One must choose your battles, so they say. Especially as a parent.

When a child is younger, it’s easy to encourage him to make the right choice, your choice. So sweet, so innocent.

But, as time passes, there’s a turning point when he realizes he has a say. San Francisco, July, 2008: Seven-year-old Christian had a say. With his very own spending money, he proclaimed, he would invest in whatever and however much he wanted to from the hotel vending machine. Not my battle. Go for it, son.

The current version of Christian’s bedroom is also not my battle. There are minimal standards (after all, who do you think I am ?): No dirty clothes, trash, or food. That’s it. Otherwise, it’s a man cave-in-training. His refuge.

Christian begins middle school next week. There will be battles. As parents, we must consider each one carefully. Sigh.