From the time I enrolled my daughter in elementary school it seemed that the world was out to ruin her innocence. Her know-it-all six year old friends with older brothers and sisters shared the worlds reality with her on a daily basis. And I, who was happy living in the land of talking stuffed animals, was in no hurry to debate the concept of Santa Claus.
Unfortunately, that age of innocence doesnt last long enough. Whether we like it or not, reality plops itself on the sofa in our living room and sits there while our children struggle through adolescence. About the time that were able to find some common ground, theyre talking to us about claiming their independence and graduating from high school.
If theres one thing Ive discovered in parenting, its that we can protect our children from many things when theyre under our roof. Once theyre out of sight however, their own their own. Of course, this doesnt necessarily mean anything bad will happen; unless theyre with one of those know-it-all friends theyve known since the first grade.
Seriously, peer influence can be a constant source of challenge, growth, and heated conversations in homes across America. In...