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JOSEPH F. EMMERTH A LOOK AT FAMILY LAW OF SULLIVAN TAYLOR & GUMINA, P.C.
JUNE 2018
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THE MOST FORMATIVE PERSON IN MY LIFE
As Father’s Day is this time of year, I want to focus on the importance of fathers and what my dad meant to me.
had a question or needed him for something, he was right there to help me out. I always had someone to look up to, and from that, I learned the value of hard work. During the summer, he’d let me help out at the construction sites — my very first job. He’d take me out to a site and then hand me a broom. I would sweep the whole area, a good two hours worth of work, and he’d give me 10 bucks. For a 12-year-old, that was some big money. It was because he gave me this chance that I learned the value of working hard and earning an income. He is, by far, the most formative person in my life. For Father’s Day, I usually try to spend as much time with him as I can. This year, I plan on going back to Indiana where my parents live and spending some time with them. My parents are still married —
I grew up in a two-parent home. My mom was a stay-at-home mother until I went to high school, and my dad worked in the construction industry. Dad was someone who always encouraged me to start reading, which became an immense part of my life (especially since I’m now a lawyer.) When I was a kid, dad would buy me comic books. I liked looking at all the pictures, but when I wanted to know what all the characters were actually saying, he would throw a dictionary my way and tell me, “Look it up. Figure it out.” (He would eventually help me do so, of course.)
He was always home for my mom and me. He wasn’t at the sports bar having a beer with his friends all the time — whenever I
46 years! — and they’re still living in the house I grew up in. This year, Dad and I will probably go get some lunch and see a movie. Since he retired, he’s been reading a lot, so I’ll probably give him an Amazon card that he can spend it on book-related material. One year, I got him something that he couldn’t use for books, and he got a little mad, so books it is!
HE IS, BY FAR, THE MOST FORMATIVE PERSON IN MY LIFE.
Dad is still going strong. He’s 70 now and doing great — he’s a pretty healthy and active
guy. I feel like it stemmed from all the hard work he did when he worked construction. On the one hand, physical labor can break you down, but on the other, it keeps you active, and I think he’s undoubtedly benefited from that. He stays pretty busy, too. Though now, instead of walking on roofs, he walks the dog. This Father’s Day, think about how your dad influenced you, and enjoy the weekend with him. -Joseph Emmerth
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How to Protect Your Eyes and Minimize Exposure THE HAZARDS OF BLUE LIGHT
You may have been warned about blue light and its impending threat to your eyes. It comes from your computer screen, your phone, and even from the sun. Why is this form of light harmful, and how can you keep your eyes safe? IS BLUE LIGHT A NEW THING? Blue light occurs in nature and is nothing new. However, because many electronics emit blue light, it’s more of an issue now than it was just 10 years ago. Backlit LED screens emit strong blue light waves, so our use of devices like cellphones, tablets, and flat-screen TVs means we are exposed to more blue light than ever before. WHY ARE EYE DOCTORS WORRIED? Blue light isn’t inherently bad — it’s found in sunlight and lightbulbs — but our increased exposure to it might be. Our eyes are pretty good at blocking UV rays but not so good at blocking blue light. Blue light has a higher energy output than other forms of light, so instead of being filtered by the corneas and lenses, almost all of it reaches the more sensitive retinas. The high energy output of blue light and our eyes’ inability to protect the retinas from it appears to cause damage similar to macular degeneration, an eye disease mostly affecting people over 65 that can lead to blindness. These similarities to macular
degeneration have scientists worried that our increased exposure to blue light could lead to more cases of it.
you keep an eye out for your children while in or around a body of water. According to the CDC, “Drownings are the leading cause of death for young children ages 1–4, and three children die every day as a result of drowning.” One sure way to prevent this is to teach your children how to swim. Give your children the tools necessary to protect themselves. Many places, such as the YMCA, offer free or low- cost swimming lessons for children. MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL INJURIES Teaching your kids to be safe on a playground and in the water is a huge step in the right direction. However, some emotional injuries can be damaging as well. School is out and spirits are high with children and teens — thinking about the consequences of their actions is the last thing on their minds. Kids may harass, threaten, or embarrass their peers in ways they find humorous without realizing the weight of their actions. Talk to your children and ask them to consider the how their actions might affect others. Getting your children to think about the consequences of things they do and say will make them more aware of their surroundings so they’re less likely to get hurt or to hurt others. When planning a fun summer with your family and children, simply being aware of your surroundings can put a stop to any dangers you may face. HOW CAN YOU MINIMIZE EXPOSURE? Many computers and electronic devices have a “night shift” option built into them. Enabling this feature will dim the screen and lower the amount of blue light that your device emits. There are also removable filters you can put on your computer screen. Brands like RetinaShield/Tech Armor and Eyesafe are designed to limit the amount of blue light your eyes are exposed to. To avoid eye strain, talk to your eye doctor about blue light glasses. These tinted glasses, which come in prescription and nonprescription versions, reduce the amount of blue light that reaches your eyes. Remember, blue light itself is just a natural form of light and isn’t inherently bad. During the day, it can even be beneficial to get some natural blue light from sunshine — while wearing sunglasses, of course. But it’s also a good idea to take precautions to protect your eyes from artificial blue light, especially if your work environment and hobbies expose you to it frequently. Save Your Child From Trouble
KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN THIS SUMMER
Summer is a great time to get outside with your family and soak up some sun. At times, parental priorities often conflict with one another. On one hand, you want your children to have fun, but on
the other, you may also have an urge to wrap them in bubble wrap. Here are a few things to keep in mind to have a safe and fun summer.
COMMON INJURIES The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an organization that promotes health, saving lives, and protection, states that, “Each year in the United States, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries.” There are a few ways that you can be sure to prevent these accidents from happening to your child. Be vigilant with your child and make sure that the surface of the playground is well-maintained and soft. Educate your child on playground safety, such as using handrails when provided to decrease the chances of falls or other injuries. STAY SAFE AROUND WATER Summer means swimsuits! Everyone is eager to get into the water and keep cool during the summer holidays, but it is imperative that
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CREATING A SUMMER PLAN FOR YOUR KIDS
COMMUNICATE, PLAN, AND HAVE FUN!
During the school year, separated parents usually have a set schedule for their children. This lets the child and parents know who is going where, when, and for how long. Now that summer is here, it’s a good time to look over you parenting schedules and make adjustments if needed. School often requires a strict schedule, but with the freedom of summer, such a routine isn’t required. Kids are all about summer vacation — bright blue skies, swimming, spending time with their friends, and most importantly, no homework! To give your child the best summer vacation, it’s important to keep an open channel of communication between you and your former spouse. One of the most important factors you can do is plan ahead at your earliest opportunity. This will help avoid any future conflicts between family get-togethers or vacations you may have planned. Create a schedule that works not only for the parents but that will help the child have a memorable summer as well. If they’re younger, spending small periods of time with each parent throughout the summer can give both parents time with that child. If your child is older, splitting the summer in half, or even simply scheduling longer periods of time, can provide them with the time they need.
Coordinating your plans this summer plays a significant role in the mental health of you and your children. Overlapping schedules can cause anxiety and stress for the parents and children involved. If you aren’t careful in your approach, you can unintentionally leave a child feeling guilty they’re leaving you at home. By encouraging them to have fun with the other parent while out on vacation, you’ll help them feel more at ease about the trip. To avoid causing tension with your co-parent, if you’re planning the vacation, be sure to let them know what’s going on and where the trip is taking place. It’s also important that they feel secure in your plans — if not, try to compromise so both parties can feel comfortable, rather than adversarial.
Open communication is vital in these summer months. Looking over your parenting agreement can be a great start this season. Set yourself up for success and prepare to have an exciting and momentous summer!
HAVE A LAUGH!
inspired by Bon Appetit OATMEAL COOKIE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES
These homemade cookies are the perfect platform for sweet ice cream. Whip up a batch for a cool summer treat no store-bought option can touch.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter • 1 1/2 ounces store-bought waffle cones, lightly crushed • 1 1/2 cups oats • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1. Heat oven to 350 F. While oven is heating, cook butter in saucepan over medium heat until browned, 5–8 minutes. Scrape browned butter into a heatproof measuring glass. 2. Pulse waffle cones, oats, flour, and salt in a food processor or blender. Once cones are finely ground, add brown sugar and pulse again. 3. Whisk egg yolk, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. 4. Add egg mixture to food processor while spinning on low. Once integrated, slowly add DIRECTIONS
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed • 1 large egg yolk • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 4 pints ice cream (any flavor)
browned butter; blend until dough forms a solid mass around blades. 5. Form dough into 26 balls and place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls and bake 12–15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. 6. Let cool, then spread ice cream between cookies to make sandwiches. 7. Freeze for up to 5 days — or enjoy today!
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JOSEPH F. EMMERTH OF SULLIVAN TAYLOR & GUMINA, P.C.
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
630-665-7676 | www.stglawfirm.com Monday–Friday 8:30a.m.–5p.m.
1250 E. Diehl Rd., Suite 400 Naperville, IL 60563
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The Importance of Fathers PAGE 1
What’s All the Fuss About Blue Light? PAGE 2
Summer Safety — Be Mindful PAGE 2
Co-Parenting: Schedule Your Summer PAGE 3
Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches PAGE 3
‘Sneaking Out’ Stories You Have to Read to Believe PAGE 4
THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT TALES OF SNEAKING OUT AND SNEAKING IN
Trying to slip out a window after Mom and Dad have gone to sleep is nothing new; kids have been trying to sneak out since the invention of houses. These three stories are sure to bring back memories of your own clandestine adventures and close calls! JESSICA: ‘GRAND THEFT MINIVAN’ My parents’ 1985 Ford Aerostar was something of a hot commodity because you could pack seven crazy teenagers in it and go for the best joyrides. As my parents were getting ready for bed, I’d run our air compressor to pretend I was pumping my bike tires, but I was actually using the noise to disguise the sound of the garage door opener. Once they were asleep, I’d pick up my friends, and we’d see how far we could make it in one night. One time, we went too far, and I couldn’t fill up the tank before getting back home. I was sweating as my mom got ready to take me to school in the morning. She turned the key, saw that the tank was almost empty, and muttered, “Your father told me this would be good on gas ...” JAMES: ‘WISH I HAD A GRAPPLE GUN’ One night, I snuck out to see a girl. My room was on the second floor, and my parents had noise sensors that went off every time
a door opened or closed. I popped out the screen on my window, figuring I could find a way out from the roof. The only option was to jump to an adjacent tree that was just out of reach. I went back to my room, grabbed a belt, and tried to use it as a whip, like Indiana Jones. It didn’t grab the branch tightly enough, though. I ended up with three bruised ribs and a sprained ankle, and I was grounded for a month.
REBECCA: ‘SNEAKING IN’ Sneaking out was never my forte, but sneaking people in sure was. There was an entry to my basement from the garage, so I would leave the back door to the garage unlocked, and my friends could slip in. One night, we had the bright idea to sneak in some boys. After one of them tripped and knocked over our canned food collection, my parents came running downstairs. When my dad took two steps toward his gun safe, the boys high-tailed it out of there.
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