Shel

My 17 year old daughter has a new boyfriend. Althought she has had a couple of other boyfriends in a very casual sense - just dates to the movies, and school dances, etc. - this seems like it might be headed in a different direction. I have not met the young man yet. Of course my daughter, who has always been above board with us, and kept her nose clean, says he's a really nice kid, but he just moved here this last year, and I'm not sure what to make of his family, or lack there of. This weekend will be their second "real" date, and they are going to come out and watch movies at the house. How can I make an effort to get to know him well enough to calm that "inner mother voice that's screaming he's not good for her" and yet not smother them or intrude on their teenager time. I've always been very open with my kids, and allowed them to do things as long as they are open with me about where they are, who they are with etc. I don't want to lose that. I could really use some advice

I need suggestions for my daughter for Christmas.

She doesn't have any idea what she wants for Christmas. I let her burn CD's off the internet - legally of course, so that's out. She has a stereo and a mp3 player, a cell phone and is pretty well set up for clothes. Any idease? She is a really good kid who always keeps her chores done and gets straight A's.