How Close Do You Keep Them?

From the 1995 must-see movie, "Kids."

I'm not a parent, but I know plenty. The struggles they have with their kids are many, but everyone has their own style of parenting. What works for one could be appalling to the next. For example: spanking. It worked for me when I was growing up, but some people view it as child abuse.



Since there are so many styles of parenting, it's very difficult to say which method is right or wrong. Especially since each child is different. But, how far will a parent go to keep an eye on their children as they grow into the teen years? How close do you keep them when it comes to more "adult decisions."



Would you allow your child to have sex in your house? How about getting drunk? Or smoking weed? Some of you are re-reading that and freaking out. However, there are some parents who think it's okay to let their kid do something that may seem immoral or even illegal as long as it's within the confines of the home. Some parents think that as long as they know about it, then they can control it.



There was a parent of one of my high school classmates who used to buy her son cigarettes. She said that she would rather buy them for him than have him sneak and do it. Is there a difference just because she knows?



Would some of you be okay with your daughter/son having sex in the house as opposed to someone's backseat or a seedy motel?



What about marijuana? Would you rather take the risk of purchasing the dope for your child than to have them in the streets with no experience?



What's your style of parenting?