Sweet and sour teens

Same home, same parents, same school ....

First son (sixteen) concerns - how to help him get the highest score in school finals, which subjects to choose for higher studies, which place to send him, how much will it cost ................

Second son (fifteen) concerns - will he finish his school finals, what will he do to look after himself, will he get into drugs .............

Is there a magic mantra on parenting so that the concerns are limited to the ones for the first son ????

Equality

Once as a little girl I was given a lesson on equality by my father. The conversation went like this:

What do you think of equality?
I dont know

When your teacher in the staff room offers you a seat when you enter - is that equality?
Yes - she is allowing me to do that - so yes it is equality

Freedom and equality are not given - do you know that?
Me thoroughly confused

Here let me explain - when you go the staff room and sit on a chair and when your teacher does not say anything about it - only then you can assume there is equality in that relationship.

Today I realize he had simplified the abstract concept using teacher and staff room as an example - but the lesson is so deep rooted in me that I shudder and abhor any inherent power structure - be it schools, offices or home.

Wish he had lived longer, at least for me to check if I understood the word correctly now.