What will I tell them....... about drinking/drugs?

YOU BETTER NOT EVEN!

That will be initial, common sense advise.

Just don't. You WILL get in trouble.

Leo and Cece will be raised to know that underage drinking is NOT OK. They will not be raised to think that mom and dad will "go easy" on them if they ever get caught. They will be raised knowing that if they ever get caught with alcohol, drinking alcohol, or drunk..... they are "gonna get it." We don't care if we live in Mercer County where going out drinking is the only thing to do. That's not an excuse.

That's how I was raised.

I grew up in Putnam County.... another county where underage drinking is accepted and somewhat expected. My parents knew this about Ottawa and they didn't care. It was not an excuse.

Some of my friends that I hung out with in HS were raised differently. Yes, they were not" supposed" to drink illegally..... but they knew that if they ever got caught, it wouldn't be THAT BIG of a deal.

Yes, they may get grounded or yelled at, but that may be it. If they got caught having a party with alcohol, it would be frowned upon, but in a few days, their parents would probably be over it.

 I even had some  parents would even buy us beer or wine coolers for the weekend. That was just laughable. Seriously? SO dumb.

Even though I was raised with parents who were really strict on alcohol, I didn't really care. I never really wished they would be easier on me about drinking. I just knew it wasn't tolerated. And I was smart enough not to challenge it.

Did that stop me from drinking in HS?

Nope. Not at all. (sorry, Mom)

But it did teach me to be careful about it, to not be stupid.

I knew that my social life would be O-V-E-R if I ever got in trouble with the law concerning drinking/drugs.

I also made sure that my parents NEVER saw me drunk. I just feel that that is very disrespectful.  If I was stupid enough to drink (illegally) and "bad ass" enough to disobey the rules my parents set.... then the least I could do was hide it from them. If I ever came home sloppy drunk, puking, acting like a belligerent fool in front of my parents..... well, that's just rude. And awkward. For all of us.

So if I ever did decide to be sloppy drunk, puking, and acting like a belligerent fool.... I would decide to do it in front of my friends, my friends parents, or complete strangers.

NOT my parents. Never.

But what about IF it happens?

What about IF they come home drunk or get caught at  country concert a party "holding a beer that's not their's" or get a DUI, or get caught doing drugs or with drug paraphilia or I find "drugs in their car that isn't their's"? What then? What do I say then?

Sweet Jesus Lord, PLEASE do not let me have to do this. PLEASE do not give me any reason to ever have this conversation with either one of my kids. PLEASE do not give me the opportunity to ever have to play out the scene that I'm preparing for.

IF this ever happens (Please God don't let it), this is how I hope to react.

They will know I am pissed.
They will know I am disappointed.
They will know they have let me down.
They will not be allowed to do certain things... going out on the weekend with friends, doing any activity outside of school activities, not allowed to drive anywhere, no cell phone...... (if this happens while they are still in HS)
They will have to try VERY HARD to earn my (our) trust again.
I will never "let it go" or "forget it ever happened" (at least until they go off to college.... then they get a clean slate. )

I mean..... will I REALLY know what exactly I'm gonna do when and if this moment ever happens?

Duh. No.

But I can at least be prepared... somewhat.

If Leo and Cece are ever asked this question:

"Do your parents care of you drink?"

I hope they respond this way:
"Yes. They'd kill me if they ever caught me drinking."