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Child Labor Laws In The United States

July 9, 2011 by
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While at one time there were no laws governing child employment, today the minors of the United States are protected by a number of child labor laws. In order to protect children from unhealthy working conditions the government developed the laws to standardized the practice of employing children. Today’s employers must abide by the rules or risk serious fines or jail time.

Remember that the different states within the country have created laws of their own. Still, there is a set of generalized rules to follow if you are considering the possibility of employing minors.

  1. Children under the age of 14 cannot be employed except under very specific conditions. These conditions are primarily work in the acting industry.
  2. Children may work to deliver newspapers once they have reached their tenth birthday.
  3. Children do have the right to work under a variety of work-study programs. These must be approved by the state in which they live.
  4. Parents who own a business may employ their children.
  5. Once a minor has reached the age of 14, they have the right to employment under specific conditions. The job must not place them in a dangerous situation and parent must approve of the placement. Some states need the child’s school to sign off as well.

If you are considering hiring a student, it is critical that you contact your state to find what specific laws will apply to you. Failure to do so could end very badly for you and your business.

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Children Around The World

April 21, 2011 by
Young girl working in Aït-Ben-Haddou, Morocco

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There are many laws in place to protect children, and in America this was taken very seriously during the Industrial Revolution era. During this time children were treated like adults working in factories, and being exploited. Today, there are child labor laws preventing the abuse of children in a workplace, and limiting what roles they can have in a work place, such as age limits when a child can begin work. This was a vital step in protecting children, and bringing awareness globally that children needed to be sheltered from adults that would give no concern to their well-being.

The Steps That Made A Difference

Child labor laws brought an end to the child labor abuse that was occurring in large cities when the United States was entering into a time of change. Many children were injured, abused, or killed during this time with no regard to their age, family, or resulting quality of life. Organizations, like today’s DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, strives to ensure that children are not exploited.

There have also been safeguards to protect children internationally as well, yet many people in foreign countries refuse to acknowledge the rules set in place to protect children. As parents, it is important to shelter children from the harsh realities of child labor, but some families have not choice but to have their children go to work at the age of six, seven, or younger. This is especially true of families in Indonesia, China, and other parts of the globe, where child labor thrives and is very much a normal part of life.

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Teenage Pregnancy- How to Prevent Your Child from it?

March 5, 2011 by

Many are worried about being the parent of a teenager. There is an increasing amount of teenagers that are active and also a growing number of teenage girls that are becoming pregnant. With this problem comes the feeling of protection a parent will have to protect their child.

Parents will need to see how important their guidance is needed to help their child. If a parent wants their child to grow up and be a responsible adult then they will need to be there and provide the right guidance to them. A parent is considered to be the child’s first teacher so the discipline should start there. The parents of a teenage daughter has the added responsibility of teaching their daughter the proper behavior. A teenage son should also be taught the proper way to treat a young lady. You might not feel comfortable talking to your child about this but it is important to do it anyway. This is important to do for your teenage daughter or son’s safety.

There are 750,000 pregnancies in the United States each year.The rate is higher than that in the countries that are less developed such as Great Britain, France, and Germany. Studies have also shown that 31% of teen girls will become pregnant before the reach the age of 20.

Make sure to talk to your daughter about the consequences of being active at young age involve. Inform her of what becoming pregnant is like and what responsibilities that she will face in the event of a pregnancy. She should also know that there may be health risks for her unborn child. These risks may even be there after the baby is born.It is important to maintain good communication with your child to help establish a good relationship with them. The child will then feel like they can come to you to talk about anything.

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What are the Laws on Hiring Minors?

February 9, 2011 by

If you are considering hiring teenagers for your business you need to know the laws for your state. Anyone that is under the age of 18 years old is considered a minor . There are laws that each state has as to where, when and how the teenager can work.

Your laws to follow on hiring teenagers will depend on the type of business that you have. The laws are strict on hiring a teenager for a position that requires them to drive a vehicle is very strict. A employer should know what the laws are in their state before the even hire anyone for these positions. A minor may not be allowed to drive until they are 16 in most states. In some states they may not even be allowed to drive for their job until they are 17 years old.

A minor may be limited on the types of jobs that they are able to be hired for. They may not be allowed to spend most of their time working being in a car.The rules for this will vary by state. A teenage is normally not allowed to drive for 20 percent of their time spent at work. They are also not allowed to drive during the evening while at work.

Obtaining a job that is hazardous to their health is not permitted for a teenager. This usually means that a teenager can not get a job delivering anything. Delivery jobs that require a person to drive or meet certain delivery times is usually not allowed to hire teenagers for this position in most states.

A business owner should know their states labor laws concerning minors. You do not want to make a mistake that could have serious repercussions. It may be best to consult a attorney to help you learn what these laws involve.

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Parenting Differences: Early Childhood Learning

December 29, 2010 by

Different countries around the world hold very different beliefs about learning in early childhood. For some parents, building language skills and encouraging achievement is critical to the early years, whereas parents in other cultures are less focused on early education and more on raising a happy child. There are several ways that these beliefs differ.

The Window of Learning
Some cultures place a strong emphasis on early learning because they believe children have only a small window of time to learn skills. Language skills in particular are often stressed in early years and this is considered by many to be the prime time for a child to learn not only one language, but a second or third language too.

Australian parents are a good example of a culture where early learning is stressed as important to a child’s overall development. Lebanese parents, meanwhile, are more likely to believe that children will learn skills as they grow and at the point when they need to acquire them. They do not believe there is a window that closes and children cannot learn skills later on.

Preparation for School
Some cultures place emphasis on preparing a child for school socially, the United States is a good example. From an early age, children are encouraged to build self esteem and social skills that will allow them to thrive in a school setting. For other countries, children are encouraged to learn skills, such as reading and basic math, as preparation for school. The social elements are deemed secondary to the academic experience children will face in school.

The challenge comes when parents are raising children in a country that is not their native land. There may be misunderstandings between parents and teachers as they both try to give children the best childhood and early learning experience possible.

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Co-Sleeping Around the World

December 15, 2010 by

For parents in the United States, co-sleeping, or bringing your infant or small child into the same bed with you, is considered to be a bad idea. Parenting authorities have long stressed the importance of allowing a child to sleep in a separate room and become accustomed to their own crib. For other countries in the world, however, co-sleeping is a very different story.

Sharing a Bed
In many countries in Asia and Africa, co-sleeping with a baby in the same bed is considered the norm. Many parents in these cultures believe that the Western style of keeping a child in a separate room is impractical and can be cruel and isolating. Sharing a bed allow mother and child close proximately for nursing and eliminates the running back and forth in the night to settle a fussy child. In the past, sharing a bed would also have been a means of heat and protection for small children.

Alternatives in Co-sleeping
Co-sleeping doesn’t always mean placing a child in the same bed. In some cultures, a small bassinet is placed in the bed, allowing the child a separate space within the parents’ bed. In Japan, it is not uncommon for a parent to sleep on a mat or bed in the same room with the child for the first few months of life. Yet another option is a bassinet places within arms reach of the parents’ bed so that the child can sleep in a separate space while being close to the parents.

Why the Taboo?
In the 1800s, many Western parenting authorities believed that children needed their own space and parents should avoid catering to even a small child’s whims. This would cause the child to become too attached to the parent or to become spoiled. While feelings have shifted quite a bit since then, taboos about co-sleeping have stayed with us to this day.

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Children’s Birthday Parties in Mexico

December 4, 2010 by
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Birthday parties are a big event in Mexico. Like in other countries there is food, dancing, and party games. Parties tend to be a grander occasion that in the United States. While there are traditions that children in the US would recognize, like a pinata filled with candy, there are other things that are very different.

The Adults’ Role
Mexican children’s birthday parties are very different from those in the United States, where it is common for parents to drop their children off at a birthday party and then leave, only coming back for pick up at the end of the party. In Mexico, parents and other adults come for the party. The party is a celebration not only for children, but for the whole community. Adults and children both celebrate the birthday child during the party.

The Quinceanera
For young girls in Mexico, a quinceanera, or fifteenth birthday celebration, resembles something closer to a United States wedding than a birthday party. This is also because there is a part of the celebration at an elaborate church ceremony and part that is more of a traditional party. A quinceanera is the celebration of a young girl’s transition to womanhood. There is celebration and dancing to celebrate her day. The birthday girl traditionally wears a white gown and in some families, she changes from flat dress shoes into high heels to symbolize her transition into adulthood.

Name Days
Children in Mexico, along with children in many Catholic countries around the world, celebrate a birthday marking the day of their birth and a name day that is assigned based on the child’s first name. Name days, like birthdays, are celebrated with gifts and commemoration. The name day party is typically much less elaborate than a birthday, the child is blessed at church, and celebrates with only close family and friends.

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Canadian Children’s Birthday Customs

December 2, 2010 by

Birthday parties are celebrated differently all over the world. In Canada, there are many similarities between children’s birthday parties there and children’s birthday parties in the United States. In other ways, Canadian celebrations have more in common with traditions that got their start in the United Kingdom.

Party Crackers
Like many places in the world, Canadian children have birthday parties with their friends that feature games and activities. Canadian children’s birthday parties often feature party crackers like you would find at New Years celebrations and Christmas parties in England. Crackers are tubes of colorful paper that are pulled apart by two strings to reveal little prizes and small toys. In some regions, hats are a common treat to find in a cracker. Party crackers may also hide fortunes, like a colorful paper fortune cookie.

Surprises inside the Birthday Cake
birthday cakes are the dessert of choice at Canadian birthday parties and there are some specific guidelines for the best birthday cakes. As is the case in England, Canadian birthday cakes are often used as games in their own right. Cakes are typically homemade, baked by the parents or family of the birthday child. The cakes are decorated with colored sugars or sprinkle decorations and baked in at least two layers. Between layers, the baker places a coin. When the cake is cut and slices handed out to the children at the party, the lucky person who finds the coin wins the chance to go first at party games.

Greased Noses
In Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, there is a special birthday tradition that is thought to be of Scottish origin. Parents grease the birthday child’s nose with butter for good luck. It is thought that a slippery nose will help bad luck to run right down off of it. This silly tradition will keep the birthday child lucky for the next year.

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Birthday Traditions in South America

December 1, 2010 by

Parents all over the world find ways to make birthdays special for their children. Children’s birthdays often involve special traditions and customs that are unique to a country to to a part of the world. While many cultures have desserts, games, and parties, they all vary in how the events are handled and the parts of the celebration that contain meaning. In South America, there are many unique birthday traditions.

Birthdays in Argentina
Birthday celebrations in Argentina, like in many South American countries, are lavish events, just about as lavish as the family can afford. The birthday child is usually dressed up and the entire community would celebrate the occasion. One unique tradition: the birthday child in Argentina would have his or her earlobes tugged gently, once for each year in the child’s age. This is considered good luck.

Birthdays in Brazil
Birthday celebrations in Brazil call for lavish decorations. The home of the birthday child is filled with banners and brightly colored decorations. Children’s birthday parties are considered family events and both adults and children gather to celebrate the occasion. In addition to a birthday cake and a full spread of food, there are also special birthday candies shaped like fruit. These candies are often coconut flavored and very sweet.

Birthdays in Peru
Party hats are common at Peruvian birthday parties and often homemade out of colored paper. Just as children in the United States receive goodie bags at many children’s birthday parties, children in Peru receive specific party favors when they attend the birthday party of a friend. The favors are known as “recordatorio” or souvenirs of the event. The first recordatorio is a bag of treats. The second recordatorio is an elaborate pin, like a collectors item, that children keep to remember the event. The birthday child’s pin is made in honor of their birthday party.

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