Do as I say, not as I do

   I try to be honest with my kids especially my son now that he's approaching those teens. I like all parents wonder where do i draw the line on what to tell him about my past. I wasn't a criminal by any means but it was a different time with different rules. I went out by myself allot or rolled with the wrong kids sometimes, But don't all boys? We were so damn impressionable by the rebel kids or tough guys, I was. I soaked it all in! Everyone of their nuisances and angst ridden traits!

  Eventually you get to the point where you become one of them or I my case I hung out with them because they thought I was kinda cool in a nerdy kinda way. I was smart and knowledgeable on crap they didn't have time for or could care less about. I also knew allot about music that helped allot. I think I finally moved to coolsville by myself when i was about 20. I still did a lot of stupid crap but I looked cool doing it or so I thought.

  I was coming home tonite from the store with my son and almost hit a garbage can out in the street, he thought it was funny, so I proceeded to tell him how we used to bash mailboxes with a baseball bat leaning outta the truck at 3:08 in the morning. I always preface every story with "don't ever do this", just cause I did it doesn't make it right or cool. I tell him allot of these lately cause he's trying to find himself and I want to steer him on the right path learning from my mistakes.  I'm trying to steer him to the path of nerddom and it's working he's kinda nerdy and cool at the same time.  He's left handed so he's a little different than most kids, real artistic and creative.

  Pretty soon I'm gonna have the BIG serious talk about drugs, I always say something about the dangers of them and makes sure and point out that alcohol is the most dangerous drug. I'm gonna tell him the truth too on how I partook in drugs (pot) and quit when I got bored. He knows now that I did but not the extent and stories. I'm not gonna glamorize it in anyway, I'll probably tell him what my Dad told me "If you wanna try anything,  tell me and we'll do it here at home the first time, that way I feel better about you trying them and you'll be safe", Wow, that really detered me from drugs for a long time, Honest! I thought " Why should I try it if my Dad said he'll buy it and we can do it at home?" It kinda took the fun outta it!