bear with me folks

Yesterday my poor sister was on the receiving end of my soap box and after thinking it about it yesterday evening I stood by what I said but think she was a little a shell shocked by my vehemence. So J, I'm sorry about that. I hope you understand now and know you will when the girls are a little older.

When you have teenagers, the subject of alcohol and drugs comes up. I don't remember drugs being as much a topic of conversation when I was that age, but they do go hand in hand now. When my soon to be 14 year old is telling me of his friends who are smoking weed behind the school and going to parties, I am saddened, shocked and more than a little nervous. 

My go-to phrase is "I can't pick your friends but I can pick who you hang out with", and I have had to use that with both boys this year based strictly on the above.

You see, I am a totally controlling bitch about this. While I have even a small amount of control over my guys, they will not be put in the situation where they are forced to deal with the peer pressure surrounding drugs and alcohol. That includes no parties and no "hanging out". If you don't have somewhere to be, you can be at home. They have the rest of their lives to drink and be merry and have their parents pick them up at 2am because they can't drive home (thanks dad). But right now, they need to be kids. They need to know that there is nothing cool about underage drinking and there is NOTHING cool about drugs, period.

I have told Sterling, and Kaedo, the day they are of legal age, I'll take them for their first beer. No problem. But they have a lifetime of making alcohol induced missteps (heaven forbid) and starting early is just not an option.