Install a lockable room within your home before you have a baby, if it is financially available. And once the baby is delivered, instill him/her as early as possible with the concept of a private space -- a private space is not to be invaded by anyone else, including family members, unless invited.
This is especially important for a male.
You future self will thank your current self.
Bonus tip: Put everything you don't want your kid to touch in a place that your kid cannot reach physically. And make sure no chairs close by.
Thank you for this. I can’t emphasize enough how much of a difference this can make.
When I was in high school, I found the exact model of door knob on my childhood bedroom and found one that looked exactly the same, except with a lock. It was the kind of door knob that you could unlock with any long, thin piece of metal. The next couple years were a slow war as I stole every screwdriver, skewer, and dart in the house. Eventually, my parents got used to not being able to barge in. When I moved out, I left a pile of screwdrivers and darts on the kitchen table. They hadn’t barged into my room in months. Unsurprisingly, those last couple of months were also the safest and happiest I had ever felt there.
Moral of the story being: kids have a natural inclination to privacy, and will chafe at the lack of it. Trust is difficult to gain, easy to lose, and the trust of your kids is worth more than words can say.
Tip for future parents from current parent:
Install a lockable room within your home before you have a baby, if it is financially available. And once the baby is delivered, instill him/her as early as possible with the concept of a private space -- a private space is not to be invaded by anyone else, including family members, unless invited.
This is especially important for a male.
You future self will thank your current self.
Bonus tip: Put everything you don't want your kid to touch in a place that your kid cannot reach physically. And make sure no chairs close by.
Thank you for this. I can’t emphasize enough how much of a difference this can make.
When I was in high school, I found the exact model of door knob on my childhood bedroom and found one that looked exactly the same, except with a lock. It was the kind of door knob that you could unlock with any long, thin piece of metal. The next couple years were a slow war as I stole every screwdriver, skewer, and dart in the house. Eventually, my parents got used to not being able to barge in. When I moved out, I left a pile of screwdrivers and darts on the kitchen table. They hadn’t barged into my room in months. Unsurprisingly, those last couple of months were also the safest and happiest I had ever felt there.
Moral of the story being: kids have a natural inclination to privacy, and will chafe at the lack of it. Trust is difficult to gain, easy to lose, and the trust of your kids is worth more than words can say.
I completely agree with you. Privacy is one of the hot topics when I was young because my parents examined my school bag from time to time.