Phyllis Law - February 2020

Check out our February newsletter!

www.PhyllisLaw.com | 404.514.3397

Protecting Bright Futures

FEBRUARY 2020

Bright Futures Bulletin

SUCCESSFUL FAILURES

Michael Yardney, property investment advisor, wrote an excellent article about “successful failures.” He outlines the failures of uber- successful people as follows. Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star. His editor thought he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. Disney also had to dissolve his first animation company because they weren’t making any money. Thankfully, he didn’t give up. At the time of his death in 1966, his net worth was estimated at $1 billion. he shopped the book around, 30 publishers passed. King threw the manuscript in the trash. His wife retrieved it and encouraged him to not give up, and the rest, as they say, is history. The book sold millions of copies and was made into a successful 1976 movie as well as other adaptations. More importantly, “Carrie” put Stephen King on the map. Oprah Winfrey, early in her career, was told she was unfit for TV. She went on to accumulate a net worth of $2.5 billion. J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” was rejected by 12 publishers before someone took a chance. It is estimated that Rowling has made over $1 billion on the “Harry Potter” book series. Stephen King authored one of his most successful books, “Carrie,” at the age of 26. When

Colonel Sanders was living on Social Security when he pitched restaurants his recipe for fried chicken. Supposedly, over 1,000 businesses rejected him. Today, it is estimated that Kentucky Fried Chicken is worth $15 billion. Life comes with a lot of “failure.” If we can figure out how to turn those “failures” into opportunities to learn and grow, we could all realize tremendous success. It’s human nature to “give up” when we are rejected. But if we re-engineer our brains to keep going and keep refining our craft in the face of adversity, we could all achieve our dreams and make the world a better place. That is part of our mission at PhyllisLaw.com. We represent good people who have made bad choices or have been the unfortunate victims of circumstance. We help them learn and grow through the process and come out better and stronger in the end. We take great pride in helping people achieve the best versions of themselves in their darkest hours.

"Life comes with a lot of 'failure.' If we can figure out how to turn those 'failures' into opportunities to learn and grow, we could all realize tremendous success."

Let us help you and your loved ones in your times of need. We consider it the highest honor.

–Phyllis Gingrey Collins

1

www.PhyllisLaw.com | 404.514.3397

Published by The Newsletter Pro www.TheNewsletterPro.com

Talking to Your Adolescent About Relationships Valentine’s Lessons

With Valentine’s Day approaching, stores are filled with chocolates, stuffed animals, and cards for significant others. Love is in the air! Even though you may not realize it, your kids may also be feeling the pressure. Crushes, dates, and broken hearts are part of their lives, too, but they may struggle to talk with you about it. Thankfully, developmental experts have weighed in on how to approach these important and delicate conversations. NO LAUGHINGMATTER Judith Myers-Walls, professor emeritus of child development at Purdue, urges parents not to treat their kids’ crushes as silly. We may know these early expressions of love aren’t that serious in the long run, but to an adolescent, the emotions are very powerful. "They are very easily embarrassed about those feelings,” Myers-Walls observes, “so parents and other adults should be respectful and not

tease about those issues.” Rather than make kids feel ashamed of these early romantic feelings, let them knowyou’re there to talk to them about it. RESPECTINGOTHERS Dr. David Anderson, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, believes it’s especially important to talk to adolescents about respecting boundaries. “One of the big lessons we want to be sending to kids at any age is that there are two people to consider,” he writes, explaining that adolescents tend to only focus on their own feelings and need to learn to consider how their crush may feel about them. This awareness might prevent them from overstepping someone else’s comfort zone. RESPECTINGTHEMSELVES At the same time, kids and teens should know the importance of respecting their own feelings. Setting boundaries can be especially important when your child is

confronted with an unwanted Valentine’s Day card or request for a date and feels pressured to reciprocate. “Boundary setting is imperative to learn during adolescence because it is a time of identity formation,” writes Dr. Marilyn Price-Mitchell in Psychology Today. “Healthy boundaries allow teens to feel respected, valued, and empowered to build positive relationships in their lives.” It also helps them handle uncomfortable social situations with grace and maturity. Crushes and first dates are a part of growing up, as is learning how to contribute to healthy relationships. Much like a first step or learning to drive, patient, loving parental support makes all the difference.

Students Need to Know Their Rights

t Phyllis Law, we represent middle school, high school, and college

investigation, that sacrifice may be worth it to avoid major problems if they talk. We frequently see students willingly give up their cellphones to school investigators as well. It is important for students to know that while a school can confiscate cellphones as contraband, staff cannot compel a student to give up their password to unlock the phone. The school would have to get police involved, and police would need to get a warrant from a judge for the password. And, usually, schools don’t go to that much effort. Please talk to your kids about their rights at school. Many times, schools’ disciplinary actions can lead to criminal charges. Therefore, it is important that kids exercise the rights afforded to them under the law.

students in school disciplinary hearings. A common problem we encounter is that students don’t know their rights at school. Students, just like any other person in America, have the right to remain silent. Students who are “called into the office” at school have the right to say nothing. However, because schools’ codes of conduct often require them to cooperate in investigations, the students comply with requests from administrators to “talk.”

While students may face a couple of days in suspension for failure to cooperate in an

2

www.PhyllisLaw.com | 404.514.3397

SUDOKU BREAK Solution on Pg. 4

WhatWe Can Learn From MILLENNIALS Those born between 1981 and 1996 are considered millennials. They are known for being the generation that got a trophy for everything and have been accused of overconfidence and overreliance on technology at the expense of personal relationships. But I think they get a bad rap. Is overconfidence really a bad thing? Don’t we all want our kids to believe that they can do anything and be anything? I think some of us may be uncomfortable with that level of confidence because of our own insecurities. Many of us were taught to be humble, but maybe we took that too far. Maybe our focus on humility has left us afraid to push ourselves and step outside our comfort zones.

Homemade Paleo Bread

Inspired by Delish

There’s nothing more comforting than a slice of homemade bread. Settle in with this paleo-friendly version of the ultimate comfort food.

Ingredients

● 1 2/3 cups almond flour

● 5 eggs

● 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

● 2 tbsp flaxseed meal

● 2 tbsp coconut flour

● 1 tbsp agave syrup

2 tsp baking soda

● 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

● 1/2 tsp kosher salt

The next time you have to make a big step in your life toward success or progress, remember what you can learn from millennials.

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F, and line an 8x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, flaxseed meal, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. 3. Add eggs, olive oil, agave syrup, and vinegar and whisk until smooth. 4. Pour mixture into prepared 8x5-inch pan and smooth top with a spatula. 5. Bake for 35 minutes or until top is golden. Remove from pan and slice when cooled.

3

www.PhyllisLaw.com | 404.514.3397

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

www.PhyllisLaw.com | 404.514.3397 278 N. Marietta Pkwy NE | Marietta, GA 30060

Solution from pg. 3

Inside This Issue

Successful Failures 1

Crushes, Valentine’s Day, and Parenting

Do Your Kids KnowTheir Rights at School? 2

WhatWe Can Learn FromMillennials

Homemade Paleo Bread 3

Your Epic Adventure Awaits 4

Create Your Own Odyssey Mythical Adventures Await in the Mediterranean

One of the oldest stories in Western literature is Homer’s “The Odyssey.” This epic poem tells the story of Odysseus and his long journey home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus’ travels were fraught with mythical monsters and magic, many of the places he visited are said to be inspired by real islands in the Mediterranean. Even today, travelers flock to these islands looking for peace, adventure, and epic stories of their own.

Odysseus rescuing his crew from Polyphemus, a man-eating Cyclops. It’s said that Polyphemus made his home on what is now modern-day Sicily. Fortunately, there are no Cyclopes in Sicily today; there are only cultural festivals, world-class golf courses, and delicious food.

Gozo, Malta

While Odysseus’ journey was perilous, he did enjoy one peaceful stop. Odysseus spent seven years on the mythical island of Ogygia, home of the nymph Calypso. Historians suspect that Ogygia was Gaudos, now modern-day Gozo, Malta. Gozo is home to the Ġgantija temples, which are older than the Egyptian pyramids. In addition to exploring its archaeological marvels, Gozo’s visitors can also enjoy snorkeling, horseback riding, and other memorable adventures. If you want to chart your own odyssey, make your final stop Odysseus’ home, the island of Ithaca. Covered in lush greenery and quaint villages, Ithaca is a wonderful place to relax at the end of your trip. Visitors can enjoy their morning coffee by a seaside cafe before lounging on a secluded beach for the rest of the day. It’s no wonder why Odysseus fought so hard to get back to Ithaca! With dozens of other islands to explore, the Mediterranean is the perfect place to plan your own odyssey — minus the mythical monsters, of course. Ithaca, Greece

Sicily, Italy

One of the most popular stories in “The Odyssey” is the tale of

4

www.PhyllisLaw.com | 404.514.3397

Published by The Newsletter Pro www.TheNewsletterPro.com

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

phyllislaw.com

Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software