Overnight plans required direct confirmation from the hosting adult.

The boys would help repay some of the costs of replacing the gear lost in the tunnel through ordinary chores and savings, not as a punishment for giving to others but because unsafe decisions had practical costs.

Brenda and I also made promises.

We would ask questions and listen to complete answers.

We would make room for our sons’ interests even when those interests confused us.

We would not assume they were safe simply because their plans sounded familiar.