Trust Me – Is it okay to read your kids’ letters?

For a show with a name like Trust Me, the lead characters, Conner and Mason, were certainly guilty of violating trust this week in “Odd Man Out.” Mason’s 15-year-old daughter is having boy trouble. Mason’s younger son tells his parents that Haley’s long-time friend Steve has broken up with her, leading to a Haley’s broken heart.

Young Steve (Jake Thomas, a fantastic young actor who has appeared on Lie to Me and House already this season) writes a note for Haley, which Mason intercepts. He sits and looks at the letter all day until Conner (OF COURSE!) opens and reads it. At the very moment that Conner grabs the letter, I paused the program and turned to my 15-year-old son who was watching the episode with me.

I said, “Is it a huge violation of his daughter’s trust if they read that letter?” Of course, I already know what I would do. I would read the letter. Absolutely. And not just because I’d want to protect my child. My policy is that while they are under my roof, I have the right to snoop. I haven’t made this public, however, and this was a thinly-concealed way for me to assess my potential for forgiveness from my child.

My son thought about it for a minute before saying, “I would probably read the letter.”

“So would I.”

And we all know about Mason and Conner.

I was surprised at how dismissively Mason treated the trust issue when he finally spoke with Haley. He waved his hand in front of his face as though the trust issue — though valid — was completely inconsequential. I wonder if it will resurface in future episodes, but I doubt it.

What do you think? Would you read it? Is snooping on your kids okay?

Clacked by Jen Creer
on Mar 20, 2009 @ 09:00 EST5EDT