Honesty IS the Best Policy
Submitted by Paul
I believe in being totally honest with my son. I've been very honest with him about my failures and dating experiences. Even when the subjects are difficult, I still take a total honesty approach. I'm trying to teach him to heed warning from other people's mistakes; examine their mistakes and their failures. If he can learn from others' experiences—even mine—then he might not have to go down that road.
He just had his first serious girlfriend, which is a totally new experience for me. He's just starting with the whole dating thing, but I'm putting him out there with as much knowledge as I can. I want him to know how certain decisions affect his life and that if he makes a bad decision, he'll be compromising his dreams, not mine. I've also been very honest about teen pregnancy. I've told him that we would work it out, but that doesn't mean he's not going to be held accountable. I'd expect him to be a dad and do what it takes to give his kids a good life.
Being honest doesn't mean glorifying my failures and mistakes. I try to do it in a way that makes my son know that I understand what he's going through. Because you can play the denial card with a teen and say, "I never did that!" But if you're found out, you'll be a liar and a hypocrite.
Besides being a mom, Tiffany is best known as a music artist, with hits like "I Think We're Alone Now," "Could've Been" and "Just Another Day."
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