Dear Ann Landers,
hen you finish reading this letter you'll probably say, "What a kook," and you are probably right. Maybe the menopause has something to do with it. My 27 two sons are fifteen and eighteen. I love them very much- perhaps too much. It's the older boy I'm worried about. He always made excellent grades and was accepted by the college of his choice. He is thoughtful and kind and seems to be ex-tremely attractive to girls. I know you'll say, "So what are you worrying about?" It's true, I don't have anything to worry about but I worry anyway. Particularly do I worry that he might take up drinking and be loose with girls. Most of his friends drink, and it scares me to death. I guess what I'm asking is how can I be relaxed about this boy and give him the freedom he deserves?-Anxious Parent

Dear Anxious,
You've asked the $64,000 question: How does a mother cut her children loose-particularly a son? Your boy is eighteen. The job of molding his character, teach-ing him values, and instilling in him a sense of responsibility is done or it isn't done. If it isn't done, chances are that it never will be and worrying now won't help. The Bible said it best, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old he will not depart from it." That advice is as good today as it was two thousand years ago.