The Trying Policy

The Trying Policy: More than anything, it was the tone of Julie’s voice that caught her mother’s attention. Julie sounded more than a little nervous. This had the tone of a conversation of some importance. Sally’s first thought was that Julie might have done something wrong and was in trouble. She sounded like a kid who knows they are in for it. ‘Well at least she is coming to me first’ Sally thought to herself.

“Of course sweetie, what is it?”

“Well, you know how you and dad always told me that if I ever wanted to try something that I could come to you guys and you would let me try it under your supervision?”

Sally felt a little twinge in her stomach. She knew exactly what Julie was talking about. She and her husband Ted had a long-standing policy with their only child regarding the things that will come along as one grew up, stuff like smoking and drinking. The deal was this: If you want to try something, come to us and we will let you try it under our terms. Ted and her both agreed that the best way for their child to be exposed to something like drinking or smoking was not through peer pressure, or at a party where who knows what could happen, but rather in the home where they could supervise that activity and teach their child responsibility.

Ted and Sally had made this little policy clear: If you try it with us, we will let you do it and you won’t get in trouble, but if we find out you tried it without us, it was big trouble.