Ya know, I read all the books and tried all the advice. I was a hard-*** and easy going, over protective and hardly protective at all, tried to keep them from bad influences and gave them freedom, tried to be their friend and remained aloof. And one thing I learned from it all is that the books and advice were pure BS.

What I learned over the years: you do your best. You let them know that they are loved. You praise them when they do something good and correct them when they do something wrong.

It's basically a crap-shoot. You can be the best parent on the planet and your kid turns out rotten. It happens. Just love them and be the parent you wish your parents had been. And, if you are religious, prayer never hurts either.