hi Chrissy,
I am currently reading the Mortal Instruments books and I honestly love it. However, I didn't notice that the parents were in fact absent most of the time. Now that you have mentioned it, it may seem like a person is only adventurous if he has suffered some absence in the family. However, what if it is just a portrayal of real life? I mean, we know how young adults are--wanting to act this and that when the parents aren't looking. On the other hand, young adults/readers shouldn't always see it this way. We still need to act accordingly whether or not our parents or guardians are with us.