The family battle over trust in teens

The battle of trust between parents and teenagers is a tale as old as time: “Where are you?” “What are you doing on your phone?” “Who are you talking to?”

The lack of trust on either side of a parent-child relationship can be a result of various behaviors, such as lying, not keeping promises or behavioral actions. These implications, however, can be built back up, through the challenge of gaining trust.

Senior Gabriela Rodriguez believes that trust is important in the development and maintenance of a parent-child bond.

“I think it’s all about how the relationship between the kid and the parent is. If the relationship is strained, then, of course, there’s going to be that lowered level of trust, that could be lack of communication,” Rodriguez said.

Communication is significant in forming trust between parents and teens, but it requires cooperation from both sides. Senior Kelsey Casella shares how she began talking and being more honest with her own parents and has seen positive results.

“My parents put a lot of trust in me because I basically tell them everything. They would rather me be honest with them and know what I’m doing or where I am, than me having to lie to them,” Casella says.

On the other side of the fight, DGS parent Nancy Bifulco believes that the idea of trust between a parent and child should come from both sides.

“It’s not just important for parents to trust their children, but for the child to trust the parent. They need to be comfortable with going to them and talking to them about anything. That little change in a relationship can make a huge difference,” Bifulco said.

Trust is a difficult thing to form in a relationship, with many trials and tribulations; however, when a parent and their child actually take time to sit down and communicate all the unsaid words, a relationship can grow even stronger.