Wanting to keep your kids safe is a typical sign of a caring parent, but surveilling your children out of a lack of trust means something’s unmistakably wrong. If the child is a baby or toddler, it’s understandable. But if a parent sees keeping an eye on their teenager in their own bedroom as a necessity, then their parent-child relationship needs some serious work. And one Missouri mom might need to reconsider how she’s raising her daughter after threatening her for complaining about a surveillance camera in her bedroom.
“My mom just told me ‘just be glad I don’t put a camera in your bathroom’ like it’s a privilege,” the daughter whined on r/teenagers, explaining her predicament. Apparently, the mother installed the camera around the time the pandemic began, and for years the daughter has been asking her mom to remove it. She claims her bedroom doesn’t even have a door, but the camera has been bothering her to the point she feels that it’s invading her privacy. “And now, she’s acting like I’m being rude. What do I do?” she asks, concerned.
One of the top commenters recommends watching a clip by Law By Mike, a YouTuber who states that it’s illegal for parents to ground them or put cameras in their rooms, if they’re adults, that is. However, the Missouri girl complaining about her bedroom camera is on Reddit’s teenager subreddit, strongly implying that she might not have the right to get legal help on the matter if she’s still a minor. But many commenters were quick to point out that a camera in a bathroom is illegal. Fortunately, the daughter is confident her mom is bluffing: “She won’t add one in the bathroom it’s a empty threat.”
Still, many people feel that this is more or less the actions of an unhinged parent who chooses to make her child feel uncomfortable and unsafe rather than improve their relationship. “This is unhinged parenting,” remarks a Reddit user. “Abusive, actually,” responds another. The daughter clarifies that although the camera technically doesn’t have a record function, it still feels very odd to feel like someone’s always watching, even when she’s in bed. “Whenever she wants it’s unpredictable mainly when I’m sleeping though,” the girl expresses.
Unfortunately, until the Missouri teen legally becomes an adult, her only way to have the camera removed would be to get friends or family to pressure the mom to take it down. Getting a proper door for the bedroom would be ideal as well. But above all, the two really need to sit down and have a deep talk about the trust between parent and child.
