Advice can be dangerous, but here goes...
I was raised old school. My parents both believed in "spare the rod, spoil the child". I believe in that as well, up to a point... a swat on the rump gets their attention quick.
When they reach the age of 15, you're just kidding yourself. Things are way different today.
When my son reached the age of being all-knowing and superior, after a few incidents, I sat him and the wife down one day and told him the facts of life....
Not the birds and bees stuff, but the real facts of life -
You are our son, we love you and want what is best for you. Your mother will love you no matter what. You will always be her little boy no matter how old you are - get used to that and learn to appreciate it because no one else in your life will ever love you like your mother does. Respect her for that.
On the other hand, I have expectations. I want you to do better than I did. I want to help you do better than me. I don't care if you respect me or not. But if you don't learn from me it's your loss, not mine.
But..
Everyone gets one life. Mine and your mother's are just as important as yours.
We don't know everything. We don't know what bothers you or what your hopes and fears are unless you tell us. We can't help unless we know this. We may be out of touch with your world, but people are still the same as they've always been. That will never change. If you want our help - talk to us. If you don't want our help - don't. But I won't bail you out if you screw up because you were too "smart" to ask us first. I can't live your life for you and I won't pay for your mistakes. I paid for my own and learned in the process. We both are willing to save you from making any mistakes that we made. But you have to talk to us..
Family is all we have for sure. You will make and lose friends, girlfriends, buddies, but your family is all you have that you can be sure of. You lose that, and you are lost for sure.
You think you are a man now.
A man values his family and his friends. A man does what it takes to make things better for the people that care about him. A man puts what others need before his own needs.
If you only worry about yourself, you're just a child.
When you act like a man, I'll treat you as such. The choice is yours.
It wasn't a total cure, but at least he knew where I stood.
