In our Family, we Value our own and others’ Privacy
- Introduce the metaphor of a theatre to help your children understand that we each have a public front stage and a private back stage. Some children may prefer to spend more time on their front stage; they may find ‘back stage’ time uncomfortable, boring or lonely. Together, explore times when it is appropriate to keep things in our private backstage, sharing with whose we know trust.
- Privacy is particularly important to adolescents. Value their privacy by knocking before you go into their bedrooms; ask them if your need to check their phone, pockets or bags.
- Expect your children to value the privacy of those in your family. Establish similar expectations about respecting your own privacy, such as knocking on your bedroom door; not looking in your wallet or purse without permission; not taking clothes out of siblings’ rooms.