The World is Tempting for a Teen with Cash

I found a blog called ChoresAndAllowances.com that brings up the very scary but quite real topic of teens spending their allowance on illegal drugs. Thinking about that makes me sad a ticked off on so many levels. Anyone who has been parenting teens knows that we try to stay on top of the momentum that is their lives. A parent cannot go into any situation with blinders on.
I've actually said this line: "It's you're job to be sneaky. It's my job to catch you." This was in context after having a conversation about certain parents allowing under age drinking at a party. There seems to be a small camp of parents that think if the teens drink in front of them, then that makes it alright. I can't begin to tell you how much that makes my head hurt.
Of course I don't want her to be sneaky. I'm the mom all the girls come to with the weird, off-the-wall embarrassing questions they think they can't ask their parents.
They know I'm straight with them, without judging.
Now I've blathered on that note to say this. I believe that the author of this blog (who is also CEO of PayJr.com) has got a fine idea about putting allowances on credit cards. Where the author and I differ is this: To be able to keep an eye on them without "prying". I know what the sentence means...however...
I also think "I'm Mom. I have the right to pry, snoop, spy, cajole, orchestrate and interrogate when necessary."
Teach 'em & keep 'em safe.

The Happy Medium
Technorati Tag:parenting teens