If you found a torn up piece of paper with writing on in your DC bin, would you tape it back together to read it?

[AnxiousAnniee]

In this scenario what would you do:

DD is 10 years old, has their own room. Upon cleaning the room you go to empty the bin and find lots of tiny pieces of paper. It looks like an A4 piece of paper has been written on and then torn up. Obviously not wanting anyone to ready it.

Would you tape the paper back together out of concern to read it? Or would you respect that your child obviously doesn't want you reading it so leave it?

Just for context here, it's not my DC, but a family members. They taped the paper back together but I'm not sure if I agree they should've done that. Just wondered if they were being unreasonable or if most parents would do this?

You sound like an amazing 'aunty' x

No but my mum definitely would have done and it’s resulted in me feeling like I can never trust her

It would be fantastic if it turned out to be a letter to the nosy Parker telling them
it was a test to see if they really were that nosy.

Sorry, op. I didn’t read your updates.

That's awful.
I had similar, and still cringe.

In future, advise your niece to absolutely mush any torn up writings with water, and throw them away outside of the house.
In a public bin.

It's awful that adults are invading her privacy like this.

This is digusting behaviour and completely wrong.

I might read it if i was concerned about my child's mentsl state but to do this is just bullying and controlling.

Please stay close to this child she will need a normal adult in her life.

Absolutely not. I wrote a letter once after watching something that said it could be beneficial if you were having a problem with someone to write down your feelings, then tear it up afterwards. So I wrote a letter to my mom, there were a few minor things (like when she promised we’d get ice cream and we didn’t, when she kept saying we’d go to the new Twilight movie and the day we went she turned to go home even though we could see the theatre and it was the last day it was showing), and a couple of more major things. I wrote down a bunch of things, then tore it up and threw it away, and I felt so much better. Until I came home from school the next day and saw the letter taped back up. My parents then shared some of the letters contents with extended family. And it still hurts when I think about that to this day. I have a good relationship with my parents now, but I’ve never forgotten that invasion of privacy. When I destroyed my hidden diary years later, I soaked the paper in water and scrubbed it so the ink wouldn’t be legible. There is zero reason to check something a child has torn and tossed, it’s a massive violation of privacy.

No