The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a new law on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 that would hold children AND their parents accountable for “tagging” or graffiti painted on public property.  In 2006, reported were 4,274 reported graffiti incidents and that number was incresed in 2007.  The County spends approximately $30 million on graffiti removal and suppression methods.

Discipline begins in the home and many parents are unaware of the damage that their child is causing to public property.  Instead of disciplining their children, many parents are hoping that state and local officials will control them.  Now parents are going to feel it in their pocketbooks if their child participates in tagging.

The new law will take effect in September and parents will be liable fo civil damages.  Parents could pay fines up to $1,000 and could have liens issued against them.

The idea behind the law is to get parents to take responsibility.  Too many parents today don’t know how to effectively discipline their children.  Unfortunately, in homes where both parents work or in single family homes, parents often do not know where their child is at all times.  However, parents must realize that children must be taught respect for property - their own and others.  I have seen too many parents not respect public property by littering or stealing and the message they are sending to their children will eventually land them in hot water.  

If you want to teach your children respect for property, follow these tips:

  • Don’t borrow anything without asking first.  This includes property of siblings and parents.
  • If you do borrow something, make sure that you take care of it.
  • Return the borrowed item in the condition you found it or replace it if you broke it.
  • Don’t litter.
  • Don’t take public property without asking first.
  • Don’t steal.  Even a little piece of candy.

A good book to read to your children (it is currently out of print but you may be able to find it on Amazon or eBay) is Those Terrible Toy-Breakers by David McPhail.  The book teaches children responbility for their things and what can happen if they are not responsible.

 

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