MAY 2019 THE
COMMUNITY CONSCIENCE
ADULT DECISIONS ON PROMNIGHT
Raising kids can be a challenging endeavor. When Heather and I married in 2013, she agreed to take on not only a husband but also two boys: Andrew, 12, and Chandler, 11. The boys are now 17 and 18 years old and face growing up in a world very different from the one Heather and I knew when we were teenagers. We are far from perfect parents, but we do our best. Our newsletter chronicles some of our successes and some of our less-than-stellar moments. We hope you can learn from some of our failures and find some entertainment in the moments we share.
ADULT DECISIONS
and handled the situation very well. After finding the contraband, he did not over react or put an end to the evening. Instead, he had each kid contact his or her parent to inform them of the situation. Most of the kids in the group (including my son) were unaware of the alcohol until it was found. Each parent was informed that their teenager would be going to the prom and there would be consequences for the wrongdoer. I am very happy that another parent handled things in this manner. One of the greatest challenges in parenting teenagers is realizing that when — not if — your teenager uses bad judgment, their mistake is not yours. In another blink of an eye, my boys will be out of the house and prom will seem like a distant memory. We can only hope that the missteps are minor and easily corrected. Yes, your kids will grow up faster than you ever thought possible.
felt to attend prom may not be as strong. Nevertheless, I was happy to see Andrew and Chandler get dressed up and head to the Montana State University Ballroom. What could go wrong? At about 9:00 p.m. on prom night, I got “the call.” Apparently, one of the kids in one of my son’s groups decided to bring some liquor to prom. This is not uncommon, and a survey of teens aged 16 to 19 found that 31–41 percent of teens said it was likely that they or their friends would use alcohol or drugs on prom night. However, when something like this happens, ensuring that there are consequences for unacceptable behavior must be weighed against understanding that not all the kids should be punished for the malfeasance of one. There is no manual for raising teenagers, and things are not as black-and-white as we would like.
In what seems like the blink of an eye, our sons Chandler and Andrew have gone from middle school graduation to high school prom. Last week, the Foust boys became the “velvet brothers,” donning tuxedos crafted from the smooth fabric. It is an eye-opener to look your sons in the eye and realize that they are no longer the little kids who needed you for everything. Now, they just want the keys to the car and a few bucks for gas. How quickly things change! I was surprised to learn that over half of all Americans never attend a high school prom. In fact, research shows that most Americans (53 percent) did not attend prom, and barely half of those who went (51 percent) went with a date. I grew up with the misconception that prom was a rite of passage that everyone participated in at some point. Today, attendance at proms is not as obligatory as it once was, and the social pressure teens in the 1980s
- Lucas Foust
The parent who had organized the limousine for the kids found the alcohol
406-587-3720 • 1
Learning to Be Grateful Some Ways to Help Children Appreciate Their Teachers
some of the stress of that balancing act and let them know that you acknowledge their efforts.
Teacher Appreciation Week runs from May 6–10 this year, and there are plenty of ways students of all ages can thank their educators for everything they do. Being a teacher isn’t an easy job, and the people who make it their profession are passionate
A HOMEMADE MEAL Making a homemade meal (or dessert) shows teachers that you went the extra mile to appreciate their hard work. You could make a favorite dish of yours or try to find a new recipe online. Either way, encourage your child to help you with the process so that the meal is truly a gift from both of you. DONATING SCHOOL SUPPLIES Many teachers use their own money to buy school supplies for their classroom. This is just one of the ways teachers go above and beyond on a daily basis, and buying some extra school supplies can help ease that cost. Take your child shopping with you and help them pick out supplies that you know their teacher will appreciate. Your children spend several hours a day with their teachers, so fostering relationships with them is vital. Use this day to help your children understand the importance of teachers, to teach them the power of gratitude, and to encourage them to show respect for everyone who helps them in life.
about helping kids learn. Depending on how old your child is, they may need a parent’s help in showing their appreciation. Here are a few ways parents and children can appreciate teachers together.
THANK-YOU NOTES This gesture is simple and sweet and can be very thoughtful. Telling a teacher what makes them outstanding can often be just as valuable as a gift. Help your child write an appreciative note and then write one yourself. Teachers often have to maintain
the happiness of students, administrators, and parents. Your card could relieve
Even though parents and kids everywhere are getting close to celebrating the last day of school this year, school day mornings are difficult no matter what season it is. Do you feel like you’ve run a marathon by 9 a.m. every day? Rest assured that you’re not alone. Mornings are often the most hectic and stressful part of a parent’s daily schedule. Fortunately, there is an inexpensive and popular device that can help take some of the pressure off your morning routine and get your kids to the bus on time: Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa! ALARMS OF ALL KINDS You can place an Echo Dot in your kid’s room and set an alarm that wakes themup to the weather report, a standard alarm sound, or their favorite tunes. You can also programAlexa to turn on ‘Hey, Alexa!’ 3 Ways a Virtual Assistant Can Help Get Your Kids Ready for School
MAKE IT A GAME “Out the Door”is an interactive Alexa game that turns getting ready for school into an adventure for younger children. Each day, kids are given a new superpower and have to defeat a different creature as they complete“missions,”which include tasks like brushing their teeth and getting dressed. It makes the process of getting ready for school exciting and gives kids an incentive to fulfill their responsibilities. If you don’t already have an Echo Dot, you can find them at most major retail stores. Make your mornings less stressful by starting with“Hey, Alexa”and going from there.
a compatible bedside lamp so they wake up to light instead of sound, which offers a more calming way to wake up. If your kid decides to catch a fewmore z’s and ignore their alarm, you can use some of Alexa’s other features, like Drop In and Intercom, to start a two-way conversation or send announcements to all the kids’rooms in the house. REMINDERS AND LISTS Alexa can also help you check off items from your family’s morning to-do lists tominimize the chaos of weekday mornings. You can create reminders to pack lunches or grab homework, and then all you have to do is ask,“Alexa, what are my reminders?”She will run down the list, so you can hit the road early without the nagging feeling that you left something behind.
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4 Tips to Keep Your Child Safe Prom Safety
Seeing gorgeous dresses, fancy suits, corsages, and boutonnieres pop up in advertisements can only mean one thing: Prom season is here! This time of year, teens are busy choosing the perfect dress or suit to wear, finding a date, making dinner reservations, and preparing for an evening of fun and dance. During this exciting time, give your teens a little encouragement and guidance to ensure they have a safe and memorable evening. CREATE A PLAN Create a plan for prom night, and make sure everyone knows what it is. Your teen should know and communicate with you what time the dance starts, what time it ends, if they’re going anywhere after, and when they’ll be coming home. PHONES Make sure your teen’s phone is completely charged in case they need to reach out to you sometime during the night. Encourage your teen to check in once every few hours, and establish an emergency code to use if they find themselves in trouble. DRIVING You and your teen should also have a plan about the modes of transportation, who’s driving, and how many people your teen is going with. Trusting the driver is important. If you’re hesitant about letting your
child be driven to prom, find another way. If your teen is driving the family car, confirm that they will be the only person driving the vehicle.
DRESS SAFETY Make sure your teen is dressed comfortably and appropriately to ensure they have a fun night without any accidents. Encourage them to wear comfortable shoes that they can walk and dance in without pain. High heels are fashionable, but they shouldn’t wear heels so high that they may fall and hurt themselves. Whatever your teen decides to wear should be comfortable and hemmed to the appropriate length based on their height.
By keeping these safety measures in mind, your teen will have a wonderful and safe evening!
Take a Break!
Inspired by foodnetwork.com
CLASSIC FRENCH OMELET INGREDIENTS
• •
3 large eggs
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Inmediumbowl, beat eggs with plastic fork until last traces of white are just mixed in. Season with salt and pepper. 2. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter, swirling over mediumheat until foamy but not browned. Add eggs, stirring rapidly with fork, while moving skillet to agitate eggs. Break up all curds by scraping bottomof skillet as they form. Stop stirring when eggs are softly scrambled and creamy (but loose enough to come together into a single mass), 1–2 minutes. 3. Using fork, gently spread egg in an even layer around skillet
and scrape down any wispy bits around the edges. The top surface should be loose and creamy, but if still liquid, swirl skillet to bring raw egg to the edge where it will set faster. 4. Remove fromheat. Tilt skillet up by handle. Using fork, gently roll omelet down over itself until nearly folded in half. Using fork, push omelet to edge of skillet so that the lower edge of egg just begins to overhang. Use fork to fold overhanging edge of egg back over, closing omelet. 5. Turn omelet out onto plate. It should have the seamon bottom.
SOLUTION ON PAGE 4
406-587-3720 • 3
Foust Law Office
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
www.lucasfoustlaw.com 406-587-3720 Fax: 406-879-4400
3390 South 30th Avenue Bozeman, MT 59718
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Adult Decisions with the Velvet Brothers PAGE 1 Teacher Appreciation Week Is Here! PAGE2 3 Ways Alexa Can Help Get Your Kids Ready for School PAGE 2 Prom Safety Tips PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Opening Day Hamburgers PAGE 3 Genealogy Sites Provide Breakthroughs in Cold Cases PAGE 4
SOLUTION
GENEALOGY SITES AND THE WARMING OF COLD CASES The Revolution in Forensic Science Continues to Captivate the Masses
We’ve come a long way in the field of forensic science since 1986, when DNA was first used to convict someone in court. In 2019, criminals who would have gotten away with their crimes in the past are now put behind bars where they belong. The advent of genealogy testing has been thrust into the spotlight with high-profile cases that were solved by sequestering information from sites like 23andMe and Ancestry.com. With this revolution in DNA testing on the rise, there’s really no end to the impossible-to-solve cold cases that can finally be put to rest. Whatever the motivation was behind genealogy sites in the beginning, they’re now some of the most sought-after databases in the world and are worth billions for their collection of the most personal consumer data in existence. Using these websites’ data, investigators can make DNA matches with potential offenders. The most famous recent case is the successful apprehension of Joseph James DeAngelo, otherwise known as the Golden State Killer. After 13 murders and dozens of assaults, he was finally brought to justice after investigators matched his DNA to the evidence found at the crime scenes. They gained access to his DNA from the personal genomics site GEDmatch.
successfully subpoenaed the companies to hand over the requested data. With the ability to theoretically solve any crime with preserved DNA, law enforcement and websleuths alike are foaming at the mouth at the possibilities genealogy testing has to offer. If only we’d preserved some of Jack the Ripper’s DNA!
Although access to the data of popular sites like 23andMe and Ancestry.com is restricted to its customers, law enforcement agencies
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