Parental Overreach?

I’ve always been close with my kids and tried to be there for them every step of the way. My daughter, Jenna, is now 16 and starting her junior year in high school. Recently, she’s gotten into some new activities that I’m not entirely comfortable with, but haven’t explicitly forbidden either. This morning, I decided to check her phone without her knowledge to see if there was anything concerning going on. I read through some of her recent texts and social media posts, trying to stay calm as I scanned for anything alarming. As I went through her messages, I noticed she’s been discussing a new after-school club with her friends, a drama group, which worries me because my daughter has never shown an interest in theater before. There was also one particularly strange message from another girl asking about a “night hike.” My mind immediately started racing; night hikes seemed dangerous and inappropriate to a parent like myself. I read more messages but found nothing else alarming besides the vague context that these were probably just typical teenage activities I didn’t fully understand. Despite not finding anything truly concerning, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and anxiety about snooping on my daughter’s phone. I’ve always tried to teach my kids respect for privacy, even when it’s their parents’ doing so. But in that moment, the worry overrode all my good intentions and better judgment. Now, after reflecting on what I did, I can’t help but wonder if my intrusion was justified or just another example of a meddling parent who needs to back off more.