Is it OK for parents to read there children's or teenagers' personal journals?

Answer 1

Absolutely not. Everyone needs privacy, and reading their diaries/journals without their permission can cause trouble. Would you want your kids reading your email or your diaries?

Answer 2

I think it is ok if you feel that your child may be involved in something dangerous such as drug use or if you feel they are hiding something major. Most of the time when my mom read my journal she didn't find anything good. Just normal teenage gossip from school or who I had a crush on. I was mad because she deliberately went through my stuff only to find out nothing. However if you don't have an honest and open verbal relationship with your child and feel that its in everyone's best interest then I would say its ok.

Answer 3

NO! Children/teens need to feel like they have a place where anything goes, where they can be themselves with out the risk of being scrutinized. Rummaging through drawers, checking computer uses, monitoring phone calls, those things are acceptable, but give your kid a place to call his/her own. It encourages them to write, it helps to release the inevitable awkward feelings they will feel as a teen in a healthy way. Most of the time, once the feeling is out on paper, it looses it's power so your child is less likely to act upon it. Let them have a place where they don't have to worry about anyone else's opinion. Let them be themselves, if only in a journal.

Answer 4

GOD NO!!!!! i keep a diary, i would NEVER forgive my parents if they read it. if you think something's wrong, ask your child directly, assure them immediately that you won't get mad and will try to help them no matter WHAT it is. and if something bad IS happening, DON'T GET MAD. or actually, fine, get mad, but don't let your kid know it. if your kid's in trouble, the last thing to do is add a feeling of rejection and self-hate to it, he'd probably feel bad enough as it is.

if, on the other hand, you DO read the diary (/journal, thingamagummy, thingamajugger ir whatever it is) you're kid will find out (i, for one, always keep something especially positioned over mine so i know if it's moved, (a black pen at a special angle) and never trust you with anything, never write in his journal again, and whatever problem he's in will probably get worse.

all useful advice is written, what follows is merely an example of what happened when my friends mom read her diary:
as stated, my friend (mary (or as close to her name as it gets) kept a diary. her mother (sally, for simplicities sake) read mary's diary. once finished, she immediately interrogated mary about all the crushes, friendships, and calls made to guys (along with last month's suspiciously high phone bill). sally forbade her daughter to continue writing in the diary. mary stopped, of course, knowing if she did it would be read. the next day mary came to school (jr high, actually) and told her friends, she said she's stunned her own mother doesn't trust her, is really really mad at sally, and feels totally betrayed. she was even madder because sally told her she was no longer even allowed to talk to her 2 best friend because they're ''a bad influence'' . in fact, said friends are fun to be around, never in real trouble, if not good students, at least passing by a medium (okay, kinda tight) margin. they don't skip class to often and don't influence mary at all (okay, a bit, but she's refused to do anything stupid(so far)). she's showed that diary to her friends and i swear, everything is exaggerated.

in conclusion: the reading of the diary separated mother and daughter far more than any arguement could have.

Answer 5

No! It is just as unfair for a parent to read their child's personal, secret diaries as it is for a child to look at their parent's. It is invading their privacy and, hey, children have a right to control what their parents get to see of theirs and what not to peek at. If a parent wants to read their teen's journal, they should at least ask permission first.

Answer 6

This is a hard question. In general, I think kids are entitled to some privacy, and I would not read their journals or diaries. However, if my child started acting as though something was very wrong (seemed to be developing an eating disorder, for example), then I would probably read it to gain some insight. So if I had reason to be concerned about their health or safety, I think it would be acceptable to violate their privacy as a parent.

Answer 7

I say no! Its your child's way to say what ever he or she wants and not have to worry about who reads it because its personal. If you take that away from them by reading it and especially if they find out you read it they will have a hard time trusting and respecting you. If you have a good relationship with your child you wouldn't even need to read their journals to find out whats going on in their lives because you made yourself apart of their lives. Sometimes they tell you and only you personal things that come from their diary that nobody else knows because they trust you that much and feel comfortable talking to you about those situations.

Answer 8

No, especially teens! These are meant to be private thoughts, however I do not know why these young women even bother writing these things down, if you want absolute privacy do not put it on line, in a diary etc. Not only will it cause alot of conflict and mistrust you may damage any chance of decent communication with young adults. If they feel you are snooping the more secretive and closed to discussion they will become.

Answer 9

My mom read mine and I understood her reasoning for doing so ( I was in a weird phase and it worried her) but honsetly I don't think it was right for her to do so. A journal is meant for someone's peronal and private thoughts. After I caught my mom reading mine I didn't write in it anymore. I kept it in my head where she couldn't go though it whenever she felt the need. If the teen finds out that you're spying they'll feel violated and you'll lose their trust.

Answer 10

I would not recommend it. My mother read anything she felt like reading (of mine) and I just stopped writing things down. She took my privacy and gave me no outlet for my thoughts. Please give children and especially teens an amount of privacy. If you want them to be open and honest with you you have to communicate with them. Don't get into their stuff or at least ask permission before you go through their journal/stuff! They'll not talk to you and/or resent you for breaching their privacy and not having respect or trust in them.