Technology is a hugely debated topic. Its development has come with a lot of pros and cons. Specifically, kids’ phones have sparked a lot of discussions. Many parents advocate for their children to have phones as a safety precaution, but most have opted for parental control locks on certain apps or monitoring the sites their kids visit. One mom, in particular, has spoken out about her decision to go through her kids’ phones.
A Mom’s Controversial Methods
Laura Muse from North Carolina is a mom of 2 teens. She has a 17-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son. Every night she confiscates their phones to ensure they get a restful and full night’s sleep. While she has the kids’ phones in her possession, she does a little investigating. She goes through them every night. Laura has the belief that she pays for their service, so that gives her the right to invade their privacy.
“I own their phones, I pay for the phones. I can go through them whenever I want,” she said. “People might think [it] is a sign of disrespect or an invasion of their privacy, but this is how I manage my ship.”
Advocating for Confiscating her Kids’ Phones
She began these as weekly checks when her kids were around 11. The check-in has carried on well into their teenage years. She further explained that she has two major reasons for snooping through the kids’ phones. First, she wants to ensure her kids aren’t engaging in inappropriate behaviors, but more than that, she wants to keep her kids safe. She shared that she trusts her kids but wants to protect them from predators and scammers.
Laura is a 41-year-old mental health clinician. This means she has first-hand experience with the damaging effects of people who deal with traumas stemming from abuse, sexual assault, and other mental health disorders. She said, “If I do find something that’s an issue, we talk about it and turn it into a teachable moment,” she added. “I’m not perfect, I don’t expect my children to be perfect, but it’s important to keep an eye on things.”
