Dear Dr. Meg

My 20-year-old daughter wants to know what mistakes I made when I was in my twenties. I made plenty of mistakes that I do not want to share the details of, but I want to be honest so that she will trust me and know that no matter what happens in her life I will love and accept her. How much should I share with her and how much should I keep to myself?

Signed,

Lost At What To Say

Dear LAWTS,

This is a great question and one which I am frequently asked. I answer it differently than most, so hold on. I think that you should only share what you want to share. Your personal life is your business, not your daughter’s. Many parents feel that they must divulge their deepest secrets and reveal past mistakes to help prevent their children from repeating those mistakes. This sounds like a good idea, but it doesn’t work. How many teen girls who have mothers who gave birth during their own teen years, grow up to repeat the cycle? Most of them do. This is because our children mimic what we do, they don’t do what we say.

Telling…