should still be thoughtful and proportionate.
Safety Should Be the Exception, Not the Excuse
A parent shouldn’t use “safety” as a justification for permanently eliminating all privacy.
If every disagreement becomes:
“I’m your parent, so I can check everything,”
the teenager may stop seeing privacy as something that can be earned through responsible behavior.
A healthier approach is to explain:
“I respect your privacy. But if I have a serious reason to believe you’re unsafe, my responsibility is to help protect you.”
That distinction is powerful.
What If the Parent
