I Spy

Do you spy on your kids? The days of Mom reading a child’s diary or picking up another receiver and listening in on a phone call are long gone. Things aren’t as simple today. In this episode of the iMOM Podcast, Abby, Susan, Megan, and Chloe debate the pros and cons of spying on your kids and what that looks like in the digital age. It starts with a story from Susan about the time her phone randomly started receiving texts meant for her teenage son—and boy did things get tense. She kept it a secret for over a week. What would you have done?

There’s a fine line between giving your kids privacy and keeping them safe on their phones and computers. Some parents say kids need to learn for themselves how to manage their online presence and interact properly on their phones. How much of that aspect of socialization should moms put their noses into? Are we spying on our kids and doing things we never would’ve tolerated from our own parents?

If you’re in the camp that says it’s OK to spy on your kids, how do you give them some privacy so they can still express themselves without thinking Mom is reading their journals or listening in on every conversation? Chloe’s mom told her she’d never read her journal unless she was given cause to. Do you have that understanding with your child?

If you’re still not sure if spying on your kids is crossing the line, this conversation will hopefully make you realize it’s just good parenting. Not “spying” these days is basically not parenting. So spy away, Mom!