>>Call us back in 2024. I'll be interested to see how it went.
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>>Actually, I can give you the names now of parents who have been successful.
>>
>>I played a hand in the teen years of my wife's youngest brother. Her dad split when the boy was 11 - and I was asked to take on a big role with him. No, it wasn't the same as being a full-time parent, but it was enough to know I'm not talking out my backside.
>
>
>No it wasn't.
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> I'm sure you're not talking out of you backside but all plans crumble in the face of reality.
>
>If you'd give you child the choice of a roof over her head or a tongue piercing that would say a lot more about you than her.

That's pretty much the choice I gave my oldest boy when his best friend was busy getting himself transformed into something that looked like a 6 foot tall parrot that had been hit by a shrapnel grenade (he had a mother that was about a worthless as humanly possible).

I very carefully informed him that should he get himself impaled or tattooed for any reason, he could pick up his belongings and head out.

I also let his friend know in no uncertain terms just what an idiot I thought he was.

That was about 6 years ago.

My son has a full time job, goes to college, has NO tattoos, NO impalements, and has been living on his own for the last 3 years.

His friend still bears scars from the tattoos and impalements, but at least he smartened up enough to try to get rid of them. He has a habit of going to hockey games with me.