🎧 “Should She Go? The High School Overnight Dilemma” 💭🏡

In this episode of Marriage Unhindered, Doug Hinderer and his therapist daughter Monica get into a sticky parenting conundrum that came straight from a listener’s inbox. And it’s one that probably makes every Catholic parent squirm just a little. 😬

You can listen to the whole episode here!

💌 The Email Drama:

A mom writes in, torn about whether to let her high school senior daughter go on an overnight trip with her boyfriend and his family to a fancy out-of-state resort. Now, before you panic, she would have her own room, and the boyfriend’s parents would be there. But still… temptation, scandal, and oh yeah… he’s not Catholic.

Doug & Monica’s Take:

Doug’s initial vibe? It’s complicated. Sure, the girl’s almost off to college, but this is still high school. He throws out some solid dad-questions:

Do you know the boyfriend’s parents?

Can you trust them?

And the big one: do you trust your daughter? 🤔

He admits he’d probably have said NO back when Monica was in high school (cue Monica laughing). But he also gets the idea of slowly giving teens more responsibility before they’re suddenly on their own at college.

 

💡 Monica’s Therapist Spin:

Family values matter. What’s the long game here? She reminds the mom to reflect on what kind of decision-making skills they want their daughter to walk away with.

Honesty is key. Even if the answer is no, parents should explain why… not just hit her with the classic, “Because I said so.” 🙄

Pro tip: Invite your teen into the decision-making process. Let her wrestle with the pros and cons too. She’s got to start making big-girl decisions eventually, right?

 

☎️ Callers Weigh In:

Julie jumps in and she’s a fan of courtship📜, saying we’ve lost the beauty of intentional, marriage-focused dating. High school romance? Nah, keep it in groups.

Maureen brings the heat 🔥, warning about how slippery this slope is: more trips = more temptation. She’s team “Absolutely Not.”

Juanita shares a been-there-done-that moment: her dad said no to a similar situation, but she went anyway (oops). Looking back? She wishes she’d listened. 💔

 

The Final Verdict?

Doug and Monica admit: this is NOT a black-and-white issue. But leaning on prayer (going to an Adoration Chapel 🙏) and focusing on virtues, not just rules, can guide parents here. And if you do say no? Lead with love, not lockdown mode. 💖

✨ Pro Parenting Tip:

Help your teens cool the feels and think with their heads before making big choices.

Would YOU let your kid go? 🤨💬 This one’s a doozy!

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