Siblings and diaries

[bananaberry_hat]

Imagine that you have at least two kids, of whom one writes a diary

Comments

[mohavedatura]

The kid reading the diary would be in trouble no matter what was written in it. In addition to grounding him, I'd probably go spend a couple of hours hanging out in his room, playing on his computer and reading whatever I might come across.

I think maybe the only time that would change is if 1) the diary were laying somewhere out and open... maybe or 2) The diary said something like "Today I stole the pills I need so I can kill myself tonight."

[cynica]

Yuck @ teaching a kid not to invade others' privacy by invading their privacy.

[mohavedatura]

Perhaps. But luckily neither my son nor my stepkids have snooped on one another, so it's never come down to that.

[focus_melanie]

doesn't matter what is written (unless its plans to kill someone or themself, then i respond to whats written) but either way the reader gets in trouble BIG TIME. thats not cool at all.

[lesliecrusher]

Kid who read the diary is grounded and gets to watch other kid play with his or her favorite toy for a little while. Having your privacy violated like that hurts a lot and it is never ok for my kids to intentionally hurt each other.

[bananaberry_hat]

This happened to me when I was in jr high. My little brother read a bit of my diary on a holiday trip and got caught. He didn't understand what I'd written because it wasn't in a language he knew, but was nevertheless punished with losing a significant sum of his shopping budget... To me. Our mom is super strict about privacy and diaries especially (so strict that I could reasonably assume total privacy with my diary from both my parents as well), and dear bro knew that reading would have its consequences from the get-go.

[mohavedatura]

You're so lucky. My mom didn't care. My little brother regularly took my stuff and read things that were personal.

[cereta]

Yeah, same here. I don't think my mother really even accepted that this upset me until I was an adult and still felt the same way.

[bananaberry_hat]

I know. :) Although if mom hadn't cared, well, I'd raised total hell until something was done.

[becca_commutes]

Kid who read the diary is in big trouble. A) I'm going to let the writer enact natural consequences (oh, kid B, kid A won't let you hang out with them/sit next to them/play with their stuff? Sucks to be you) and B) I'll probably take away some of their private time for a while (like no private phone time, only using the family computer, etc.)