1. Ryan defines drift as change outpacing your awareness. Drift is neutral in itself. It only becomes dangerous when it goes on long enough that you're left reacting instead of choosing.
2. Parent the way you drive a car, with a light hand on the wheel. Small, steady corrections keep things smooth, while noticing late leads to the panicked overcorrection that causes the crash.
3. Be an anchor. An anchor sits in the mud at the bottom and doesn't move, and your son needs to know you're that constant presence when he needs you.
4. Move from daddy to mentor, and later to peer, rather than to friend. A mentor is someone your son calls for help, listens to for advice, and who lets him make mistakes without judging him.
5. Set your son up for success long before he turns 18. A standing promise like "call me, no questions asked" only works in a crisis if you said it a thousand times before he needed it.

"I define drift as when change outpaces our awareness." - Ryan Riley

"You can't begin setting your kids up for success right when they're ready to go out of the house. It has to begin early." - Ryan Riley

"The worst thing you can do is move from daddy to friend." - Ryan Riley