Dear Queenie,
I live with my Mom but my Dad pays for my support and for my cell phone.
My problem is that whenever I visit him my Dad insists on checking out my cell phone to see what’s on it. There’s never anything bad, but he still insists on seeing it.
When I complained that this is an invasion of my privacy he said he wants to see what he is paying for and if I don’t like it I should pay for the cell phone myself.
Queenie, how can I get him to respect my privacy?—Disrespected daughter
Dear Daughter,
You do not say how old you are, but if your father is still paying for your support you must still be in your teens and, because you do not live with him, no doubt he feels the need to exercise some supervision over your behaviour.
He has a point. If you are old enough to demand respect for your privacy, you are old enough to find a way to pay for your cell phone yourself. By doing so, you will demonstrate a reassuring level of maturity and responsibility.
