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TRADITIONS THAT STICK BUILD FAMILY RITUALS THAT EVOLVE AND ENDURE THE LEGAL NAVIGATOR DECEMBER 2024
For many Americans, the holiday season is a time for tradition. Whether you’re planning to decorate your home with dazzling lights and a tree full of ornaments, kick back and enjoy one of your favorite winter-weather movies, or simply enjoy your time with family and friends, we have many traditions to celebrate. However, traditions and family rituals aren’t exclusive to the holiday season; we can celebrate and observe them all year. When you think about your family’s traditions or rituals, you likely think of birthdays, special holidays, and other celebrations, but traditions can originate anywhere and incorporate things nobody understands but you and your family. It could be a super-secret handshake you perform with your son when you pick him up from school each afternoon, a code word for a specific activity you and your daughter enjoy, or even your own rules for a popular board game. One of the benefits of establishing traditions and rituals is that they give your family an identity and a sense of belonging. These are unique activities you all do together — that mean something to your family. They create memories and strengthen your family bond. Some of these traditions, if done regularly, can even supply comfort and security to your children since they provide consistency. While some families have traditions and rituals passed on from generation to generation, some of us have to create our own magic as we go. Thankfully, traditions and rituals can come out of almost any experience. Something as simple as having dinner as a family every night or setting aside time every week to discuss upcoming sporting events or movies can become a highly anticipated family ritual. If you do the same morning or nightly routines, you can incorporate some fun ideas to make it more exciting for everyone involved. Even just saying “I love you” before putting your child down for bed or wishing them a silly farewell as they leave for school in the morning can be a heartwarming tradition that helps them through each day.
Your traditions and rituals do not have to be weekly or daily. You can make special events into rituals, too! Let’s say you or your child is a big fan of a football team that rivals the hometown favorite. You could make a ritual by attending every local game between the two competitors. On birthdays, start a tradition where everyone sings a funny song or shares a favorite memory from the past year. You could even let the kids choose a tradition or ritual the entire family can get behind, like monthly movie nights or visits to the zoo.
Once you establish your family rituals, you’ll notice family bonds and overall chemistry improve, which leads to more laughter and fun. However, at some point, your children may outgrow some of your rituals or no longer have time to participate. When this happens, make simple adjustments or create more appropriate traditions to facilitate memory-making and improve your relationships with loved ones.
Traditions and family rituals are a great way to bring your family closer together and create memories that will last a lifetime. Before long, your kids will grow up and start traditions of their own with their families.
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Canine Counselors The Role of Courthouse Dogs
The courtroom can be an intimidating place. The formality, seriousness, and importance of our legal system — paired with potential trauma — can make it a challenging environment for those called to testify. Scared witnesses, victims of crime, and experts who are just having a down day can all have trouble when taking the stand. However, recalling a traumatic event can be easier with the help of a well-trained dog snuggled up against you on the witness stand, providing the mental nourishment to get through it. Courthouse dogs are used throughout the United States, providing an invaluable service often overlooked or unknown despite their noble purpose. They are professionally trained animals chosen from the most friendly and compassionate pool of dogs to provide reassurance in high-stress situations. Here is what you should know about these unsung heroes.
The accreditation process is essential because courthouse dogs are only assigned to a handler after at least two years of training. If you think in dog years, that’s the equivalent of a Ph.D. in being a fluffy, adorable companion. Handling Business Once a dog has graduated from an accredited dog school, it is ready to be assigned a handler. The handler essentially adopts the dog and is responsible for housing, feeding, and caring for the professional pup. The handler is typically a victim advocate, forensic interviewer, police officer, or attorney, as they most often interact with people needing the dog’s expert care. Handlers also can’t have other dogs in the home who are overly aggressive, and most handlers provide support to the courthouse dog during off-hours. A secondary handler is typically necessary, as they can accompany the dog when the primary handler is required elsewhere. The Drawbacks Issues can arise if court employees or participants are allergic to dogs. Dog dander, a common allergen, can be on handlers’ clothing, making them a hazard to those with strong allergies. Care must be taken to avoid contact between handlers, their dogs, and those allergic to the animals. Similarly, some people have intense phobias
Accredited Companions Not just any dog can become a successful courthouse dog. First, it needs to meet the professional standards. Only the friendliest and most adaptable dogs can cut it in an accredited assistance dog school. These hallowed nonprofit institutions are accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the world’s leading authority in the industry. ADI has been an integral part of the process since 1986 and only awards accreditation to organizations that meet its rigorous standards. While the ADI evaluates a dog school’s organizational operations, treatment of clients, safety, cleanliness, and compliance with legal regulations, they also greatly emphasize how schools treat their puppy pupils. To become accredited, a school must also employ humane
of dogs; in this case, similar measures should be taken to avoid contact between the dogs and these individuals.
The Benefits Courthouse dogs can seem alien in the stuffy courtroom environment, but their benefits greatly outweigh any breach in tradition or hindrance allergies or phobias may cause. They can help vulnerable witnesses regain the
training methods, have a valid health care regimen, and employ well-trained and evaluated trainers.
confidence to share their stories, no matter how difficult, and persevere through a challenging situation.
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FACT-CHECK YOUR FOLKLORE
THE REAL DEAL ON OLD WIVES’ TALES
You’ve probably heard the old wisdom that if you pluck a gray hair, two will grow back, or maybe you’ve been avoiding the pool after dinner so you don’t drown. Many so-called old wives’ tales like these, passed from generation to generation, might be more fiction than fact. Get ready to learn the truth behind the tales as we debunk three age-old myths. It’s safe to swallow gum. As kids, we likely all heard that if you swallow your gum, it will stay in your stomach for seven years. Don’t stress that sticky stuff! Your stomach is powerful enough to digest gum without any issues. The only (rare) reason it could become a
myth says. When you are digesting food, your body has to use more blood to aid in the process, but it’s not enough to cause debilitating cramps that could lead to drowning. At most, you might get a minor cramp you hardly notice. Pulling a gray hair won’t make 2 appear. Plucking gray hair won’t make you grow more silver strands. Every hair on our bodies comes from a single follicle, which ultimately stops producing color as we age. The loss of pigmentation affects only one hair per follicle. So, if you pluck one, that is the only hair affected, and it will likely grow back the same gray color. What you do risk by plucking gray hairs are bald spots, so it’s best to leave those gray hairs alone.
problem would be if you swallowed an excessive amount of gum, which could lead to a blockage in your intestines. You can swim after snacking. Have you been scared to take a dip right after a meal? You don’t have to wait 30 minutes after eating before you go swimming, like the old
Ultimately, most of these tales are just age-old fibs that have managed to stick around for generations despite science and common sense debunking them. So, the next time someone warns you about the gum you swallowed or how you prune your hair, laugh it off and share the real story.
TAKE A BREAK
Inspired by Simply-Veganista.com
VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER AND CACAO RICE CRISPY TREATS These delicious (and easy) rice crispy treats won’t last long on your kitchen counter.
Ingredients
• 1 cup brown rice syrup • 1 cup natural peanut butter
• 5 cups rice crispy cereal • 1/3 cup cacao nibs
Directions
1. Line a 9x9-square pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with coconut oil. 2. In a large pot, warm the rice syrup and peanut butter over low heat. Be sure to stir frequently before removing from the heat. Stir in cereal and mix until almost combined. Add in cacao nibs and continue to mix until well combined. 3. Place mixture in the prepared pan and gently press until compacted and evenly distributed. 4. Place pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden or serve warm!
Cardinal Cocoa Frosty Garland
Generosity Menorah Mittens Peppermint
Pinecones Snuggle Unity Yule
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
How Family Traditions Can Spark Joy Year Round
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How Canines Bring Comfort to the Courtroom
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You Can Safely Swim After Dinner Vegan Peanut Butter and Cacao Rice Crispy Treats
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Italy’s Most Photogenic Seaside Destination
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Walk the Italian Riviera’s ‘Pathway of Love’ Discover Cinque Terre
Imagine a cluster of ancient seaside villages along the Italian Riviera so picturesque that it inspired a Disney film. Cinque Terre, or “five lands,” encompasses five breathtakingly photogenic fishing villages along the northwest coast of Italy. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage area, this national park offers all the attractions visitors love about Italy, from extraordinary food and wine to exciting seaside views. Childhood memories of Cinque Terre inspired Disney director Enrico Casarosa to re-create the setting for his Oscar-nominated coming-of-age film “Luca.” Cinque Terre’s narrow streets are often filled with day-trippers during the summer, nearly overwhelming the area’s 4,000 residents. The flood of tourists eases in the winter, however, making this the best season to savor Cinque Terre’s beauty and culture.
While farmers developed the area in the 11th century, Cinque Terre was inaccessible by road until the 1960s. One has to admire the ingenuity of residents who carved terraces into the steep cliffs, stacked houses down the ravines, and cultivated olives and wines so superb that kings favored them during the Renaissance. Hiking is a favorite pastime here, and visitors this winter are in luck. One of the most beautiful walkways in the world, the half-mile Via dell’Amore (or Pathway of Love), reopened in August 2024 after repairs following a 2012 rockfall. Reservations are required, and visitors are only allowed to walk one way on the path from the village of Riomaggiore to Manarola. Unlike the steep, rugged hiking paths elsewhere in Cinque Terre, however, part of the Via dell’Amore is wheelchair
accessible, and the breathtaking views are worth the effort. Planning to drive in and around Cinque Terre isn’t wise. The clifftop roads are narrow and frightening, even for seasoned drivers, and nonresidents aren’t allowed to park in the villages. A better strategy is to take the train from the Genoa or Pisa airports (about 1–2 hours). Check the national park website at Parconazionale5terre.it before you arrive to learn about any winter storm closures and trail conditions.
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