Do you read your kid's mail?

I do believe it is fair to read a child's diary and mail. Some parents just don't have that bond with their child, no matter how hard they try and no matter how much they want their child to talk to them. Sometimes that's just how it goes. It is the parent's responsiblity to know what's going on in the child's life, and to intervene if there is a problem, that's my stand anyways. I wouldn't question it if a parent said they were reading their child's diary. I personally do not go snooping through my kid's stuff, but if they leave a notebook on the kitchen table and walk away from it, I might pick it up and flip through it. I haven't ever found anything other than some doodles, but I still look. Yes, I open the mail too.

I think parents have no right to read their kids' mails. Until now, I am still an apple of parents' eyes and I've never been mother before, but I can say something on behalf of children on this issue. All children know their parents care so much about them, no matter how treasonous they are, but once they find their well-respected parents read their mails without permission, they may feel their parents didn't give them rudimental trust and evetually lose the confidence in their parents.

For some parents, reading their mail and diaries is the only way that they can keep up with what their child is doing. It does not matter how close you are with your daughter, she is not going to tell you EVERYTHING! If everyone read their child's diary, whether it is ethical or not, they would learn some things about their kids that would shock them! I am not defending this or saying that it is right. All I am saying is that doing this, you could help prevent them from making really bad decisions. What if a child has been chatting online with a strange man and you didn't know about it. By reading about it in her diary, or in her emails...you could put a stop to it before something terrible happens. Statistics show that 90% of murders among teenagers were due to a situation that the parents knew nothing about and the parents thought that they knew everything about their child. Besides, I look at it like this. If you are under 18, and you are my child and live in MY house, and you don't pay the bills or contribute to the household...then you don't have the right to privacy. Everything in this house....bedroom, computer, utilities,her clothes, ect. I PAID FOR...so I have the right to monitor it as I please.

I think it is unfair reading with your childrens' mails. Although, it is a matter of trust, but everyone of us deserves to have his privacy. It was actually my feeling when I was young when every mail that comes in our mail box was already open before reaching my very hands. Soon, time flies that I am already working, and I already missed seeing my mails opened, well I guessed they will no longer open my mails because they will only have heartache upon receiving and reading my bank statements!

Hello, I will have to say I do read my childrens mail, because of this crazy world that we live in have really sick indivisuals in it. I think there are more crime that goes un noticed by parents because that don't pay attention to what their child/children is up to. You here about grown adult men online seeking out young teen age girls to harm them etc, and the parents never knew that these types of acts are going on. So I read my childrens mail, not to intrude on them but to protect and guide them, because I'm resposible for them. Happy My Lotting!

It is not a good thing to read your childs private things. However, I would read their mail if I felt that was my only option to help my child and understand what is going on in her head. But I would not make it a habit. I would first try to talk with my child and reading their private things would only be my last option.

My children grew up a very long time ago when the world was a safer place. I still think teaching them your standards and ethics and gradually letting go and letting them make decisions will lead to a better relationship with your child whatever age. I never read my childrens' mail, or snooped through their things to find a diary. I tried to give them the respect I expected to get. Yes I am the parent. Yes I was the authority figure, but they had a right to their lives to a certain extent without sharing everything with me. Maybe some people were so sneaky and devious as teenagers themselves, they just expect their children to do all those thing too. I've personally known a few like that. I feel like that drives the children to even worse behavior.

My children always read their diaries to me right after they write in them if I want to hear it or not. I don't even have to ask. lol I don't think its fair to read it with out their permission. Of course there are exceptions I would take like if they have given you reason not to trust them and you think they might be in trouble.