topping forces the plant to grow outwards like a bush vs growing in height. Ill give ya a little advice then say what i think about this whole operation you have goin.
Top it, tie it up otherwise youll have a 5ft round bush vs a 6 foot plant. When you top it, cut it where you want the height, best bet to do it if its stealth since itll grow 2 to 3x its size at flowering, is in the foot to two foot high range. Now when i say tie it i mean loosely wrap string around the plant so the branches are held up with the main stalk. just be sure not to kill it or pinch them or cripple the main vein of the stalk your folding up.
In my thoughts i would be led to believe you didnt think this whole process through. You got a satchel from a friend and it had some seeds so you figured dirt, pot, plant, buds, free herb. which is fine BUT...
As far as growing in your parents house, thats pretty shitty deal. Chances are if your brother is going to college i would presume he is older and your still in highschool. Its one thing to smoke pot while you live under your parents roof, but its a whole other deal if your growing it. Im not going to smash you for growing on your parents property(or in the house) but ill let ya know that i dont completely agree with it, seems kind of like a lack of respect in my honest opinion.
now....once your start the harvest at the end of the flowering period, you have to remember its weed...it smells...very good i might add...but itll smell up the area around it and if your parents have a good sense of smell you might get busted by em just for that.
his moms might be cool proly want a cut tho.
I wish my mom wouldve just pinched my satchel when she found it instead of dumpin it out...my mom was selfish...she never wanted a cut. She wanted it all -cry-
oh and check out my journal you should see the topped plant in there somewhere