I also went through their rooms on a regular basis. I didn't care about the personal shit, I could care less about that. I was looking for contraband. And if I found it, the shit hit the fan.
I never found it. We had guns, and a gun safe, which I actually gave to my oldest as a gift, to store his guns and rifles. But I kept the key. Other than that, what's yours is mine, and I will exert authority if I don 't like it.
They were pretty good about everything. We had two issues while they were growing up..both with the same boy. One was when he refused to go to school the first day because he didn't like the walmart clothing I bought him. He wanted gangsta clothing, all very expensive, and dug in his heels. So did I. That was a knock down drag out, and as I remember, my mother, who was present (this boy is her darling) took him shopping a few days later and bought him some very nice clothing. Not gangsta, but no walmart. But believe me, I dragged his ass to school.
Second issue was when the oldest, about 17 or 18 at the time, made the mistake of trying to sneak a girl into his room. We shared a bathroom, between our bedrooms. I went into the bathroom and heard the unmistakeable sounds of, well, you know. So I barged into the room, said "you've got 5 minutes to get her out of the house" and that was the last time, ever, that he brought a girl the house for other than social (girl meeting mom) purposes.
Oh wait, one other incident...my younger boy at the age of about 12 or 13...I went to pick up the boys for a dental or dr. appointment, I can't remember which. And my younger boy was mouthy, disrespectful, and obnoxious in the office, in the parking lot, on the steps, etc. While we were on the steps I grabbed hold of him by his arm with a death grip and we marched to the car. At the car he started to yell and have a fit and refuse to get into the car. I said "Get in the car now." he said "you can't make me, you'll get it for CHILD ABUSE". I said "I'll get a fucking medal, in the car NOW" and whalloped him. I could see the secretaries in the office laughing their asses off.
Oh wait, and one other time I exerted authority..I was 9 months pregnant, working with big bad boys...diminished capacity predatory sex offenders, and it was time to go to work. My boy, who didn't have his license yet, wanted to take the car around the block to the stereo shop to have a big stereo put in. I told him, "I'm getting in the shower, and if the car isn't here, someone's dying. I don't give a shit about the stereo, I've got to go to work."
I came out of the shower...no boys, no car.
I went out into the middle of the street, pregnant, wet from the shower, and waited. In about 5 minutes, here comes my big Olds down the street, "bumping". I waved it to the side, dragged my son's friend out of the passenger side by his fucking short spiky blond hair (he ran and didn't quit running for about six months, I'd been trying for years to get him out of my house, if only I'd known all I had to do was pull him out of a car by his hair...) and I ran around to the other side to smack my boy upside the head as he came out.
My son was like, "I'm leaving and NEVER COMING BACK". I said, adios, I'll see you when you're hungry, I've got to go to work."
He was back within 36 hours, hungry and dirty, lol. He NEVER took my car without my permission again, and to this day, he's VERY careful about how he uses other people's cars.
