Nice article.
One point I would like to make, (and I am sure you make it elsewhere), is the importance of being permitted to make those very mistakes - as a learning experience!!
Nothing says "smarten the fuck up" better than a swift dose of reality...
Yeah, and that's definitely part of the growing up phase. "Yay, no parents! Now I can eat nothing but candy, and drink tons of beer!" Ten hours later... "Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't have done that."