Psychologist Tells Us Barron Trump's 18th Birthday Exposes Melania's Biggest Fears

Barron Trump is 18 years old on March 20, officially making him an adult. It's safe to say that things are going to be changing on the home front as the teen looks ahead to college. Many people know that Melania Trump is determined to keep Barron out of the public eye. Not only has she been quite protective of her only son, but she's also dedicated her life to raising him. However, once he turns 18, Barron will have more liberties and his mom may not be able to keep tabs on him as easily. Nicki Swift wanted to get a professional's take on what this might mean for the former first lady, so we chatted with New York City-based neuropsychologist and director of Comprehend the Mind, Dr. Sanam Hafeez. Basically, Dr. Hafeez said that the transition is likely going to be tough on Melania as a mom. 

"In the healthiest of parent-child relationships, turning 18, growing into a young man, and leaving home, is a huge deal for most mothers. Mothers and sons enjoy a more affectionate, less strained relationship than mothers and daughters, especially in the teen years, and Melania may have even leaned on Barron in tumultuous times or busied herself with his life," Dr. Hafeez tells us. And, if Barron decides to move out? Well, that could be even more challenging for Melania.

It has been a chaotic time in the Trump household between Donald Trump being indicted on multiple charges, including election interference to allegedly taking classified documents, and the relaunch of his political campaign that has him running for president for a third time. And while Barron Trump may not have any direct involvement in these things, it's clear that Melania Trump has been instrumental in making sure things stay that way. She has allowed her son to focus on school and just being a kid despite the noise going on everywhere else. "Melania's main job is taking care of Barron," a source told People magazine in March. "Barron is shy and reserved, and she has been a good mother to him all of these years," the source added.

Dr. Sanam Hafeez points out that Melania has been doing most of this parenting stuff solo. "It doesn't appear that [Donald] Trump does much of the parenting, and even if he does, he is publicly too busy to be a present father, leaving Melania to fret on her own," Hafeez tells Nicki Swift exclusively. But watching her only son leave the cushy nest that she's built for him may be absolutely heartbreaking for her in more ways than one. "Barron leaving home is more than just a son going away. It is a son becoming possibly subject to ridicule or harm, as well as [Melania's] loneliness and lack of emotional support that she may have derived from [him]," Dr. Hafeez said.