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February 10, 2008 Teenagers are a work-in-progress, and parenting teenagers can be tricky business. Many kids get into some kind of trouble at some point, and, although this can provide them a powerful learning opportunity, taking a "kids will be kids" attitude is downright irresponsible parenting. Good parenting requires us to remember that, even if they look fully grown, they are not. Teenager issues abound, and parents need to be aware of all we can do to keep our teenagers on the straight and narrow. Here are some tips to help you because what you do can make all the difference. 1.) The "basics" count more than anything else. Let your teen know that s/he is loved unconditionally, and s/he won't want to let you down. Not wanting to disappoint parents really is a big deterrent for teenagers. 2.) Let your teenager know what you expect of him. Be specific. Let him know where the boundaries are firm, and where there is room for negotiation. Share your values. Be clear in your communication so there is no room for confusion. 3.) Invest in your relationship. Spend time together having fun. Listen to your teen's thoughts, goals, fears and questions. Show her that you care about what she says, thinks and feels. 4.) Encourage him to develop healthy outside interests. Sports are wonderful, as is participating in music and theatre, clubs... almost any other such activity. Not only does this keep your teenager busy in a productive way, it helps to build his self-esteem. And a healthy sense of self-esteem can keep kids from getting into trouble. 5.) Help your teenager develop responsibilities. A teen with responsibilities will be more mature, more reliable, and have a higher self-esteem than one without responsibility. 6.) Look in the mirror and practice saying "no." You'll know if this applies to you; if you have trouble saying "no," practice. It is a parent's job to say it sometimes; and it may be the most important to do so when it's the hardest, so get prepared. 7.) Learn how to ask the right [sometimes hard] questions of your teen and don't be afraid to pick up the phone and [tactfully] verify what s/he's telling you. (see next item) Be plugged in to what's going on in your teen's life. Get your teen used to the fact that you know other parents, and that you will be in touch with them. 8.) Learn how to ask the right [sometimes hard] questions of your teen's friends' parents. Probe. Find out if there really is going to be supervision to your satisfaction. Not all parents are as vigilant as others. Offer to help supervise. Offer to send food. Keep it friendly, but be clear. 9.) Be smart about cell phone and internet use. Cell phones can be your friend and help you and your teen stay in touch, but they can also be abused. Teens have been known to be places other than where they say they are, and if the cell phone is the only method of contact, parents can be caught unawares. Have a good sense of what your teen is doing on the internet and consider using some of the blocking methods available. 10. Know the facts about drug and alcohol use and abuse. Your teen needs you to be knowledgeable, otherwise you are unable to help her in this area. Know what is common in your kid's school. Know what the signs are of use and abuse. Do not stick your head in the sand. Be vigilant, informed and smart. 11. Teenagers feel emotions twice as intensely as adults, and this is a developmental fact. Intense emotional responses can impact their behavior, and so parents need to encourage teens to have appropriate outlets for emotional tension. Physical activity is particularly effective. 12. Expect to give up your weekend. Not all the time... but you may not actually have the freedom that you envisioned when they were little. You need to be attentive to keep them safe, and you need to be around and available. 13. Earn your teenager's respect by your good, honorable, ethical and respectable behavior. Your teenager has been learning about adult behavior from you, and she is likely to behave like you. Better give her a great example! Parents have tremendous influence... don't underestimate the importance of your behavior, because what you do counts – a lot! Copyright 2005 Sue Blaney Sue Blaney is the author of Please Stop the Rollercoaster! How Parents of Teenagers Can Smooth Out the Ride and Practical Tips for Parents of Young Teens; What You Can Do to Enhance Your Child's Middle School Years . She offers resources, information and tips for parents of teenagers and those who work with them. She provides an effective guide for parents and professionals who want to create a parenting discussion group. Visit http://www.PleaseStoptheRollercoaster.com
Help.....volunteers needed to work on our newsletter. Interested? Sign up at the Civic Association meeting.
TONEY VALLEY NEWS APRIL 2006
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE & ZONING IN DEKALB COUNTY
All property owners and occupants, in DeKalb County, are responsible for maintaining their properties in accordance with certain standards. These standards are designed to protect the environment and maintain the appearance of our neighborhoods.
When a property owner or tenant is found to be in violation with the Property Maintenance Code or the Zoning Ordinance, he or she will be issued a warning giving them a set period to come into compliance. Failure to comply with the warning will result in the issuance of a citation to appear in court.
GRASS AND WEEDS must be maintained below 18 inches in height.
OUTSIDE STORAGE is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to; tires, old appliances, building materials, auto parts, trash, junk, old furniture, brush piles and dead trees and junk vehicles. All stored items must be kept in an area enclosed on all sides by walls and a roof.
STORAGE BUILDINGS are considered accessory structures and may only be located in the rear yard. They must be maintained in good condition. Furthermore, a building permit is required before the unit may be put on the premises.
FENCES may only be 4 foot high in the front year or 8 feet high in the side or rear yard. Fences must be maintained in good repair and should be made out of materials suitable for fence construction.
SIGNS may not be erected in the right of way, nor may they be placed on utility poles.
JUNK VEHICLES are any vehicles, which are inoperable or do not bear current tags. Junk vehicles may not be parked in residential zones. Also, PARKING ON THE GRASS is prohibited.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES are restricted in residential zones. Business vehicles such as passenger cars, pick-up or ordinary passenger vans must be parked in a carport or to the side or rear of the house. Other commercial vehicles (e.g. Semi tractors, panel vans, school buses and cargo vans) may not be kept in a residential zone.
BOATS AND TRAILERS may only be parked to the side or rear of one’s house or within a carport or garage.
TRANSIENT SALES are restricted. No selling may take place within 50 feet of the curb. Permission of the property owner must be obtained prior to setting up for business. Also, a business license must be obtained from DeKalb County prior to start of operations.
DeKalb County Code Enforcement
4540 Flakes Mill Road
Ellenwood, Georgia 30294
Phone (404) 417-1240
Fax (404) 417-1215
Website www.co.dekalb.ga.us
Mowing the lawn
Selecting The Right Mowing Height
All grass varieties should be mowed at or near their optimal mowing height. This will keep grass healthy and dense (highest number of shoots per unit area). Higher density means more soil surface shading, which severely restricts the germination of many annual grassy and broadleaf weeds. Maintaining a dense and healthy turf is the best weed control.
Selecting the right mowing height also means selecting the right mower. Do not invest in high density bermudagrass or zoysiagrass hybrid varieties if you plan to mow at three inches with a rotary mower. Many of the varieties available today require mowing height at or below one inch, which cannot be done effectively with a rotary mower.
Is the lawn smooth enough to mow with a reel mower? Is it smooth enough to mow at the optimal mowing height for the grass variety without continual scalping damage? Scalping will put grass at a competitive disadvantage and eventually lead to the decline of lawn quality. Evaluate the yard for high spots, low spots, and ruts to decrease scalping. Add soil to level out the lawn surface. Fill in ruts by lifting sod (in ruts) with a sharp spade and place topsoil underneath. Replace sod and keep the area moist for several days to help redevelop a healthy root system.
Variety Mowing Height Range Optimal Mowing Height
(Assumes Correct Frequency)
Buffalograss 2 to 4 inches 2.5 inches
Centipedegrass 1.5 to 2.5 inches 2 inches
Common Bermudagrass 1 to 3 inches 1.5 inches
Hybrid Bermudagrass 0.75 to 2 inches 1 inch
Kentucky Bluegrass 1.5 to 3 inches 2 inches
St. Augustinegrass 2.5 to 4 inches 2.5 inches
Tall Fescue 2 to 4 inches 2.5 inches
Texas Bluegrass (Reveille) 1.5 to 3 inches 2 inches
Zoysia japonica (coarse bladed zoysia) 1 to 2.5 inches 1.5 inches
Zoysia matrella (fine bladed zoysia) 0.75 to 2.5 inches 1 inch
How Often To Mow
Seasons, weather, and nutrient availability, are some of the many things that can affect grass growth. The best and most safe rule of thumb is to never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at any one time. Lawns are being mowed too infrequently if there are piles of grass clippings left after each mowing. Consider a farmers hay field. Farmers remove close to 90% of the grass plants leaf surface when cutting hay. The grass left after the hay is baled turns a golden tan color. The color change take place because grass plants are not capable of recovering from large amounts of stress for quite a while. The small amount of leaf surface left on the plant is not enough to maintain the physiological activities (photosynthesis) for plant energy.
Grass plants have a "growing point" where all of the leaves originate. The growing point stays near the soil surface when grass is mowed frequently. When people let their lawns get really "hairy," the growing point begins to elevate from the soil surface. When finally mowed, the growing point may be cut and removed with the rest of the clippings. This means death to the plant. Frequent mowing, never removing more than 1/3 of the grass blade ensures that the growing point will stay near the soil surface and the turf will stay healthy and dense.
Blade Sharpening Maintaining a sharp mower blade, whether rotary or reel, is essential to maintaining healthy turf. A smooth, clean cut not only looks better for the lawn, but also does much less damage to the grass plant. Dull mower blades thrash and beat the tops of the grass blades off. This leaves a ragged top which becomes straw colored and gives the lawn a tan colored hue. Ragged tops are prime points of entry for many fungal pathogens (turf disease causers) and small turf insects.
Be sure to have your mower blade checked and sharpened at least once per year. A rotary mower blade can be adequately sharpened using a good bench grinder and a tub of cold water. Here are a few steps to take when sharpening.
Always where safety glasses when grinding. Use cold water judiciously. Try to keep the original angle on the mower blade by making smooth, quick swipes across the grinding wheel. Dip the blade in cold water after every few swipes across the grinding wheel so you don't lose "temper" in the steel. If you see blue in the blade where you are grinding it means that the temper is lost in that area and the steel is now very soft . There will most likely be a chip in that spot next time you check your blade.
After grinding the blade angle, test for proper balance. Place the blade on a thin pole through the center hole of the blade. If the blade falls to one side, that side is heavier. Grind more steel on the heavy side to balance the blade. Don't grind more of the angle down, just grind a little steel off the back side or a corner of the blade. Once the blade is properly balanced, file (mill bastard file) off the burrs left behind by the grinder.
Mower shops will usually sharpen blades for a minimal cost if you don't feel comfortable grinding your own.
Choosing Fertilizers for Home Lawns
Fertilizing is an important lawn care practice, as it influences grass color, ability to recover from stress, and helps prevent weed invasions and disease. There are important features to consider when choosing lawn fertilizers at the local garden center.
Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are the three major nutrients needed by lawns. Nitrogen is the nutrient required most, although too much nitrogen can cause excessive topgrowth, leading to assorted problems. Percent nitrogen (by weight) is always the first of three numbers on the fertilizer bag, followed by phosphorus and potassium. For example, a 18-6-12 fertilizer contains 18 percent nitrogen. This number is important because it determines how much fertilizer is needed. In most cases, a rate of 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is suggested for each fertilizer application to the lawn. If high percentage nitrogen fertilizers are used, then less actual fertilizer product is needed to supply that one pound compared to fertilizers with low percent nitrogen. Recommended ratios of N-P-K for lawn fertilizers include 3:1:2 or 4:1:2.
Another important factor in choosing nitrogen fertilizers is what kind of nitrogen is actually in the product. Nitrogen fertilizer may consist of fast-release or controlled-release nitrogen. Advantages and disadvantages are outlined in the table below. For lawns, fertilizers containing controlled-release nitrogen sources are suggested for most applications. Check the guaranteed analysis information on the fertilizer label for information on what forms of nitrogen are in the product. Water insoluble nitrogren in slow-release.
Characteristics of Nitrogen Fertilizers for Home Lawns Nitrogen Type Advantages and Disadvantages Fast-Release (i.e. urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate)
1. Quick response (greening)
2. Provide nitrogen when soils are cold
3. Relatively inexpensive
1. May cause undesirable large flush of growth
2. Likely to burn grass
3. Losses through soil or air more likely
Controlled-Release (slow-release)i.e. ureaform, sulfur-coated urea, activated sewage sludge, IBDU, water-insoluble nitrogen or WIN)
1. More uniform grass growth
2. Not likely to burn grass
3. Losses through soil or air less likely
1. May not work on cold soil
2. Most are expensive
3. May not see quick color change in grass
In addition, a variety of special lawn fertilizers may be found.
Winterizer fertilizers are typically high in potassium, and although advertised for fall application can be applied in spring as well.
Potassium is used all year by grasses, and is involved in heat and cold tolerance, disease resistance, and other stress tolerances.
Weed and feed products contain a broadleaf weed killer for weeds such as dandelions (fall application); others contain a preemergence herbicide to control crabgrass (spring application).
Lawn starter products, typically high in phosphorus, are intended for newly seeded lawns.
Curb Appeal Starters
Start with these basic curb appeal tasks:
Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.
Clean the windows and gutters.
Pressure wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
Keep sidewalks and driveways clean.
Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete sections and bricks.
Mow the lawn regularly. Get rid of weeds.
Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the roof.
