Spada Law - March 2019

3 Ways to Honor International Women’s Day

On March 8, people around the world will honor International Women’s Day. Adopted by the United Nations in 1975, the holiday is meant to highlight the immeasurable accomplishments of women throughout history and draw attention to the ongoing struggle for global gender equality.

think your company has room for improvement in its treatment of women, now is a great time to do something about it. Even if you believe your company treats women and men equally, there’s no harm in empowering your colleagues to talk to give their opinions. If you’re an employer, this could mean giving women

(Too Much) Fun in the Sun A Parent’s Guide to Surviving Spring Break Spring break is often the first opportunity for college students to travel without their parents. This is an exciting prospect for students and a potential nightmare scenario for parents. The wild debauchery of spring break depicted in movies — or maybe even memories from their own college years — can make some parents panic when their son or daughter informs them they’ll be flying down to Cancun. Here are some tips to help parents deal with the stress of spring break. Get to Know Their Friends If possible, invite your student to bring their friends to your home for dinner. Treat them to a nice meal and get to know the people your kid will be traveling with. Don’t make the evening an interrogation about their trip. Instead, focus on building trust with your student and their friends. Talk About Travel Safety Young tourists are a prime target for criminals. Talk about common travel scams. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure your student books their trip through reliable travel sites. While they are on their trip, remind your student to stay with their friends, refrain from flashing cash, and check the peephole before opening their hotel door. If a stranger claims to be hotel staff, your student should call the front desk to verify the claim. International Women’s Day is celebrated differently around the world. Some nations, like Nepal, give all their citizens the day off. Most countries, however, including the United States, treat it as a normal day, at least officially. Even though we don’t have the day off, there are many ways for everyone to honor International Women’s Day this year. Here are a few of them. Talk About the Women Who Inspire You From major innovators, like Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer, to megalithic literary icons, like Maya Angelou, women throughout history have shaped how we live our lives. Whether you’re inspired by famous historical figures or the women in your own life, take the time to talk about that influence. Which women helped get you where you are today? What female leaders do you look up to? What are some lessons you’ve learned from them? Make Room for Conversation in the Workplace Many of the challenges women face globally happen in the workplace. If you

in your workplace an avenue to discuss issues, air grievances, and make suggestions. If you’re an employee, consider asking for such a forum. In either case, providing both public and anonymous avenues for women to express themselves is a great way for your company to take a step forward in fostering gender equality. Join the Conversation Regardless of your gender, March 8 is the perfect time to tune in to the larger conversation surrounding gender inequality, if you haven’t already. This could mean attending meetings or demonstrations in your town, reading works that capture the female struggle for equality, such as Roxane Gay’s “Difficult Women,” or seeking out blogs and social media accounts from gender equality activists online. International Women’s Day is about appreciating the contributions of women to society and envisioning a more equal world for the future. However, you decide to celebrate women this March, keep in mind that no matter who you are or where you come from, we all have the power to change our world for the better.

Don’t Call Just to Check In Resist the urge to call and check in with your student several times throughout the day. Instead, establish an agreed-upon time for your student to touch base by calling home. Give your student some freedom but express your desire to know they are safe. Remember That College Kids Will Be College Kids Continually lecturing our kids (something I’m guilty of) to refrain from reckless behavior while on spring break could have the opposite effect and cause them to rebel and ignore you during their entire trip. Instead, teach them how to act smart. A few very important tips my wife and I drill into our kids are: Do not go out alone and don’t leave anyone behind. Do not accept any drink or food handed to you from a stranger. Do not leave a bar or beach and go anywhere with a stranger — ever. Never accept anything from anyone at any airport, train station, or inside a taxi or bus. Spring break is a milestone for college students entering adulthood. With these tips, hopefully parents can find this milestone to be a little less stressful.

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