Your Family

By DANIEL S. LEVY

OH, BEHAVE! Can't control your kids? A slew of new state laws took effect last week that might make it easier. Louisiana is mandating politeness by requiring students to address teachers as "Sir" or "Ma'am." Utah teens are barred from driving between midnight and 5 a.m. To stop South Dakota children from smoking, the police can now fine them. And parents in Indiana and Tennessee must preapprove all body piercing.

DO GRANDPARENTS MATTER? You might have to put those post-retirement plans on hold. The Census Bureau reported last week that the number of grandparents living with and caring for grandchildren under 18 soared to 3.9 million in 1997, up 77% since 1970. More than 5% of all children live in such arrangements. The trend is attributed to rising divorce rates, teen pregnancy, child abuse and incarceration of parents.

I DON'T A study released last week by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University indicates that young people are increasingly pessimistic about achieving marital bliss. The percentage of high school girls who expect to stay married for life dropped from 68% in 1976 to 64% in 1995. Fifty-three percent say it is worthwhile to have a child out of wedlock, compared with 33% in 1976. Why? The study cites the growing economic independence of women and the rising number of children of divorce who are wary of marriage.

--By Daniel S. Levy