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Show f WEEKLY RER.EX DAVIS NEWS JOURNAL, NORTH DAVIS LEADER, JUNE 17, 1982 n Edttori Note: This Is another in series of articles deaUn wttk and the probknu of alcohol. The seriea of artteka la prepared by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Sendees and Alcohol, Drag abase and Mental Health Admini.tr.Hn... teeiuen pressions of independence. Young people are often under heavy pressure from their friends to drink. They are bombarded by advertising urging the use of alcohol. Why you need to talk about it. YET TEENAGERS have mixed feelings on TRAFFIC accidents are the number one cause of death among teenagers, and most of those accidents involve a drinking driver. Its comforting to believe: not my daughter or son. But 50 percent of high school students drink in cars, and about one out of four reports driving after having had a good bit to drink. TEENS ARE inexperienced at both drinkand ing driving. Even moderate amounts of alcohol for example, one beer per hour can significantly impair a young persons driving. Despite the facts, teenagers dont necessarily believe there is anything wrong with drinking and driving. Young men, in particular, are likely to perceive the drinking driver as an independent, brave, popular individual. ITS NOT an easy subject. Your first reaction may be to want to avoid the subject of drinking and driving altogether. Your teenager may feel the same way. For both parents and teenagers, it can be an emotion-charge- d subject. . FOR PARENTS: There is apt to be a natural conflict between the desire to control your childs behavior to protect him or her from harm and the recognition that some of these controls must be relaxed as children move into their teens. It can be difficult to decide how far to go in either direction. For Your Teenager: The teenage years are a time of experimentation and trying out adult behavior, and both drinking and driving are ex- - the subject. They want and expect their parents to talk with them about drinking and driving, according to a recent national survey. But often teens resent adult advice, particularly if they think they will simply here dont. Examine your own example. WHEN IT comes to adult behavior like drinking and driving, parents are closely copied role models for their teenagers. Before you begin to talk to your daughter or son, honestly explore your own attitudes and behavior about drinking and how they may affect your attitudes toward your childs use of alcohol. Teenagers are very alert to hypocrisy. The last thing you want is to put yourself in the position of telling your child, Do as I say, not as I do. Here are some questions to ask yourself: How do I handle drinking in our home? How would my teenager describe my use of alcohol? Do I demonstrate a safe approach to drinking and driving? WHAT WORRIES me most about my teenagers drinking? Being in a car accident? Getting sick? Getting into a fight? Damaging his or her reputation? Sexual involvement? Trouble with the law? Under what circumstances do I think it would be OK for my teenager to drink? Not at all? Only on family occasions? Under adult Youre a mother, a father, a parent with a teenage son or daughter. Its a weekend night, or any night, and youre waiting up; the kid was supposed to be home hours ago and youre beginning to wonder, again. AM I MORE comfortable with the idea of my teenager drinking than using other drugs? If so, why? Talking to your teenager. Waiter: Yes sir. Do you prefer the applesauce or the plum filling? GAYLE STARKS, Clear- BOUNTIFUL The ecutive Director of the Ex- some caution in any major joint effort. "I feel our North Area Davis Chamber is for promot- Bountiful er Chamber of Commerce says ing north Davis. We may give the imaginary line between our strategy away (if Bountiful Farmington and Kaysville Chamber joined). Everything should be erased. is divided, I don't think we can ONE WAY to help accomerase that, he added, noting plish that is coordination with north Davis is part of the the North Davis Chamber Ogden Area Transportation Association and the Layton, System program while south Kaysville and Clearfield Davis is ties to Salt Lake Area Transportation, for example. chambers, says Executive We have to start somDirector Haven Bumingham. ewhere, Mayor Shields We want to coordinate emphasized. efforts toward overall county planning, he said in a teleTHE NORTH Davis execuphone interview, responding committee will meet with tive to discussion of the possible Bountiful Area representaofficers of raised effort by joint tives, Mr. Ipaktchian indithe North Davis Chamber, recated. Lets open our lines of cently. communication. We needed help with the health departNOTING THE South Davis ment and they responded, "he Lewis interest, Layton Mayor added, 'speaking of the resG. Shields said, Anything we taurant fee issue where Bouncan do to erase that line we tiful Area Chamber issued a should do. I think we ought to pursue (cooperation). Layton Chamber Pres. Hirsh Ipaktchian noted Hill AFB acts as a sort of common denominator for north Davis and also cited the close geogBountiraphical proximity. ful has always been part of Salt Lake City activities. In most cases, (issues of common interest) arent discussed. letter of protest echoing the north county associations feelings. We need to establish that were after certain things," he said. Theyve been very cooperative and IN A telephone interview, Mr. Bumingham said his group FREQUENTLY teenagers are defensive when talking to their parents about areas of their lives they consider private. Your first conversations may not go well. But by taking the first step, you will open the door to future Trust Me A preference field City Manager, urged SET REALISTIC goals. Most teens do drink on some occasion and most either drive or are passengers in friends cars. To forbid either activity is unlikely to work. A more realistic approach is to help your teenager find ways to not mix drinking and driving. Take advantage of everyday conversations, such as discussion of news events, to follow up and reinforce important points about drinking and driving. BRING UP the subject when family members are in a calm frame of mind. Make clear that you want to share ideas about drinking and driving, not make accusations or hand down ultimatums. Dont try to start the conversation when your son or daughter comes home drunk. A discussion in the morning may be more successful. Be honest direct in stating your own atti- - Joker: Waiter, bring me a slab of political pie. By TOM BUSSELBERG tudes and preferences, and what you are most concerned about. TEENAGERS HAVE an amazing physical ability: they can close their ears. Most parents know that even if they can get their teens attention, they still have to get past a turned-of- f attitude to get their messages across. There is no one way to discuss drinking and driving. Each teenager, each parent, and each situation is different. But as you consider various approaches to the subject, you may find some of the following guidelines useful: YOU KNOW kids drink, or some do; your own kid drinks, you know that, too. Youre worried because you figure there's a fair chance your kid has been drinking tonight, and unless hes wrecked the car, unless shes wrecked the car, unless dont, tell yourself, hey, its OK, Su are fads, which doesnt help at all, because this fad happens to be your fad, and if your fad has been drinking. . . Trust me, the fad says, I can handle it, Im not like other fads, I dont drink to get drunk, 1 know when Ive had enough, I know when to say no more, thanks. Trust me. I don't drink and drive. OR THE fad will look you straight in the eye and say you drink and drive, why shouldnt I drink and drive? You say, were not talking about me, were talking about you; you say, Im an adult and youre not. But it doesnt make a lot of difference, because the kids got a point not that hed admit it, not that shed admit it, and not, now that you think about it, that youd admit it either, but the fads growing up and following in your footsteps. Some of them anyhow. Look, you say, you could wreck the car, fall yourself, or somebody else, or hurt yourself, or somebody else. You could wind up in jail. All true. AND SO could you. Trust me, you say, I know what Im talking about. The message is dont drink and drive, and please listen to me, I love you, I know what Im talking about here, the message is dont drink and drive, the message is dont drink and drive. . . Who said that? Hello, am I talking to myself. YOUR MIND begins to wander, you doze off, you wake with a start, theres a car pulling into the driveway, headlights sweep the dark room where you wait Youve been holding your breath, you relax, you feel like a balloon going down. At the same time you feel the anger begin to build in your chest, real anger, you scared me, you kept me up. Here comes the kid. Shes been drinking. Hes been drinking. You can smell it. YOU WISH there was a magic formula, never mind how foolish it sounds, or a magic wand, anything to make your job easier, make this kid understand the truth you're trying to tell, the message you have to deliver dont drink and drive. Youre talking to yourself dont drink and drive. Youre talking to yourself, but youre talking to your kid, too. Dont drink and drive. Here comes the kid. Dont drink and drive, and please listen to me, I know what Im talking about now: here, I love you. had discussed coordination on issues that would affect the entire county but emphasized no intent of actually joining the north chamber had been raised. Blaming the previous dividing the county largely on fragmented telephone service, he said of the new county wide dialing, I think we will see a much more cohesive effort. HE SAID a gentlemens agreement had existed that county commissioners would represent each area, one each from the north, central and south. They shouldnt just do it for their local area but for the whole, he emphasized. I don't think there's any desire to be a member, only one of coordination, Bumingham reiterated. Mr. Good Luck A guy and a girl were sitting on her couch discussing intellectual things like mental tele- pathy. Would you call it mental telepathy," the girl asked, if you were thinking the same thing I am thinking about? No," th guy smiled. Id call that just plain good luck! DIUMffiG PROBLEM Father and teenage son discuss youth drinking problem and the fects of liquor, especially when driving. af- .AWAW,,. Audrene's By TOM BUSSELBERG - If FARMINGTON child you of a the parent youre some think might be gifted, classes set to begin this fall and might provide the stimulus need. could child your help THE DAVIS School Dstrict is organizing the Davis the Academy, to challenge more advanced, capable students" in a variety of areas that may range from basic computer classes to geometry, and study problem-solvin- g or kindergarten-9tLarry Wilson, so--i supervisor for the its aimed at that h tuse high schools elective classes and 'lar activities that ; similar growth. SET UP with assistance from Carolyn Zaugg of Bounti- fill, a parent with several children who probably will participate in the program, she stres- sed that gifted doesnt necessarity mean an intelligence quota of 180, for instance Recalling a U.S. Office of Education study she said it found 50 percent of gifted were working four grades or more below grade level while another 50 percent didnt finish college. A lot of people have anxieties about what is gifted and if their child is gifted. What does that (gifted) mean? Is mine gifted enough? THERYRE (DISTRICT) saying if hes performing well in school or very capable but not responding well, then it might also be well to enroll them. Straight As isnt a guarantee a childs gifted. In fact, some creative children resist that, she explained. This summer, one Spanish class with 14 students is under way at Mueller Park Jr. High School taught by Renee Meniott. But plans call for the programs expansion throughout the county come fall. WE DONT claim there arent other places a child can get these classes, Dr. Wilson But this is a emphasized. series of classes (designed) to challenge and stimulate the mind. Following district policy of mainstreaming generally "gifted students with their peers, tentative plans indicate classes will be held evenings and Saturdays as part of the community a school. To be ses$20 fee for an eight-wee- k sion of IVj two hour classes each week, is planned. Classes will be limited to 15 students. g, STUDENTS WILL be drawn through student interest, rent concern and teacher potential class offerings including basic computer lancommendations with fees guage and operation; creative dramatics; basic study and going primarily to pay instructors salaries. We will try to thinking skills, inductive and reach out and utilize commun- deductive thinking, logic, Dr. Wilson reading comprehension, ity personnel, says with students responsible nathematics, junior great for their own transportation. 'books, futures problemsNoting the classes are an olving, history fair, and a answer in part to parent con- close-u- p on American governcerns Dr. Wilson says "There ment. Also being considered is still a feeling among many are speed reading, calligraphy, parents and educators the dis- Spanish and creative writing. trict should respond in a more Classes could be rotated on direct way to the needs of a quarterly or term basis giving those students who want chalofferings exposure to lenges beyond the regular with possible many classes parent inprogram of curriculum and available in parenting for gifted struction. Many parents have and and pareindicated a desire for more nt-child talented students communications. attention to the needs of students who would benefit from ADDITIONAL information access to an accelerated will be available to interested academic program. parents and students after the is more "firmed up" CLASSES WILL be offered program as time draws closer to the where sufficient interest is 1982-8- 3 school year. generated, he continues, with m pare- to $g& m Todays. most beautiful! perming., A (j(j any perm or body wave starting at 190 South s30 Fort Lane Senior Citizen Discount No. 4, Layton Phone lUJLi 544-294- 5 |