Should parents have to knock before entering their teens bedroom?

Answer 1

Yes. I think if the trust has been questioned [child is smoking in their room or has been caught with boys/girls in their room] then it's okay to enter without knocking. If the teen isn't doing anything wrong though they really shouldn't care.

I cannot believe so many people are saying "No." It just seems to me that in order to get respect you need to give respect. That's my own parenting philosophy unless trust has been questioned.

Answer 2

Wasnt that long ago {okay it was} that I was a teenager. And teenagers as well as any human being deserves some level of privacy. My mom use to just walk in and it would piss me off what if I had been changing clothes? I always promised myself when I had kids I wouldnt do that to them and I havent. I raised both my nephews now ages 17 and 15 and have never just walked into their rooms if the door was shut I knock then open the door. I also have a 13 yr old daughter and a soon to be 7yr old step daughter and I knock before entering their rooms. As I expect them to show me the same respect to knock before they come into my room. I do not wait for permission before I open the door I dont need permission to open a door in my own home but if they say "hold on Im getting dressed" then I wait. And I'll do the same with my 9 month old son when he's old enough.

Answer 3

Do you want your child's respect? Then knock.

I find this so unbelievable that parents think it's normal to not knock. Every person has their own privacy issues and if you violate them, you disrespect the person. This goes the same way for the kids. And if you enter without knocking, you disrespect your child, so it will be that much harder for them to respect you.

As far as drug/sex issues go, those should be addressed differently. If you come into your child's room and see them doing drugs and/or with a girl, then you have already lost that battle. It won't do anything to catch them red-handed - they're not going to stop. Plus I'm sure you'd be able to find out that your child is up to something in another way than walking in on them in the act.

Also with boys, there's the issue of masturbation. I thank God for my parents' knocking, otherwise I would have had many embarrassing encounters.

My parents have always knocked and I am very grateful to them for it. You should've seen them when my girlfriends were over. They would knock, wait half a minute, then slowly crack the door open and look in, and only then come in. And honestly, after that kind of treatment, I wouldn't lie to them about what I was doing behind closed doors if they asked.

Answer 4

i think as a courtesy a parent can knock to announce they will be coming in not to ask for permission to enter. i mean in case the teen is changing or undressing or anything requiring a bit of privacy. it just isnt right to push the door in at anytime it happens i know but as long as the teen is respectful to you it would only be right to be a bit respectful to them. it doesnt say well u own the home and i need 2 ask before i enter, like some people are saying, it just says you are a person and im going to treat u with some dignity thats all.

Answer 5

wow, a lot of answers already. Here's my take on this. Do they have to? No. It's their home, and you're they're kid, and they have every right to barge in when they want to.

However, SHOULD they knock? I believe so, yes. My 7 year old is required to knock before entering any closed door, be it bedroom, bathroom, office, whatever. What kind of parent would I be not to extend that same courtesy? It's a matter of respect. I reserve the right to barge in whenever I want to, but I knock to show her the same respect and privacy that I expect from her.

If that works for 7 year olds, it should work for a teen.

Answer 6

My oldes is 10 and when I come to his room I knock and then walk in. Our doors don't close all the way anyway so it's not that big of a deal but I expect him to knock (even if he don't wait for an answer) before he enters our bedroom....It's only fair

Answer 7

Yes, I think out of respect anyone should knock before entering anyone elses bedroom if the door is closed. Soon as the person in the room says 'yes' or 'come in'...then you enter and state your business. 'Course, if the door is closed and no one answers after you knock and you need to get something (laundry or the phone, lol) then you go ahead and enter..get what you came for...and leave. Unless your teen is doing something that is going to hurt themselves and you are concerned about them...their bedroom is their private place to go.

Answer 8

okay i think they should knock, but only because i would be very embarrassed if anyone just walked in my room while im getting dressed or changing. or even possibly masturbating. i think parents just knock so if the teen is changing they can say, wait im getting dressed. or something. thats what i would do. if i was getting changed or something . i was just say wait a second. adn then tell them okay. otherwise, it was an automatic, come in. but i do understand that some parents and teens have trust issues so that is understandable that some teens dont have as much privacy. but that depends on the situation. and even then, the teen should dress in a bathroom or maybe their closet if its a walkin kind to avoid embarrassment

Answer 9

Well it is their house so they dont have to knock if they dont want to. But I think parents should respect their teens privacy and knock first. Do you have to knock on your parents door before entering? If yes, then they should have the same respect for you and knock first.

Answer 10

I think for the respect of their privacy, that a parent should knock on their bedroom door.before entering.