I Read My Son’s Texts From His Ex-Girlfriend. Uh-Oh.

Care and Feeding Aug 18, 20266:00 AM Photo illustration by Slate. Photo by AntonioGuillem/iStock/Getty Images Plus. Our advice columnists have heard it all over the years—so today we’re diving into the archives of Care and Feeding to share classic parenting letters with our readers. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here. Dear Care and Feeding, My eighth-grade son has had a series of “girlfriends” in the past year; as is normal for middle school, these relationships were short-lived and limited to text messages and time spent together within the confines of school and school activities. One of the exes is friendly with him still, one is decidedly not, and the most recent ex seems to be somewhere in the middle. I periodically monitor his texts and emails (which he knows, but I