John and Mary are parents who are dedicated to the idea of Youth Rights. They have a son Bill, and do their very best to give him all the autonomy he can handle as a child, and things are going pretty well. They home school him, he learns well, he plays well with other kids, he has lots of fun.

He gets to be 12 years old and starts displaying some extra spirit of independence. His parents don't object when he chooses to drink the occasional shot or two of brandy. He has some experience in technical climbing, and there's a challenging rock face right behind their house.

One morning just before dawn he wakes them up. He's been up all night, he's drunk a large part of that bottle of brandy, he's feeling great, and he wants to go climb the face without safety equipment and watch the sun rise. John and Mary explain the dangers involved, and he says he knows there's some risk, but he just wants to do it. He's tired of playing things safe. He heads out the back door, weaving just a bit as he walks.

What should John and Mary do? I know what I would do. At the very least I would tell him of some privileges he will no longer have if he does that. If that didn't work, I'd seriously consider trying to physically restrain him.

So, what would you all do?

I'm trying to think of what grounds a Youth Rights purist would have to interfere with him in this situation.