Teenagers love their privacy, but some parents are reluctant to give it to them. Redditor one started a debate when his wife wouldn’t let his son put a lock on his bedroom.
Reddit’s father found out from his wife that their 16-year old son had received a lock for their bedroom. His wife wouldn’t allow her son to install it, so they had an argument. Although he took the side of his wife, he felt guilty and turned to Reddit to find answers.
When a child grows up, they start becoming more possessive, and privacy plays a big role in that. They don’t want anyone touching their belongings or getting into their space. One Redditor’s child tried to get locks for his bedroom, but his stepmom saw the problem and banned him.
STEPMOM REFUSES TO LET TEENAGER LOCK THEIR ROOM
In the post, the Redditor explained that he and his wife both have teenage son’s from their previous relationships. His stepbrother often takes items from his room that belongs to his wife and goes into their home. Although he makes it a point of returning them after he has finished, his stepbrother is constantly upset by the lack thereof.
Redditor’s son found out that his brother had stolen one of his items, which was a source of frustration. He then informed his birth mother and she purchased him a lock for his bedroom. After his stepmother learned, she prohibited him from installing the lock and her father supported her. In the post, he wrote,
“Scotty said he was done with Joshua taking and breaking his stuff and begged me to say something, convince my wife to let him keep the lock but I told him my wife was right in that it was disrespectful of his mom to send a lock to our house”
Soon after, the Reddit community weighed in, and most of them condemned the father’s actions. They felt that he was not doing enough to safeguard his son’s privacy and only made things worse. They advised him that he stand up for his son, and allow him to install the lock in his bedroom.
SHOULD TEENAGERS HAVE LOCKS IN THEIR ROOMS?
Sometimes parents feel uneasy when their children lock the doors to their bedrooms. They imagine the worst and worry that their children might be acting in their place. Parents believe children can get into trouble without proper supervision.
Mumsnet users were not able to reach an agreement on this topic. While some parents were open to their child’s privacy request, others thought it was a sign of distrust in the family. One parent found a compromise, and they wrote,
“I have just had locks fitted on bedroom doors. I told my boys they were not allowed to lock themselves in at night because of fire risks, and I have kept a spare key … ”
From the teenager’s perspective, they just want privacy. As they get older, they start to explore their own self-discovery. Sometimes, this requires some space. They learn how to cope with unknown emotions, and prefer to do this in privacy. One teenager on Professor’s House wrote,
“Hi I’m a kid and this article is right. Sometimes I lock my door because getting dressed, telling secrets to my friend, dancing or singing, and playing. Sometimes kids just need to be alone so they don’t blow up at anyone and sometimes we lock the door so we can cry.”
However, there are many teenagers who want to do unspeakable things without worrying about their parents barging in and catching them in the act. Parents are often wary of these kinds of teenagers and don’t want their children to have the same behavior.
On Reddit, a user named Crystalgamer04 wrote sarcastically, “DO NOT let your teen lock their door.” In their post, the user went through some of the more irrational fears parents may have about their children. This post provoked a discussion, with many users adding their opinions. One parent replied,
“I give my kids all the privacy they want. They are people too. If it involves things I can’t control like what kind of people are on the internet, and who they talk to on there, I have a discussion about the dangers.”
Some parents didn’t see it the same way. Their child could be in danger if they lock their bedroom from the outside.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIVACY
Anyone who’s ever been a teenager will tell you how important privacy is/was to them. For young people, having a safe place to retreat and reflect on life can be very beneficial. It allows you to relax and let your thoughts drift off, while also allowing you to dream about the future.
Teenagers love to decorate their rooms with posters and other decorations. It’s a space where everything is possible for them and that’s why they might want to lock their doors. Because it allows children to be themselves, privacy is vital in any child’s growth.
However, with great power comes responsibility. A child who wants to lock their bedroom must keep it clean and avoid getting into trouble. They also need to not isolate themselves from their families. Their parents might choose to lock the doors of their child’s room if they have shown that they are willing to be responsible and take care of their home.
Each teenager is unique, so allowing them to lock their bedrooms may not be appropriate. If a parent sees that there is no danger, they might allow it. What is your opinion on the subject? We’d love to hear your opinion.