Thank you. I really think the key was/is to intervene early, often and not give in to "letting them make their own mistakes."

Too many parents wait until a problem becomes a lifestyle. Once the child has insulated themselves with bad friends and habits and have crossed the line into blatant disrepsect it can be a huge battle to overcome.

My wife and I both work long hours too (but home by 6pm most nights and 7:30pm one night a week), but raise our kids so that there is no expectation on their part that they can run wild when we are not there.

My son still gets embarrased because we insist on knowing where he is going to be and calling to make sure an adult will be present.

But, we also are always mindful not to make growing up so strick that he lashes out.

Honestly, I think one of the great investments was Rock Band for our 360.

The whole family spends hours playing great music together. Our son invites friends over and we take the game to family get togethers.

As parents we are often up against friends, culture, media, myths, and hormones.

You don't get a day off, you get very little credit, and you can't simply quit.