Out of here, lovely, there's a band playing and they are old friends...

It's so funny (ironic)...that's essentially how "I" was raised.

Sometimes I want to "protect" from some of the shock and disappointment of the world (it's by no means what I dwell on)

I intuitively know that doing that is a disservice and incredibly hypocritical.

We have to "of course" stay available...but....trust our children and get out of the way. (GOSH that was easy to *write*)

Being as brave as we speak.....aye...there's the rub.

Tell Mick, Keith, and Ron Hi!

Myself my kids are now 23 & 25 I have always been opened with my kids. I believe in letting them see life as it is not candy coated. We all have an opinion and we should be able to voice it when done in a correct way. My kids and I are very close we talk about anything and everything. There is nothing I have not spoke with them about and yes I have a son and a daughter. We have talked from drugs to sex and things in between.

As far as men meeting my kids I always dated them 2-3 months before that happen. In that time you can find out there views on life and get to know their personality.

You let them know what you do or do not want said in front of your kids. Conversation is the key to any relationship without it your lost. The least they could do is comply. But most likely there views are going to be pretty close to yours or you would not be dating them in the first place.

The men I have dated in the past and when my kids met them they were nothing but nice to them. Most the time kids figure if you make my mom or dad happy that is what matters.

Now if the kids don't get along with whom ever someone is dating maybe they should look a little closer thats a red flag at times but sometimes with younger children they are not giving the b/f or g/f a chance and things need to go slow to see.

But................ the word baggage naw I don't consider kids as baggage it is a part of the person themselves. I really don't like that word used in that way. Ohhh well

The key regardless is conversation and showing them that hey I'm not here to change anything just to be a part of the family.

If the kids are adults, I wouldn't worry too much about impressing them. At this stage of their life, hopefully they're more concerned with whether or not you make their mom happy.

Don't worry about it. Just be yourself and it'll probably all just come together on it's own.