It is natural for kids to start asserting independence from their parents during their adolescent stage. Most toddlers and young kids get excited when parents visit them in school. But as soon as they hit their teens, parents are far from welcome in school. They would also prefer the company of their peers during leisure activities and neither mom nor dad gets picked as secret keepers anymore. As teens shut their parents from certain aspects of their life, privacy issues for teens often arise.
Image courtesy of Photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The safety of their children is a foremost concern for any parent. When things are hidden from them, then they can be blind to the potential trouble that their children could be in. But this doesn’t mean that they should deprive their children of privacy.
Even as young children, kids are given some level of privacy like having their own room or allowing them to go to the bathroom on their own. As they grow older, this extends to personal letters or journals and social media. Parents can deal with privacy issues for teens by making it part of their house rules. It is important for teens to understand that parents simply want to be kept in the loop so they can protect their kids or provide support and guidance in times of trouble. These rules can be discussed with your teens along with conditions that will allow them to keep this privilege.
When it comes to privacy, trust is the most essential component so both parties should make sure that this component is not compromised or broken. You and your teen can agree on which aspects of school and home life can be kept in private and those that should be kept open with the family. Some examples of this is giving teens their own room or space in the house where people can leave them alone, privacy for belongings, or private conversations with friends. The level of privacy given often depends on the child’s honesty and sense of responsibility.
The privacy issues for teens can be as varied as the personality profiles for this age group. Addressing them can be quite complex as well. The most important thing is for parents to develop a good relationship with their children. If your teen doesn’t give you any reason to suspect troublesome behavior then you can give them as much space as they need to grow. However, you should also be observant of any changes in your teen so you can intervene if necessary.