Parenting Counsel

My son graduated from Odessa Permian High School this weekend. It is something that has made me and my wife very proud. But we quickly got a rude awakaning. You see, we had planned on Chase staying home and going to college here. We agreed to continue to pay for his Tahoe and insurance and cellphone and pay for his tuition as well. It seemed like the logical choice because he has a baby now and can't leave town to go to a different school. He would be guaranteed a job working for the family business making a very nice living. It all sounds so great doesn't it. Well, what we didn't count on was his freedom to make those choices for himself. And he chose NO. He told us the day he graduated that he was moving out and wanted to go out and make it on his own. He brought me the keys to the Tahoe and handed me his phone and left. Gone. We are completely crushed. We thought we had it all figured out for him. But we didn't think about how powerful the idea of having freedom would be. He has been under our roof, as well as our rules, for 18 years now. The first oppurtunity he got he got the hell out of dodge and moved in with a cousin with no job and absolutely no plan. Typical teenage shit I suppose. I just never imagined it. He has always been a very respectful young man. Now, I am really starting to doubt my parenting skills. I think I may have been to strict and too controlling. I just didn't want him to wind up like most of my friends did and most of his friends will. On drugs, in prison, or even dead. I am terrified of what might happen to my son. I hope he grows out of this quickly. I hope he gets his head out of his ass soon. And as for me, I will take any advice I can get. I obviously have a lot to learn about parenting. Peace.