I was really looking forward to tuning in to see if Michael Phelps would win his second Gold Medal of the 2008 Olympics as part of the 4×100 freestyle relay.  I knew the race was today, but I’m working on a deadline  and so we’ve got our TV recording it.  (I shouldn’t even be blogging right now but I’m on a break.  Honest!)

My plan was to block out any sports news so that later I could watch the race in blissful ignorance, pretending it was unfolding in real time, the same way we live our lives. But I’m a political junkie and I can’t stay offline for long. While I surfing for campaign news, I stumbled on this headline and suddenly I knew exactly what happened 6 hours ago in the Water Cube.

I’m still going to watch the race later on, but it won’t be same.  Once you know something you know it. And unless it’s a fact like “where I last saw my glasses/keys/shoes” your chances of forgetting it aren’t all that good.

Now I’m thinking about what we parents have learned about our kids that we might have chosen not to know if anyone had given us the “selective amnesia” option. Like the fact that yes, your daughter is sexually active or no, the parents actually weren’t home during that party even though your son swore they were. 

As a parent, what do you know about your son or daughter that you wish you didn’t know? When you found out, what changed? How have you adjusted emotionally? How does knowing change your view of your son/daughter?  How has it changed your behavior as a parent? When does a tween or teen have the right to privacy?

Lots of questions!  Love to hear your thoughts.