Sturgeon Bay Psychologist Dr. Dennis White says the question, “Don’t you trust me?” is one a parent needs to answer directly to prevent grief and manipulation by their child. He says you should not trust your teenager when it comes to situations like staying at someone else’s house without confirming that an adult will be present.
Dr. White says it is better to tell your child straight-out that you do not trust them in some circumstances. Once your teenager knows that you have set the ground rules, they will learn to accept and anticipate that you will be checking on them. You can listen to Dr. White’s entire Mental Health Minute below.
