrongdoing. What Red Bull did was tread the line between false advertising and “puffery,” the legal term for extravagant claims about a product. The law allows for some lofty claims — such as “World’s Best Coffee” — so long as they are opinions. “Red Bull gives you wings” sounds like a factual statement, so it doesn’t fall under puffery. The energy drink company has continued using the slogan in its marketing in event sponsorship and TV ads. So, while Red Bull may not actually give you wings, it did pay out a lot of money in a court settlement over the claim.
For decades, Red Bull has run the marketing campaign that its energy drink gives people wings. Most assume it’s a joke, an exaggeration of the beverage’s stimulating effects. The courts disagreed. A group of Red Bull drinkers in 2014 filed a class action lawsuit against the Austrian company, accusing them of false advertising. Despite the company’s claims, they alleged that the drink does not give you wings. To be more specific, the suit alleged that the ad campaign uses flying imagery to convey that the beverage is better than other caffeinated drinks. While the brand’s messaging claims it improves response times and concentration, the suit alleges the beverage isn’t much more effective than a cup of coffee. Red Bull settled for over $6 million. They also agreed to compensate customers who were disappointed about the drink’s wingless results. Such claimants could receive $10 or
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