KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING! parental privacy...how much access should your child have to your bedroom area

The beautiful, sexy piece or art above was done by my favorite Erotic Artist: Samarel http://www.samareleros.com/.
He has done a few portraits of me but, they are nothing compared to this piece. I told the artist I would love to buy this work, however, I have a kid. His response was along the lines of 'what is your kid doing in your bedroom?'

Hmmmm. That question intrigued me. I mean I thought all parents allowed their kids acess to their bedrooms. Granted, when it's " in use" the door is locked, but I still figured it was a common practice.
In an attempt to put things in context, I started thinking about my own upbringing. I distinctly remember my parents having a knock before you enter policy, and when they were not there, we were not supposed to go into their room. :-) I'm sure you can imagine how well that worked. Since they didn't have an outside lock on the door, we went in any way. We just made sure everything was as they left it when it was time for them to come home. LOL  I do remember one late evening, I was not able to sleep. I got up and went to their room and just walked in...That was the first and last time I saw my parents having SEX! (yes, I am scarred for life LOL). I didn't really understand why mom was on top of dad or why  mom immediately came into my room and spanked me for not knocking like they'd told me, but the lesson was learned.

KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING!!!

As I got older, I understood, what went on between men and women. I understood why knocking was important, and now, I fully understand how complicated being a parent can be. Parents have to toe the line between being a parent with an open door policy, and still having your own personal space. In a sense, you are closing that door.  The lines can easily get crossed. Give a kid too much access and before you know it, your four year old is bringing out your vibrator in front of your family and friends because she was taught that we share our "TOYS"!!! LOL That actually happened to me. I am still mortified. Kids seem to gravitate to things they shouldn't be in.
So what is appropriate? What is the right approach? When you have younger kids, it might not be a big deal to have erotic art in you bedroom.
Pictures which show a couple in a intimate embrace means very little to someone so young. However, as they get older, I think boundaries need to change and it should be consciously acknowledge and implemented  Which is easier said then done.


As a single parent there are challenges in changing those boundaries because your child or children are all that you have, and vice versa. The reliance on each other tends to blur the lines even more. I would love to close off my bedroom so I can display art like this one.

I think this picture is very sexy and tasteful, a man and woman in a sensual yet erotic embrace, with no jiggly bits showing, doesn't seem distasteful, yet I still would hesitate to hang it over my bed with my 10 year old daughter walking in and out of my room. 

My daughter and I have a close bond. There are many reasons why she might come and go in and out of my room. If I am going out, she might come into my room and help pick out my outfit, or if I'm not feeling well, she might come in and check on me. I have built and nurtured a strong, solid, mother daughter relationship which I am proud of and, up til now has included open access to my bedroom. 

Despite the fact that I write erotica, she has NEVER read anything I've written and I try to expose her to adult subject matter in small doses. My love of erotic art might open up a conversation I'm not sure either of us would like to have at the moment. 

Yet, I do feel the time is right for us to reset boundaries and expectations. So, what should that look like? A simple conversation might work in my case. I want to let her know why I feel it's time to limit access to my room yet reinforce that it does not mean I love her less or am cutting her off. I just think we need to redefine the boundaries in our relationship.

I honestly would think twice about being so free with my space if I had it to do all over again. Steven Covey has a motto "Begin with the end in mind." He is basically saying; before you start any long term endeavor,  you must know what you want the outcome to be so you can start out smartly and if adjustments need to be made, your objective will always guide your actions. 

So, what do you have to say about this parental privacy

I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter. Have you wrestled with this same type of situation. What creative idea have you come up with which allows your child(ren) to have access to you, yet still gives you personal/private space.  Or do you have different ideas about personal space boundaries  I want to hear about it. I don't claim to be an expert in this area and I would love to hear various views. I know people from all over the world read my blog, I would love to hear how other cultures, handle this issue.

(**NOTE All of the art in this blog was made by Samarel. If you are interested in seeing more or purchasing these or others like them, you can find him at: www.salareleros.com also check him out on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/samarel.art )