COUNSELING AND CONSULTATION ASSOCIATES, INC.COUNSELING AND CONSULTATION ASSOCIATES, INC.
Phillip L. Blansett, Ph.D.
1621 Eagle Trace Drive
Mount Juliet, Tennessee 37122-7428
(615) 758-7568
Website: http://DrBlansett.com
Email: DrBlansett@DrBlansett.com
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Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Parenting
by
Phillip L. Blansett, Ph.D.
Its popular right now to talk about wanting more discipline for our children, but we really don't want it. I'm convinced. That's why we make excuses for our children and why we object when they are being corrected by others.
A few years ago I suggested a moratorium on passing any new laws. The premise that I used was that each year we saw hundreds of new laws being passed while existing laws aren't enforce. It was the same year that I asked the Nashville Mayor where in Nashville I could take my son to drive at or below the speed limit. Now we are hearing again the cry for new legislation to solve our LostTeens problems, and again I dust off my plea: enforce the laws we currently have. For instance, do you have any idea how much money can be saved if we cease drawing solid white and solid yellow lines on roads? Think about it. A truck and a crew, not to mention the professional surveying crew that has studied the roadways prior to the painting crew's assignment, goes out daily to paint solid yellow and solid white lines on the roadways. Sounds like a silly thing to speak about perhaps when teens bomb schools, shoot teachers and parents and commit hate crimes. But its not silly, in my opinion.
The solid yellow and solid white lines on the road ways capture, for me, the desperate situation of lawlessness, contempt for law and society, and helplessness to make any substantial changes.
It is against the law to cross a solid yellow or a solid white line. There is a single exception, and that is on roads that have a middle passing lane, then the solid yellow line has broken yellow dashes painted beside it. That is the only exception. Otherwise it is against the law to cross a solid yellow or a solid white line. But wait, there is more. It is especially forbidden to cross a double yellow line. Think about it. Observe it as you drive. There is that survey crew followed by the painting crew, who has determined for very good reason, that people should not, under any circumstances turn left across the particular road being painted, and so they spend their life painting those lines. Notice also, as you drive that those double yellow lines stop whenever they reach an intersection to allow a proper left turn. The same is true on our intestates. The solid white line on the right than cannot be legally crossed becomes a white dashed line at exits to allow you to legally enter the exit ramp.
Try, not for an entire day, although that would be refreshing, but just for the drive home, to become aware of the millions of dollars that goes into designating and painting those lines. More than that, try at least on the drive home today, to drive at or below the posted speed limit. Contempt for the law, from which lawlessness arises, starts inside of each of us as we decide to be law abiding, even if no one is looking.
Next week we'll continue to examine how neighbors can help neighbors in parenting.
Dr. Phillip Blansett is a psychotherapist in private practice in Nashville and West Wilson County.
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