Open Letter to all Parents

Dear Parents,
The main thing I'd like to tell you all is "Let them." Let them stay out till 4 AM. Let them have a week-long sleepover. Let them fail a class. Let them take the train at two in the morning. Let them get a job. Let them have the house to themselves for an entire weekend. Let them learn.
By a certain age, there's not more teaching that you can do. At that point, it is up to your kids to figure things out on their own. And you should let them, no matter how much of a fail you know it's going to be. Clearly, they don't think it will, so give them a chance to prove you wrong. Give them your opinion, tell them why you think something is a bad idea but in the end don't tell them to not do it. No matter how stupid. If they want to do something, there's a reason behind it, even if that reason may just be "It's fun." Let them have their fun then, no matter what they consider to be fun. Sure, sometimes it really may be the worst idea in the entire world, but they'll learn. Maybe it'll turn out okay, and then both you and them may learn that that something was not in fact stupid.
Don't worry about us. We have a way of getting out of situations and if we know that you're trustworthy and won't get mad because we're not making the best choices, maybe we'll even ask you for help if we need it. And if we don't ask for help, don't worry either: we're working it out and you don't have to know everything. If we see that you're okay with us trying random things, there's a possibility that we'll tell you a bit more about ourselves. And whatever we may tell you, be okay with it. Offer your opinion but don't do anything. Chances are, if we really did do something bad, then we already learned from the situation and now know either A) don't do it again or B) do it differently or C) how to not get caught doing that again.
Yes, you have more life experience than us. But that doesn't affect us in any way. We have to have our own life experience, the whole "learn from your mistakes." And not everything that was a mistake for you, has to be a mistake for us. Somethings will work out for us, even if they didn't for you or anyone else that you know.
But the thing is, let us because even if you don't, we'll still figure out a way to do what we wanted to do. The difference is whether you'll make it easier and help us out (hint: don't stay up waiting for us to come home, we eventually will) or whether we'll have to do it all in secrecy. And once you start letting us do more, still don't expect us to tell you everything. And don't do the "I told you so," because we remember what you said.
So let us.
Sincerely,
a daughter