Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Silver View Post
Amen, but this ability doesn't absolve us of the responsibility of being a parent. Ours are 15 and 18 now...the older has near total freedom now because she's an adult (no matter how financially dependent she remains ), but rest assured that until that 18th birthday, we were responsible and engaged.

Until they're grown, knowing who they hang out with and what they're exposed to - online or offline - is a basic parenting responsibility. We can't protect them from all their mistakes, but we certainly can let them know that we're interested and observing.

Tonight, daddy's 18 year old little girl...will have her senior prom...and I'll be beaming with pride over who she's become!
I agree exactly. The thing I'm going to do differently with my next teen (he's 11 now) is that I'm not going to be scared to call the parents of the kids I don't know. If he says he's staying over at friend's house, I am going to call an ask the parents if they will be home etc. If he's got nothing to hide, then he shouldn't balk at that. My girls didn't want me to do that because they thought it made me look overprotective and "no one else's mom does that... lol" stupid me for feeling that pressure. I have already let my son know the future ground rules.

When I see kids wandering the streets at 11pm, I wonder if their parents know where they are. I dont' want to be one of those parents.