Being a parent – when done responsibly – is never an easy task. Each new generation of mothers and fathers have fresh challenges to face and obstacles to overcome, all while taking the decisions they think are best for their kids.

Parents in today’s society, for example, have to contend with things that those who parented in decades gone by never had to. The internet is a huge one that springs to mind, not to mention the use of smartphones and the ever-present arguments put forth about appropriate screen time.

In any case, whenever topics regarding parental choices arise, you can be sure that they’ll be hotly debated. Just ask Laura Muse, a North Carolina mother who divided the internet a couple of years ago, when she confessed to snooping through her children’s phones in order to keep track of what they’re doing and who they’re talking to.
These days it’s becoming increasingly difficult for parents to deprive their kids of smartphones. Let’s face it, phones have become a tool used in virtually all aspects of life, and that’s not something children fail to notice as they’re growing up.

Of course, holding out as long as possible before buying your son or daughter such a device is advisable, while striving to keep yourself aware of what they’re doing with the sudden access to any website in the world is only natural.

But where is the line drawn between wanting to practice caution as a parent and denying your child their right to privacy?
Well, one mom’s admission regarding her vigilance where her kids and their mobile phones are concerned split the internet in 2022. Laura Muse, of North Carolina, revealed she regularly looks through her children’s phones, stating her belief that she has a right to do so as she is the one paying for them.

Laura’s teenage children, 15 and 17, are also forced to hand in their smartphones before they go to bed, as Laura doesn’t want them sitting up late scrolling.

Speaking to the New York Post, Laura explained: “I own their phones; I pay for the phones. I can go through them whenever I want. People might think [it] is a sign of disrespect or an invasion of their privacy, but this is how I manage my ship.”

Laura said that she started with the weekly checks when her children were 11, and it’s a custom that has continued through into their teenage years. She explained how she trusts her kids but wants to make sure they’re not engaging in anything inappropriate through the use of their smartphones, as well as keeping a watchful eye out for online scammers and potential predators.

The 41-year-old, who works as a mental health clinician, revealed she once found that her son had posted a shirtless picture of himself online.

“If I do find something that’s an issue, we talk about it and turn it into a teachable moment,” she said. “I’m not perfect; I don’t expect my children to be perfect, but it’s important to keep an eye on things.”

While Laura’s approach doesn’t seem unreasonable to a lot of people, there were those online who have criticized such parental vigilance for being what they deem a breach of privacy.

“This is not okay,” one user on TikTok commented on a video about a mom prying through her child’s phone.

“You don’t have to go through her phone,” another added.

A third user claimed: “I hate parents who can’t respect boundaries.”

Back in 2022, a TikToker named Gillian Margonis accumulated 5.6 million views on a video where she hit out at moms and dad going through their children’s phones.

“Just like your room, [your phone] is your own private space, and they shouldn’t be looking through it because you deserve privacy,” she said.

What do you think about this debate? Do parents like Laura have a right to look through their kids’ smart phones? Let us know in the comments.