Knowing When to Shut Up

My son recently returned from a weekend camping retreat with several other teens his age.  With sleepy and tired speech he informed me that he’d had a great time and that nothing had gone wrong (always in my line up of questions).  A short time later I phoned the gentleman who had been driver/counselor for the group over the weekend and asked him how things went, specifically for my son.  He gave rather lukewarm comments and I knew that something wasn’t right.  I pressed him a bit, fearing something dreadful.  In the end he confessed that while nothing dreadful had occurred, my son did need to learn the “fine art of knowing when to shut up.”  I probably should have been upset in some way, but in truth I just laughed.  I know he’s right.  I know my son has…