Do you read your teen's text messages?

[Anonymous]

I spot check periodically, and my 13.5 year old DD knows that I do. I also skim through her Instagram feed and check her internet browser history once in a while.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish more parents would. I'm surprised by what I read on my daughters text. Suicidal teens, teens cutting, and a lot more I'm sure their parents have no clue about.

Me too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did until I came across a three way text convo about the size of the body part of a boy whose parents I know very well. I haven't peeked since.

I actually find this quite on point. I see the side of wanting to protect your children but I believe you need to find other ways than invading privacy like this. You cannot undo knowing something that you really shouldn't and it changes too many things. When I think back about myself being in high school, I would be mortified if my parents knew some of the feelings and conversations I had. Because I was stupid and young but at least I could bury it because my parent did not know. Really, parent should not know everything about their children's lives once they get to high school. That really is not healthy for either side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish more parents would. I'm surprised by what I read on my daughters text. Suicidal teens, teens cutting, and a lot more I'm sure their parents have no clue about.

Me too.

+1

I can't believe how clueless some parents are about what is going on with their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish more parents would. I'm surprised by what I read on my daughters text. Suicidal teens, teens cutting, and a lot more I'm sure their parents have no clue about.

Me too.

+1

I can't believe how clueless some parents are about what is going on with their kids.

Unless things have changed a lot since I was a teen, all parents are clueless about their teens. My girlfriend's parents thought that she was a virgin, so did most other parents. I never check my son's messages. Maybe I should, but I hated all the rules my father made me adhere to, and none of them ever did me one bit of good. To be a parent is to be a clueless person. That's just how the universe works. Maybe I'd be a better parent if I made more rules, but 40 years later and I'm still angry about all the rules I had to follow. I'm done with rules.