Does your child have a right to privacy? If you’re a parent with a teenager, then the subject of privacy has probably been discussed more than once in your house. How you handle the issue can turn your sweet teen into a monster.
With privacy issues you have to be cautious but also careful how you set the boundaries of privacy. It used to be all you had to worry about was what your teenager wrote in his or her diary. With today’s technology, parent’s have a lot more to worry about when it comes to keeping their child safe.
Computers, internet, cellphones, and iPads have taken over your teens life and they tend to trust the world. They let down their guard, but as a parent you can’t let down yours. The right to privacy takes on a whole new meaning. Your teen in today’s technical world has no legitimate right to privacy.
Safety measures need to be in place to protect your teen from what is lurking online. In order to safeguard your child, their privacy is not the issue.
A few key steps will give you peace of mind. Your teen will probably hate you, but remember your child is more important than his or her privacy.
The most important thing you can do is to monitor your teen’s online activity. Set up some type of parental monitoring system on their devices.
Second, limit their online or cellphone activity. Teens don’t need to be glued to their devices.
Third, does your teen really need a Twitter or Facebook account? Yes, your teen wants to be like their peers and be part of a online clique. This is a tough decision. Parent’s want their teens to be liked, but if you allow your child to participate in online activities, make sure you know what they are doing.
The main thing to remember is your child is not an adult. He or she is still a child living in your home. They have no right to privacy when it comes to the internet. It’s your job to protect them from harm. You can’t protect them if you give them sole privacy. Be prepared to become the parental privacy police. Watch and listen.
