Should Parents Snoop?

Parents often ask me whether or not it’s appropriate for them to snoop around their child’s room, backpack, car, smartphone, texts, and social networking sites. While it’s important for a teenager to have a sense of private space, there is absolutely nothing wrong with invading that space if you have any suspicions at all that your child is engaging in immoral or dangerous behavior. If our teenagers are making decisions that are harmful, we must step in and do everything we can to protect them from themselves. It’s especially important for you to monitor your child’s private space if there is an established history of substance abuse. Remember, God has given you the responsibility to be your child’s parent, not your child’s friend. Our God-given role is to protect them from harm, provide for their well-being, and point them to a life of eagerly loving and serving Christ. At times, this requires us to step out of our comfort-zone in order to protect our children from themselves and their poor decisions.