My daughter had always been sweet, polite, and fairly sensible, so when she walked into the living room one evening with a serious look on her face, I immediately knew something was coming.

I was sitting on the sofa, watching TV and enjoying a rare quiet moment, when she stood in front of me and cleared her throat.

In my mind, what she was really saying sounded something like this:

“Dad, cancel my allowance immediately, rent my room out, throw all my clothes out of the window, take my TV, stereo, and iPhone, and iPod, and my laptop. Please take all of my jewelry to the Salvation Army or Cash Converters. Then sell my new car, take my front door key away from me and throw me out of the house.

Then disown me and never talk to me again. And don’t forget to write me out of your will and leave my share to my brother.”

I stared at her, stunned, trying to understand how my own daughter could suddenly be asking for such a dramatic end to her comfortable life.

I imagined packing her bags, changing the locks, cancelling every subscription, and explaining to the family why she had chosen this path.

Of course, she didn’t actually say all those words. Not exactly.

She smiled nervously, stepped aside, and a young man walked in behind her.

Well, she didn’t put it quite like that… she actually said… “Dad, this is my new boyfriend.