When I was a teen-ager, one couple in town would throw big beer keg parties at their house. They had two sons. I think they reasoned that they knew their sons were going to be drinking alcohol, and this way they at least knew their kids were safe at home and under their
supervision.

Cheers!

Parenting is hard; sometimes you think you have a novel approach to parenting that is quite genius. And later you look back on it and realize what a dope you were.

I don't know if they regret their irresponsible approach to underage drinking. Turns out they no longer have either son, because one died of leukemia when we were young, and the other is in prison on a life sentence for murdering his wife. So who am I to second guess the way they spent their limited quality time with their sons?

But it's always at the back of a parent's mind, wondering how friendly we should be with our kids. It's easier to be your kid's friend than their parent, that's for sure. And we want our kids to like us, don't we?

I was on MySpace the other day wondering if I should try to get my son's friends to add me to their friend lists. I wanted to be able to read their pages, and that content was only available to those they've agreed are their friends.

Then I read this story in our paper saying that my idea was terrible.

It's not the same as offering beer to my son's friends, but I had to reluctantly agree that it would be creepy for someone's mom to try to "friend'' them online. Ew.

There's something desperate about a parent stooping down to the social level of teens. But you sure would find out a lot.