Mine are 12 and 9. They're great now. They can think and do things on their own and don't need me to teach them everything.

Just last week the little boy says to me "Dad, why can't I have a new cell phone with an mp3 player and 3 meg camera?"

"Son," I said to him. You're old enough to understand now that if you want such things, go and steal them for yourself. You're not old enough to get convicted."

Look on his face just said it all. Brilliant.