Does a Child Have a Right to Privacy From Parents

When growing up, children and adolescents begin to form their own personality, interests, and views. This is often the time where they may slowly detach from their parents, becoming more assertive and independent. When this happens, parents need to consider their child’s privacy while having the best interests of both sides in mind.

Currently, many parents and caretakers wonder how to protect children’s privacy without being too invasive. Maintaining the right balance is vital for the relationship, and involves boundary setting that must be accepted by everyone.

In this article, we will explore how to ensure children experience both freedom and protection.

Legal and Ethical Perspectives on a Child’s Right to Privacy

When raising their loved ones, many concerned parents ask the question “Does a child have a right to privacy from parents?”

Even though children don’t have the absolute right to privacy from their parents, some laws grant them limited privacy protections – especially when taking age and context into account. For example, in the United States, laws such as HIPAA and FERPA protect minors’ health records and educational information.

Children’s Medical Privacy

Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), parents generally have the right to access their children’s medical record. Exceptions exist when:

• State law allows the minor to consent to care;
• A court determines that a minor can consent to care;
• A parent agrees to a confidential relationship between the minor and their healthcare provider.

In such cases, healthcare providers may limit the parents’ access to their children’s medical record.

Children’s Educational Privacy

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) grants parents the rights to access and request corrections to their children’s educational records up to a certain point. These rights then transfer to the student, upon turning 18 years-old or enrolling in postsecondary education, such as university or college.

Schools that don’t comply with FERPA may lose federal funding, but there are situations in which the student’s information may be shared without their or their parents’ consent. Such cases include health or safety emergencies, and sharing information with parties like law enforcement, medical personnel, and first responders.

The Ethical Perspective on Children’s Privacy

While laws may regulate certain details about children’s lives, the family and their attitude towards privacy is even more important. From the ethical point of view, respecting child privacy rights is a big component in helping children develop into independent, self-aware adults.

That being said, the parent’s responsibility is also to protect the children and guide their behavior to minimize harm, mental health challenges, and help children avoid potential threats.

Striking the right balance between parental rights, children’s privacy, and laws set by the government can be a challenge, which every family has to navigate with caution.

Age and Maturity: When Does Privacy Become Important?

Teenagers and adolescents who progress through life may have a different set of expectations than young children who still heavily depend on their parents. As a child slowly grows into an autonomous person, their need for privacy becomes increasingly important. During that time, they start valuing personal space, independence, and a safe place to process their thoughts and emotions.

Even though there isn’t a specific age at which children have a right for more privacy, there are a few indicators to consider. The first indicator could be their unique emotional development, which can help us determine how and when to give them more space.

More indicators can be found by observing the child’s behavior, such as expressing emotions and critical thinking that help develop an open, ongoing dialogue with their child. This supports open communication between them to discuss and adjust the child’s level of privacy in a way that supports development and autonomy in the safest way possible.

It is important to note that some people naturally crave more privacy than others. Depending on the child’s maturity level and their personality type, they may feel more or less inclined to share sensitive details from their life.

For example, introverts, thinkers, and feelers may need more space to process their experiences and emotions on their own. There are trusted, free online surveys to find one’s personality type, but everyday interactions are the best way to assess a child’s character traits. That is why the family must regularly communicate with their children, teach them what boundaries are, how to set boundaries, and then continuously discuss boundaries to make sure they resonate with their personality type.

Balancing Parental Responsibility and a Child’s Autonomy

According to article 18 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, “Both parents share responsibility for bringing up their child and should always consider what is best for the child.”

Even though it’s the parent’s duty to protect children, part of that duty is to ensure that their loved ones grow into independent people. With respect to their kids’ autonomy, the family should be able to monitor their behaviors that impact health, wellbeing, and mental development.

At the same time, the parents should create a space in which children explore the world on their own and learn from experience. Such balance may feel impossible, but having open communication is key. By involving children in conversations about boundaries and what consent means, parents can foster mutual respect, healthy autonomy and decision making within safe and age-appropriate ways.

For parents who are just starting out, it may be easier to gradually reduce the amount of control and see how children respond.

For example, we can replace constant monitoring with open conversations, education with practice establishing healthy boundaries, involving children in setting household rules, and/or letting them decide on their homework time. If they demonstrate responsibility and sound judgement, they build trust and we can slowly give them more freedom and privacy.

However if children visibly struggle to be independent yet, it may be time to step in and create boundaries together. This can be done by identifying their struggle, having a calm check-in, and reestablishing rules that consider the child’s point of view. This way, parents will still be able to monitor their loved ones’ development, while children will have a sense of control over the rules that apply to them.

Areas Where Children Typically Expect Privacy (and Why)

Despite the differences in each child’s interests and character traits, they often require privacy in similar areas. By knowing where kids’ privacy is the most valuable, parents can help their loved ones feel more secure and independent. By asking permission, parents foster respect for boundaries and build trust.

The most common areas where children expect privacy include:

• Their bedroom – A child’s bedroom is their safe space, where they can relax, process emotions, spend time alone, and calm down after a tiring day. Not respecting privacy inside their room may feel like we are invading their world without permission.
• Their journals – For children and teenage girls, it’s especially common to process their emotions and write their relationship secrets in a journal. Before ever reading a kids’ journal, we always need to respect his or her rights by asking first.
• Their phone messages – Most people don’t like when we look into their texts and messages, and it’s the same way for children. Reading messages without consent can be a major violation of the trust between a parent and a child.
• Their relationships – At some age, friends and romantic partners start to matter a lot, and too much interfering with children’s social circle can impact their sense of independence and identity.
• Their bathroom use – Similar to their bedroom, many children perceive the bath as a place of privacy and being alone. Adults should respect that not just because of the physical aspect, but also because of children’s selfcare, which can have a deeper mental health meaning to some young people.

Giving children the ability to be free and independent in these areas may seem challenging, but it’s vital for their development and stepping into adulthood. Respecting their privacy in the domains above (except in case of emergencies) can show children and adolescents that we are valuing their feelings and boundaries.

And here’s the best part. When children feel secure in their private spaces, they are more likely to open up when problems and challenges eventually come up.

How Invasions of Privacy Can Affect Trust and Communication

Even though parents always have their children’s best interest in mind, too much parental oversight can massively backfire. Constantly invading kids’ privacy can lead to decreased trust and reluctance to share sensitive and private information.

When children lose their trust towards parents, they may become secretive and rebellious, refusing to talk about their personal life, problems, and aspirations. This difficult dynamic can damage the parent-child relationship and create emotional distress for both.

If trust has been broken, rebuilding it is possible, but it requires time, consistency, and humility. First, the parents should acknowledge that they broke certain boundaries, and sincerely apologize. Even young children will appreciate the honesty and vulnerability coming from the adults that they look up to. Furthermore, parents are mirroring healthy communication, behaviors, interactions, etc.

Here are practical ways to apologize and rebuild trust with a child or teenager:

• For younger children (ages 5 to 10), use simple language and say: “Sorry for going through your things, and I was worried about you. I should have talked to you first.” Next, you can explain what you will do differently in the future.
• For older children (ages 11 to 13), apologize and invite them to an open conversation: “What would you need from me to feel trusted and secure again?” Be prepared to truly listen to their answer, even if it sounds uncomfortable.
• For teenagers, (ages 13 to 19), consider giving them more autonomy combined with regular, honest conversations, which they can lead. Make sure to emphasize that trust should be mutual, and grows stronger when honesty appears from both sides.

By using these simple strategies to rebuild trust, you may notice children learning to open up about their struggles – instead of hiding them. According to an article published in Cambridge University Press, trust is centrally important to adolescents’ psychosocial development, especially in the context of disclosing their activities to parents.

The Role of Digital Privacy in the Parent-Child Relationship

The topic of digital privacy is increasingly gaining attention, starting from the year 2000. That’s when the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) became effective, requiring online services to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting data from children under 13. Additionally, the act details how to protect children’s privacy online and what marketing restrictions apply to those under 13.

Another example could beKids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a proposed legislation first introduced in Congress in 2022, aims to create stronger default privacy settings to protect minors. If signed into law, the legislation would require internet platforms to reduce and prevent harmful content that promotes self-harm, substance abuse, and even eating disorders.

We’ve also seen the delicate subject of children’s digital privacy in a 2025 Netflix series, Adolescence. Inside, the main character Jamie Miller is suspected of committing murder on his schoolmate, who bullied the boy online. The Miller family, completely unaware of their child’s struggles with cyberbullying, show us how easy it is to dismiss the importance of online safety.

It is completely normal for adults to be worried about their children’s interactions outside of school. When children start being active on the internet, parents need to be cautious about the unique privacy challenges that come with it. Social media and texting apps are the two main causes of potential cyberbullying and exposure to explicit content.

Even though this concern is very valid, it’s often a source of many conflicts between children and their parents. Children heavily rely on the internet to stay in touch with their peers, which is why too much surveillance in this area can seem very strict for them.

Instead of banning devices or blocking children’s social media accounts (depending on their age and maturity), families can benefit from creating mutual agreements on how much access young ones should have.

One way to do that is by creating rules regarding screen time while openly discussing the risks of social media – such as peer pressure, sexual exploitation, and cyberbullying.

Cultural and Societal Views on Privacy in Parenting

The amount of parental oversight is inherently related to the family’s cultural and social backgrounds. Factors such as religion, generational values, and parents’ education all play a massive role in how they approach raising their children.

For example, the Western society may put more emphasis on personal boundaries, while in some collectivist cultures family cohesion may be more important than a child’s privacy.

In Scandinavian countries, children are often encouraged to express their individuality from a young age, and family policies emphasize children’s autonomy. In such cultures, it’s common to see children having more freedom and independence as soon as they step into their teenage years.

On the other hand, in Middle Eastern or South Asian households, cultural and religious expectations can reinforce parental authority over a child’s personal space. These practices can include arranging relationships, monitoring social life, and checking phones. While rooted in tradition and care, these can sometimes become the source of limited trust.

Parents need to consider how their cultural beliefs influence privacy norms and try to balance their tradition and values with the evolving needs of their child. To effectively navigate respecting children’s private space, parents need to take these cultural influences into account.

Here are a few ways to do it:

• Engage children in conversations about values and beliefs, explaining why certain traditions and customs exist.
• Consider flexibility by reevaluating rules that may seem unaligned with your child’s needs or those that cause tension between the parents and their child.
• Try to validate a child’s need for privacy while looking for the compromise between traditions, social norms, and the adolescent’s personal space.

These techniques help children become autonomous without giving up on traditions and cultural influences.

When It is Justified for Parents to Override a Child’s Privacy

In most cases, parents should respect their children’s boundaries and set clear rules on privacy.

However, the family may need to override a child’s privacy if there are signs of harm. These may include extreme mood changes, withdrawing from family and friends, changes in sleep or eating habits, and declining performance at school.

When there are signs of danger including mental health concerns, cyberbullying, visible self-harm, or suspected substance abuse, parents stepping in is warranted even if it means temporarily overriding a child’s privacy.

When overriding a child’s privacy, the goal should be to protect, not punish.

Parents should always aim to address their intention and explain their actions from a place of compassion, so children understand why their privacy has been invaded. By doing so, we reinforce to children that parental oversight is a result of deep care to keep them away from potential danger and negative influences.

Talking to Your Child About Privacy: What’s Age-Appropriate?

To create a strong bond full of trust and empathy, it’s best to introduce the idea of open communication early on. By starting the conversation about privacy sooner than later, we increase the chance for creating mutual agreements and healthy boundaries.

As the child grows, the conversation should naturally evolve. If there are no concerning behaviors and trust is being built, parents can slowly let their children be more independent, allowing them to learn by experience. With age, the discussions around privacy can expand to digital boundaries, expressing emotions, going out, different relationships, and material possessions.

However if children don’t feel comfortable with a certain boundary, the rules need to be reestablished. In this case, the family should be transparent about their concerns and use encouraging questions that make the kid feel safe and understood.

Navigating Privacy Concerns in the Teen Years

For many parents, the teenage years are an especially difficult time in terms of communicating with adolescents.

During this period, children often seek more privacy as part of their natural search for independence. It is typical for the family to feel a bit left out, and to some extent, less in the know of what their loved ones are going through.

When trying to navigate the privacy of teenagers, we have to stay very careful of the topics we discuss and the language we use. Some topics to approach with sensitivity include romantic relationships, sexuality, and friendships.

The good news is that both parents and teens recognize the importance of discussing their privacy and safety. For example, one study notes that the percentage of parents who report discussing online risks in 2024 rose from 73% to 79%. Consequently, 6% more teenagers emphasized the importance of conversations around their online privacy.

Rather than resorting to secret monitoring, parents should instead create a space for judgment-free dialogue. By listening to the teenagers’ perspective and clearly discussing children’s expectations, we can help them feel respected while having the right amount of insights about their life.

We hope that these tips will help you get a better understanding of children’s brains and their development. For further guidance on mindfulness, mental health, and parenting, sign up for the free screening of the “Young & Thriving” docuseries. Inside the 10 empowering episodes, you will learn from 43 renowned functional medicine experts who decode kids’ symptoms and show natural protocols for mental resilience and optimal brain development.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay for children to keep secrets from parents?

Kids and adolescents should have their own space for keeping secrets, as long as they don’t hide information about their risky behavior, problems with peers and school, and their mental health. During teenage years, it’s especially common to see children becoming more independent and private, but parents can encourage them to open up by creating a safe, non-judgmental space at home.

Are parental controls an invasion of privacy?

Like anything, extremes are not healthy and boundaries are key. That said, depending on the extent of parental control, some children may feel like their independence and freedom is being taken away. That is why it’s best to set mutual agreements and create boundaries that will give the child enough space to develop, without the constant feeling of being controlled.

How can respecting a child’s privacy support the development of trust and autonomy?

When children grow up and develop their own sense of identity, they gradually feel the need to become more independent. Parents should take this into account when setting healthy boundaries around a child’s privacy. By being supportive instead of controlling, the family can create a space in which the children feel safe to open up about their struggles and challenges.

At what age should children be granted private space and communication boundaries?

Giving children more private space is heavily dependent on their personality, character traits, development, and the trust or lack thereof they have built with the autonomy and responsibility parents have already given them. However, most parents decide to give their children more freedom after an open discussion around boundaries, which usually happens during the teenage years and adolescence.

Resources

Minor Consent and Confidentiality A Compendium of State and Federal Laws

What is FERPA

Privacy Protection Under FERPA: Responsibilities of Agencies and Schools

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

The Role of Trust in Adolescent-Parent Relationships

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA)

Kids Online Safety Act

Study Uncovers New Patterns in Parent-Teen Conversations on Internet Safety