I am legally and morally responsible for my children until they are adults. I am responsible for their health and well-being among many other things. If they don't go to school, I can be fined (and possibly imprisoned). If they don't eat properly, I can be charged with neglect. If they damage property (and the police do their jobs properly) I am liable. If they are ill and I don't get them appropriate medical care, I can (again) be charged with neglect and probably child-abuse. If they start taking drugs, society will look at me and deem me a "bad mother". If they are unsociable in anyway, it will be deemed (by society, the media and the government) to be my fault.
If my daughter gets pregnant at a young age (which, again, society will deem my fault), I expect she will tell me - we have that sort of relationship. I can think of no better wish for any parent than to hope that they have such a relationship with their own child - no matter how much she winds me up at times.
But, in view of all of the above, I fully support the "Right to Know" case. Society can't have it both ways. Either I am fully responsible for my children until they are adults, and thus with that responsibility comes a right to know everything I deem necessary to do my job as a parent - or I am not responsible for them at all and should be treated like a mushroom. You can't have it both ways.
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Date: 2005-11-09 09:26 am (UTC)If my daughter gets pregnant at a young age (which, again, society will deem my fault), I expect she will tell me - we have that sort of relationship. I can think of no better wish for any parent than to hope that they have such a relationship with their own child - no matter how much she winds me up at times.
But, in view of all of the above, I fully support the "Right to Know" case. Society can't have it both ways. Either I am fully responsible for my children until they are adults, and thus with that responsibility comes a right to know everything I deem necessary to do my job as a parent - or I am not responsible for them at all and should be treated like a mushroom. You can't have it both ways.