I suppose some resolutions are in order

Happy New Year to you!

Me? Oh I started the NY with friends and my boys, as is my tradition. My current dilemma is whether to address the underage drinking that had been taking place at the party. It was the host family's 17 year-old son, his girlfriend, and their friends. It was also another friend's 18 year-old, Naval Academy son. I'm not sure why, but it bothered me less with the post High Schooler. All the kids slept at the house, but I'm not entirely sure where they all slept, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't alone.

I'm certainly no prude and I did my share of underage drinking, partying and sleeping with people. However, I'm thinking my 5 and 8 year-old didn't need to see any of that happening in a parents' house (or garage, to be precise). The mom of the family was very upset this morning and apologized to us all. I have always thought that she should either address these issues within her family, and if she doesn't like what is going on, she should work to change that. Or, if she doesn't really mind what is going on, she should say so, and tell people that is how she rolls, and not act appalled.

My dilemma is whether to address this with my kids. It's a fine line between making it seem attractively forbidden, and stressing that "It's not OK to do this" in our house even if you saw it last night. My 8 year-old knows the rules to beer pong, but not from last night's party - it was from the 18 year-old's HS graduation over the summer. I know he had limited exposure to last night's teen events, so I'm thinking of leaving it alone for now.

On the other hand, he was telling the rules to sis today, and she blanched and told him in no uncertain terms that it was not cute, and highly inappropriate for a kid to know anything about it at all.

I guess Mother-of-the-year is out for me in 2009 too. And a slideshow of the Event:


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