Children’s Privacy and Parents

Question

B. Haq

Grown-ups not welcome! It’s not uncommon for many parents to see such a sign posted on their teenager’s bedroom door and realize that their child is asserting a desire for privacy.

What is Privacy?
Privacy is control over information and possessions that the child considers as his or her own, such as a bedroom, personal journal, schoolbag, or cellphone. Teenagers may want parents to keep out of their rooms, stop cleaning their closets or stay away from their social media sites. However, many parents consider the idea of their children desiring privacy from them as unsafe and risky. But experts say parents should always respect their children’s privacy.

Setting Up Boundaries
Starting around age ten, children may begin to explore what they wish to keep private from their parents. Teenagers want to preserve their privacy not only from their parents but also from their siblings. Child development experts say this is a part of growing up and should be encouraged. It helps children learn about life management in the safety of their parents’ home.

Each family has some privacy rules regarding what to share and not to share with outsiders. Similar rules may be negotiated for individual family members. Parents should teach their children how to set up boundaries that other people may not step over without permission. At the same time, parents must provide structure to let the child grow into a confident individual and not think of the world as a scary place.

Balancing the Act Between Privacy and Trust
Parents have a lot more experience of the world and know a great deal more about life than their teenagers. They want to keep their children safe from the dangers out there, especially when they are online. Parents can instill in their children that they trust them but not the world, and for their safety, parents will be monitoring their online activity. Teenagers can show they are trustworthy by fulfilling their obligations and respecting the rules set by their parents. This establishes a trust bond between parents and children, and children won’t see their parents as invading their privacy but as protecting it to keep them safe.

No Spying
While allowing their children to manage their privacy, parents must follow up on a genuine concern. However, sneaking behind their children’s back to find what they are doing is not the right way to do it. Parents should take their children in confidence and ask for permission to look through their things.

If parents don’t respect their children’s desire for privacy, they risk losing their trust. Parents should also realize that their children will find ways to hide information from them. If left unresolved between children and parents, privacy issues can cause conflict in the family.

Nevertheless, parents should also remember that teenagers need the opportunity to be successful on their own and learn from their mistakes without a parent hovering over them.

Which assertion from the text best contradicts the idea that parents should trust their children?
Responses
A “Parents should teach their children how to set up boundaries that other people may not step over without permission.” (paragraph 4)“Parents should teach their children how to set up boundaries that other people may not step over without permission.” (paragraph 4)
B “Parents should take their children in confidence and ask for permission to look through their things.” (paragraph 6)“Parents should take their children in confidence and ask for permission to look through their things.” (paragraph 6)
C “... parents must provide structure to let the child grow into a confident individual.” (paragraph 4)“... parents must provide structure to let the child grow into a confident individual.” (paragraph 4)
D “... many parents consider the idea of their children desiring privacy from them as unsafe and risky.” (paragraph 2)“... many parents consider the idea of their children desiring privacy from them as unsafe and risky.” (paragraph 2)

Answer 1

The assertion from the text that best contradicts the idea that parents should trust their children is:

D “... many parents consider the idea of their children desiring privacy from them as unsafe and risky.” (paragraph 2)

This statement reflects the viewpoint that parents often view their children's desire for privacy as a cause for concern, which undermines the concept of trust. It indicates that parents may not fully trust their children to handle their own privacy, believing instead that it poses risks.