I’m not sure about your girl, but as my 11-year-old daughter gets older, she is really beginning to enjoy a little more privacy to read, pray, decompress, dress (of course), process feelings, and just “be”. And as a family in general, we are all learning a bit more about boundaries.  We are figuring out what it looks like to honor and respect them.

I don’t mind if my daughter wants some privacy, but being polite to us about it is key since our kids are under “our roof”. So around here, we’re coining the term “polite privacy”!  The term carries a feeling of mutual respect, something that both kids and parents can sometimes disregard.

I know that as our kids get older, it’ll be so important for my husband and I to stay connected to them, to encourage them in the tough moments, and to come close when the enemy wants them to feel isolated.  But there will also be those moment when God wants to do his thing with them on his own in the quiet of their hearts.  And God knows I don’t want to come between his chisel and my daughter!

I don’t pretend to have all the answers about when to respect the privacy boundary and when to step in, but I suppose, like many parenting decisions, God will give us the wisdom in each moment to know what to do.

To help us (and YOU) with the idea of “polite privacy” in your house, I’ve developed this simple, ::printable:: doorknob hanger.

One side says “Please come in” while the other side says “Please knock”. This printable is actually appropriate for girls or boys! The bathroom could be a great place to hang it as well. To make ours more durable, we laminated them and of course, to personalize them, my kids are putting stickers on theirs.

What are your boundaries about privacy?  At what age did your daughter begin to want it more?  Is it ever okay to violate that privacy with kids?  What are your thoughts?  Comment below!

To download this fun, FREE printable doorknob hanger, click here!

This post was based on a “Tuesday Tip” I posted on my Facebook page!  Please check out other Tuesday Tips and “like” my Facebook page by clicking here.