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We are sadly learning that the old joke about the neighborhood curmudgeon yelling “get off my lawn” is, today, potentially fatal. In that regard, here are some tips to help your children live to adulthood that need to be added to the lessons already encouraged about “stranger danger,” alcohol and drugs, driving under the influence and more. With apologies in advance for adding more responsibilities to the plate of those parents of kids of color who already have “The Talk.”
1. Do not let your children play outside of your driveway, garden or yard.
2. Instruct them that if their ball, kite, frisbee, badminton birdie or any other item goes onto another’s property, do not retrieve it.
3. If riding bikes on the street, instruct your children not to veer onto personal property.
4. Do not let your children go door to door selling cookies, raffle tickets or any other items as a fundraiser for a sports team, club or nonprofit group. Only allow them to participate in public area sales with adult supervision.
5. Do not allow your children to play with any “look-alike” weapons outside of your home or near any window.
6. On a playground, instruct your children to approach another adult only if their hands are visible (not in pockets) and no hood or hat is obstructing their eyes.
7. If walking a pet, instruct your children not to let the animal urinate on private property, instead redirecting animals to the street or public median. If the pet defecates, instruct your children to immediately pick it up in a poop bag and transport the bag to your home or public trash receptacle. Do not place it inside another person’s private trash receptacle.
8. Encourage your teenage children not to apply for jobs that require walking up to a private residence door, like food delivery, unless a uniform and/or delivery vehicle is provided that clearly marks the business for whom they are working. If possible, ask your children to call the number of the person who ordered the food to alert them to their arrival before going to the door.
9. If asking your licensed teenage drivers to go to a private address, provide them with a map and detailed driving instructions. If possible, ask them to call the number of the dwelling owner to alert them to their arrival before going to the door.
10. If your licensed teenage driver gets lost, ask them to go to a public space to turn around and avoid pulling into a private driveway.
11. Ascertain that your licensed teenage drivers have license plates, color, make and model of all vehicles in your household memorized.
12. If your teenager is going to take an Uber, Lyft or taxi, instruct them to verify the license plate, color, make and model before entering the vehicle and to alert you via text or call when they depart.
13. Learn and use the app on a smartphone for tracking the geographic location of your children.
Finally, please pray for sanity to return to our country.
Tam Agosti-Gisler is an Anchorage resident and former member of the Anchorage School District School Board.
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