Is it ever appropriate to read your child's diary/journal? If so, under what circumstances?

Absolutely not. If your child is in danger, you should address them about it not snoop around like some 5 year little brother looking for dirty secrets. As someone who has always kept a journal and does have kids I can say that journals are personal, and they are no ones business but your own.

I used mine as a vent for my anger and my frustration.. had I known my parents may have read it I would have never written and I would have bottled some very dangerous emotions. Also because journals are personal they can be easily misinterpreted. If you want your child's trust and to legitimately help them you will establish a relationship that fosters such conditions, violating privacy does not do that.

No and no and no. Would you want them reading yours? And I am a parent.

The only time that I can conceivably think of when this would be acceptable is when your child may be in danger and they're not able to give consent for their diary. If they've gone missing, or have taken an overdose of something. In this awful situation normal rules of privacy don't apply as there is an immediate danger.

Otherwise I can't think of when I'd be justified in doing it under normal circumstances. If I want information I'll just have to ask about it.

I don't think so. A child is a separate person and has the right to explore their own mind privately in a journal. Don't try to get into thier head, let them grow and work things out in there own way.

I don't believe it's appropriate; there's a certain limit a child has to privacy - a paper-and-ink diary is a no-no (unless you have substantial proof to be concerned about him/her). But if it's an online journal, it doesn't matter; it's open to the world, which includes you.

Oprah's magazine next month will have an article from the mother of one of the Columbine shooters. He left early for school on the day of the shootings, she said. S last words to her were a brisk, "Bye," as he ran out the door.

She never knew how deeply troubled he really was. She never knew he was depressed and suicidal. He wrote it all down in his diary.

She didn't read it until after he and his friend killed 12 people, wounded 21, and then committed suicide.

Absolutely, there are appropriate circumstances under which its ok to read their diary. Not for prurient curiosity-- but if you have any concerns about dangerous behavior, as a parent you should use all tools at your disposal to figure out what's going on.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.