<p>I’m sorry Missy. The thing is about honesty from young people is how much is Too Much Information? How much should parents know? If I ask a direct question, I do expect honesty, but I also avoid asking too many questions. I don’t trust my children, much as I love them, but I don’t trust anyone completely. Even the most honest people can be mistaken and want a misplaced trust in their assertions. Better to use common sense and ones own parameters as to what the boundaries are.</p>
<p>So what do you do if you suspect your teen is smoking, drinking, indulging in activities you forbid? To ask for a commitment that they stop the activities, is often times asking for a lie. How to handle these things so that they have the greatest chance of fading away as your teen matures is the big question. It takes judgement, stepping back, stepping in, wisdom, and a whole lot of blind luck.</p>