Nothing to add, except thanks for all your contributions. I’ve got 3 kids, 2, 4 and 11, and I’m thinking real careful about how we’re going to handle all this in years to come.
I am clean now mainly because a slack parent stopped being so slack, and because of a tricky counselor, but anywho I am.
But all you parents out there, even if you ask where a kid is going, and he tells the truth, don’f forget to ask what he is doing.
That’s a good idea, Shogun, :::cough::: but they may not know what’s going to go down ahead of time. Plus, it’s rather unlikely that they will come home and say, “We went to a movie, and then to Makeout Point, and now I’m not a virgin any more.” And then there are all these gray areas, like maybe there was a small amount of beer at the party, but they didn’t drink any…so why mention it?
I reiterate what I said earlier: Parents can’t follow their kids around all their lives.
My parents were pretty slack. I ended up a pretty fucked up kid. The fact was, when I was getting fucked up, it was with the same people my parents had known since I was putting baseball cards in the spokes of my bike. I grew up with these kids. My parents didn’t think twice about letting me ride my bike around the neighborhood, with these guys. Heading out with this core group of friends was the norm. Trouble is riding bikes around the block turned into riding high on cloud nine. Eventually, I pulled my own way through the shit pile I made out of my life. One too many friends’ overdosing. I begin to wonder if a little more interest from the 'rents might have made the difference. Though I NEVER blame my parents for my own fuck-ups.
I suppose I would bug my kids. Better safe then sorry.
I’m sorry my the earlier post was so silly. Rich is right and now its so late that I don’t think any thing else I say will be any better.
That’s strange… This is the first ONDCP ad that I think really gets the point across that active parenting is a GOOD thing.
And here’s my example:
My mom is a workaholic who completely trusted my brother and myself to make good decisions without much “parenting.” I turned out to be a pretty good kid. I’m going to college, I get decent grades, and I’m not a big drinker or drug user. I like to think that I just didn’t need it to know what’s right and wrong.
My little brother, on the other hand, wasted no time in drinking, doing drugs, and using the house for parties when she was away. No responsibility whatsoever. He now lives with our dad, who originally disciplined him and kept an eye on his activities. He did better. The Dad quit paying attention, and BAM! Guess where we’re at today. Also, aside from actual behavior, he has absolutely no respect for the parents. He doesn’t hesitate to swear in front of and to them, and insult them harshly behind their backs. Call me old fashioned, but I just can’t picture calling my mom a bitch.
Now I can’t be sure that the parenting would have made a real difference, as we are about the same age and were raised similarly, but I think some discipline and responsibility would have helped at least a little.