the newest dilemna for my mean mamma rule of blog ettiquette revolves around the inside knowledge one gleans from reading blogs. does one pretend that one does not actually know that a new mean mamma has emerged and that her daughter is terribly distressed about not being able to have her boyfriend over while her parents go out on a well-earned date? being that i am eternally mean, i blabbed this the moment i saw said mean mamma, and asked her if she has made up a little dance to go along with her newfound meanness. i neglected to add to the conversation that i tell my 9 year-old daughter that she may not go out with boys, or have them over until she has finished college and has a job. so far she believes me......so far neither of my boys have asked to have dates over while i am gone. .....

speaking of high school boys, i had a mother of a junior boy get in my face at cayle's under-10 soccer game saturday about the behavior of high school boys. she got rigfht in my face, in a driving rain, no less, and asked me if i was aware that my oldest high school boy goes to 'those parties they have' and that he drank beer. and if i knew it did i condone it and what was i going to do about it if i didn't approve. when i got over the shock of this woman's ranting, i pointed out that it would be naive of me to believe that my child will never drink alcohol, let alone beer- and that my concern was that he not drink too much beer and not drive whilst doing do or after doing so. i added, just for kicks, that i also prefer that he drink decent beer, not that cheap wimpy stuff they sell in 24 packs like pepsi. well, i didn't say cheap wimpy stuff, but i did make a comment about drinking decent beer. i also said that i would rather him drink beer than whiskey or vodka, and that so far he had shown reasonable judgement in his partying. then i pointed out that her son must also be at these parties to know so much about my child......

this part of mean mamma parenthood is difficult. as a died in the wool liberal, it is a tough call about underage drinking, which can get people hurt or jailed, or worse. on the other hand, i truly enjoyed drinking a beer or two with my underage children in brussels, strasbourg, lambsheim and haarlem. my cousin edwin in lambsheim was thrilled that my children enyoyed the beers he bought for them and that both seemed to hold it well. ben franklin said it well, everything in moderation. good advice for drinkers of any age.