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Bolton Bulletin The February 2025
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
Life has a way of surprising you, doesn’t it? One of the biggest surprises of my life came when my oldest daughter, Savannah, announc9ed she was expecting her first child — and made me a grandmother-to-be. The announcement came as quite a shock. Savannah and her husband came into town for a wedding, and at dinner, she handed me and her brother these adorable little gift boxes. Inside were T-shirts — “Grandma” and “Cool Uncle” — and a positive pregnancy test. I was over the moon. I have five children, but this is my first grandchild and I have been so impatient for this! Savannah said something that completely floored me. She admitted she wasn’t sure I’d care much about having grandkids because I’d never brought it up. Never cared? Are you kidding me? There are some aspects about being a family law attorney that are heartbreaking. One of them is sitting with parents who are facing a divorce or custody battle and having them confess, in the privacy of your office, that they never really wanted kids, and that they regret that they had them. These parents have told me, “Everyone kept saying that I needed to have children, and that I would regret it if I didn’t.” Others have said, “I told my parent/spouse that I didn’t want a baby, and they promised me that once the baby arrived, I would feel differently, but I don’t.” Some parents love their children, but feel incapable of caring for them. Many of these parents have told me that they were worried before having a child that they would not feel appropriately toward the child, or that they would be too depressed to care for a baby, but they felt judged by family or friends as selfish because they had not had children, so they decided to have a child anyways. Other parents have told me they had children simply because they were at the place in life when you are supposed to have kids, and everyone expected them to. I made a resolution that I would never question couples about whether they were having children. That rule seemed even more important for me to apply to my own children as they became adults. I wanted to respect my kids’ decisions about having children, and make sure they felt no judgment if they decided not to. After Savannah was happily married and doing well in her career, I found this resolution incredibly hard to keep. I wanted grandchildren. And she and AJ seemed so well suited to be parents. Many times I bit back words that I was afraid might be perceived as pressure for her to have children. Apparently, I was so good at respecting their boundaries that Savannah genuinely thought I didn’t care! Let me tell you, I care. Becoming a grandmother is one of the happiest moments of my life, and it took everything in me not to leap across the table and hug her into oblivion. To add to my excitement, she asked me to coordinate her gender reveal. We planned it for the day after Thanksgiving, with all her siblings present. I decorated a Christmas tree with blue and pink lights, and when the moment A Secret Worth Keeping
arrived, I plugged in the pink lights first as a fake-out before switching to blue. (Yes, it’s a boy!) Of course, my kids teased me endlessly, saying I “gave it away” during the ultrasound by accidentally referring to the baby as “he.” Honestly, I thought I was doing great! But apparently, I’m now banned from hosting any future gender reveals. Still, I managed to keep the secret for four whole days. For the record, that’s impressive for someone who’s been accused of spilling secrets just by the tone of their voice. I can’t wait to meet this little one, rock him to sleep, read him stories, and watch my daughter and son-in- law step into their roles as parents. For anyone out there waiting for their turn to be called Grandma or Grandpa, hang in there. The wait is worth it, and it’s even sweeter when the moment finally arrives. Here’s to new beginnings, tiny toes, and the joy of family. Nana’s ready to spoil, snuggle, and soak in every moment of this incredible new chapter.
-Ruby Bolton
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Bizarre Child Care Trends From the Past That Didn’t Age Well!
You’re Never Too Young for Tripe (1950s)
They say the truth is stranger than fiction, and that couldn’t be truer in the world of parenting. However, keep in mind that what’s strange to us now wasn’t odd back then. In fact, it was “the norm”! So, fasten your seatbelt and enjoy a journey back in time to look at the strange child care styles of yesteryear. Baby Travel Made Easy (1950s) A perk of traveling with a baby is that the baby stays in the parent’s lap the entire flight without paying for an extra seat, right? Well, in the 1950s, British Overseas Airways Corp felt that babies sitting in their mother’s laps the entire flight was a problem needing a solution: The Sky Cot. This travel contraption was fastened to the overhead luggage rack with a protective net to keep the baby secure during turbulence, giving a whole new meaning to “the sky is the limit.”
Parents now generally feed babies milk for at least the first six months of their lives before introducing them to solid food. However, in the 1950s, parents weaned babies off milk at four months and started them on solid foods — one of those foods being tripe, the stomach lining of cows, pigs, and other farm animals. Bon appétit! Baby Cages for Fresh Air (1930s) Back in the 1930s, when parents felt their babies needed fresh air, all they had to do was put them in a cage that hung outside their window. These terrifying baby porches were for children living in tall buildings in the city. At least they didn’t have to go down countless flights of stairs for fresh air.
No Country for ‘Lefties’ (1910s) Being born left-handed was once considered a characteristic of a defiant personality and something parents should train out of children. Treatment often included painful braces to restrain the use of the left hand, forcing children to make their right hand dominant. Parenting trends and child care standards have changed with every generation, but it’s safe to say certain child care techniques from previous generations are much better left in the past.
CAUGHT IN THE CLOUD
How One Thief’s Selfie Landed Him in Hot Water
(and comedy lovers everywhere), he uploaded this gem to the cloud.
not-so-well-intentioned young men with a half-baked plan.
In what could be a plot twist straight out of a sitcom, a brazen thief turned himself into an unwitting internet star after his phone-snatching heist went incredibly wrong. Picture this: A cool evening, a group of movie-goers casually strolling down their Houston neighborhood looking forward to a bucket of popcorn and a new blockbuster. Enter stage left: three
Thanks to his cloud-cast snafu, the authorities could get a full image of the newly minted most wanted. You could almost hear his fellow thieves’ facepalms as the video debuted on the victim’s account. The Houston Police promptly uploaded Mr. Selfie Bandit’s solo performance to their YouTube channel. Now, they’re hoping this unexpected audition tape will help put the fool of a thief behind bars. So, let this be a lesson to all would-be criminals: If you must commit a crime, maybe leave the selfies and social media out of it. We guess it’s true that not everyone is cut out for a life in front of the camera, especially when it leads straight to the slammer.
The trio of misguided musketeers approached the unsuspecting group with violent bravado. Brandishing a handgun, one of the alleged culprits demanded the victims’ phones and their respective passcodes. They even escalated the drama by pressing the gun to one victim’s head, threatening a finale no one wanted to see. Then, the robbers fled in their four-door white sedan, stolen wallets and phones in tow. But here comes the comic relief! In a blunder no one saw coming, one of the criminal “masterminds” decided it was his time to shine. He recorded a video of himself tossing gang signs and flaunting his newly stolen phone. Unfortunately for him, but luckily for law enforcement
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TAKE A BREAK
Chore-Time Reinvented
Turn Daily Chores Into Lessons in Responsibility and Teamwork
Chores can be an incredible tool for teaching children structure, discipline, and responsibility, all while keeping the home tidy and organized. The real challenge is getting your kids to actually do them. Here’s how to make chore time a positive, structured part of your family’s daily routine. Set the tone with timed tasks. Kick off chore time with a family-wide alarm each evening. This simple signal is a fun reminder that it’s time to tidy up together. This method helps eliminate having to nag and transforms chore time into a routine team effort, reinforcing the value of responsibility and teamwork. Assign age-appropriate chores. Providing children with tasks that match their developmental stage is crucial in promoting independence. Here are some suggestions on how to align chores with age: • Toddlers (ages 2–3) can help with simple tasks like putting toys away and filling the pet’s food dish, which is great for developing early motor skills. • Preschoolers (ages 4–5) can handle slightly more complex jobs, such as making their bed and helping clear the dinner table, which teaches them about daily routines and basic organizational skills. • Elementary kids (ages 6–7) can start taking on responsibilities that affect the whole family, such as setting the table and sorting laundry, helping them understand teamwork and household dynamics. • Older children (ages 8–9) are ready to contribute more significantly by loading the dishwasher and helping prepare simple meals, skills that teach planning and basic cooking. • Pre-teens and teens (ages 10 and older) can manage most household chores, including laundry and babysitting younger siblings, preparing them for future independence. Track chores creatively. Use chore charts, jars, or wheels to track tasks visually, helping kids stay organized. These tools make it easy to see what they’ve accomplished and what they still need to do, adding a layer of accountability and accomplishment to daily chores. Search online for templates and examples to spark your creativity! Consistency is key. Make chores a non-negotiable part of the day to solidify the routine. Even when enthusiasm wanes, maintaining consistency ensures children understand the importance of daily contributions to family life. Regularly review and adjust chores to keep them age-appropriate and engaging. Integrating fun, structure, and discipline through chores helps keep your home orderly and instills lifelong values in your children, setting the foundation for responsible, well-rounded individuals.
Skillet Chicken in Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Inspired by LeCremeDeLaCrumb.com
• 2 tbsp butter • 5 boneless, Ingredients
• 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese,
plus more for serving
skinless chicken thighs • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 2 tbsp herbes de Provence • 3/4 cup canned sun-dried
• 2 tbsp lemon juice • 1/4 cup pine nuts • 1 cup spinach
tomatoes, drained and julienned
• Fresh thyme, for topping • Salt and pepper to taste • Cooked rice or linguine, for serving
• 1 cup chicken broth • 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions 1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 7–8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside. 2. In the same pan, add garlic, herbes de Provence, tomatoes, chicken broth, cream, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, pine nuts, and spinach and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, and stir periodically until thickened and spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. 3. Return chicken to the pan and top with salt, pepper, more Parmesan cheese, and thyme, and serve over rice or linguine.
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(281) 351-7897 BoltonLaw.com 2441 High Timbers Dr., Suite 400 The Woodlands, TX 77380
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Pink Lights, Blue Lights, and the Best News of My Life
Parenting Styles Through the Years
2
Thief’s Selfie Mistake Turns Into Viral Sensation
Skillet Chicken in Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
3
Master the Art of Chore Scheduling for Kids at Every Age
Marilyn Manson’s Explosive Plea Deal
4
BODILY FLUIDS AND BAD BEHAVIOR What Happened at Marilyn Manson’s Gilford Concert?
proceeded to kneel toward her, covered one nostril, and blew his open nostril on her arms and hands. According to a police sergeant who viewed the concert video footage, “Manson blows a significant amount of mucus at Fountain,” he said — the camera view then changed and showed Manson pointing and laughing at Fountain before she walked away. His attorney, Kent Barker, wrote that Manson’s performances over the past two decades have been known to include evocative and shocking stunts like his actions at the New Hampshire concert. Barker further explained that since the victim knew about Manson’s unorthodox performances, she ultimately consented to exposing herself to such bodily fluids.
Marilyn Manson, gothic rock’s favorite artist, sent shockwaves through the media again, but not for his usual controversial stage presence and music lyrics. This time, he found himself facing two misdemeanor counts of simple assault. The origins of the encounter stemmed from a concert at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford on Aug. 19, 2019. Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, pleaded no contest to blowing his nose on videographer Susan Fountain, who also alleged that he spit on her. Prosecutors ultimately dismissed that charge. The police affidavit stated that Manson approached the videographer in the venue’s stage pit area, leaned in close to her camera, and then spit a “big lougee” at her. Saliva landed on both her hands. Later, he approached her again and
Photo: Livioandronico2013
Fountain didn’t attend the trial but submitted a statement outlining that
Manson’s actions toward her were “the most disgusting thing a human has ever done.”
The judge in the case called Manson’s acts “egregious.” As part of his plea deal, Manson was fined $1,200. As a further stipulation, the rock star needed to notify local police of any performances in New Hampshire in the next two years and be free from any more arrests. This case is undoubtedly one for the books. Manson returned to the stage in 2024 for a short tour — though he held no concerts in New Hampshire.
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