Friend #49

There are times, as kids grow older, that we parents realize that we never covered the newest chapter of the Parenting Book with our kids. If you can't cover that chapter in time, panic ensues as it is up to the child to make a snap judgement call.
At the cabin I met Mike. Mike is Justin's new friend. Mike knows nothing of Justin's past or how he's related to his step-sisters, he just knows that they're at an awesome lake and there's beer and boats and fireworks. At the age of 21 Mike is content working at Subway, going to college and drinking beer.
I saw in Mike a 9-year-old boy. He was just so excited to be at the cabin. He met Justin through some mutual friends at college and like the bro-code must dictate, they know very little personal information about each other.
As the beers flowed on the 4th of July, Mike told me and a table of neighbors that he will never own a motorcycle or a gun. He went on to recite stories of a few family members who died around motorcycles and guns. Mike and Justin both took to my 12-year-old son, Isaiah. They took on the role of big brother for the week and showed Isaiah how to kneeboard, ski on one ski, and wakeboard (unsuccessfully.) It was fun for Isaiah because older guys thought he was cool.
The next afternoon, four after happy hour had started on the beach, some friends asked me if I wanted to go on a boat ride. I brought my 5-year-old but Isaiah wanted to stay behind with his new "bros."
We were on the lake for 15 minutes when I saw Mike and Isaiah on Justin's jetski, doing crazy jumps and screaming with laughter. My heart raced. I was fuming at Mike and terrified for my innocent baby. I knew what Isaiah apparently didn't: Mike and Justin had been drinking (as we all do) for four hours and should NOT have been boating. Lucky for me, Mike saw our boat and drove over to ask if anyone else wanted to jetski with him. My neighbor saw that Mike was tipsy and asked if he could "Try it out." Mike and Isaiah climbed into the boat and the neighbor took the jetski to safety.
I have no issue with people drinking. I DO have issues with people drinking and driving or boating. When we were all on shore, I got angry with Isaiah and told him that he should have known better than to get on a jetski with someone who was drinking. But I had never reviewed that with him before. Who knew I'd be tutoring my 12-year-old on drinking??? He also didn't think to notice that the guys were drinking; hell, he doesn't even know what drinking does to a person, so I cut him some slack.
Later that night I told Isaiah about the effects of alcohol to our bodies, and what can happen if you drink and boat. He apologized with a voice filled with that "I-could-have-died" fear.
The next morning, I told Mike (in my teacher voice) that he should never drink and boat, especially with a child. Mike apologized profusely and I reminded him of the motorcycle accidents he told me about earlier, and that he needs to be more careful and responsible.
I learned very quickly that even if we think we have years to teach our kids about dangers, it comes sooner than we think.
I am now preparing my parenting speeches on sex, drugs, binge drinking, and driving dangers. Pray for me.