In a word... yes. Sorry, I know that probably isn't what you wanted to hear and I can understand the desire to find out what she is really up to but... she should be allowed her privacy. What if she were reading your journal, how would you feel? Violated, I'm sure. Bottom line is this, you can not reform a pathological liar. She has to want to stop lying and until she decides she wants to, no amount of snooping on your part is going to change her. As you stated, you think she is now writing lies in said journal b/c she may actually know you're reading it.

I'm torn on this one.I'm all for snooping to know what a kid is getting into but then I would hate it if I got snooped on.But then again,I'm an adult and even though your sd is 18 she still lives with you so that makes you technically responsible for her.So while I still think it is wrong to read someone's journal,I don't think I would be able to resist the temptation to be nosey either.:( Sorry I'm no help!lol

No snooping! What if she were reading your posts on here?
Everyone has a right to their private thoughts and feelings. Chances are, she knows you're reading it and is lying in it because of that. She needs to show you respect because she is in your house. But it goes both ways. You can't expect her volunteer the respect of honesty if you can't show respect to her privacy.

I would say in a word, YES. By the time my daughter was a wild teenager, my softer feelings of how kids need privacy too, and all that crap, went out the window. I would periodically go through her room and snoop just to find out what the hell was going on. Everytime I found a phone number on a scrap of paper I entered it into a spreadsheet on my computer. And everytime she would take off for days at a time, I would go through the list and constantly call these people. It didn't matter that I didn't have a name, I just listed them as skank 1, skank 2, etc.
I made her friends so miserable that they didn't want her to stay at their places since I made it my job to make their lives hell too. And she just wasn't worth it to them. Keep in mind, however, that she was drinking, doing drugs and lying like you wouldn't belive.
If it's any consolation, she and I laugh about it now and we're great friends. She's fabulous. Took awhile though.

Put the journal down and step away! This is a no no. Like others have said, it's probably not what you want to hear but it's true...she has a right to her own privacy. It would be hard to push her to obey your rules and discourage her from lying when you are keeping a secret as well. She may or may not know what you are doing but let's say she does NOT know. If she found out she would be irate. Reading someone's diary is like getting up and walking around in their head. It's very invasive and nobody would be ok with that.

I'm only saying this because I had someone I trusted very much read my journal once years ago and I never trusted them again. It was hurtful to hear my own words thrown back in my face and I was always resentful towards this person after that.

If she's overall a good kid and you don't suspect drug use or something serious I'd say do NOT snoop.....glad to see you are re-considering!

"has a right to her own privacy" THIS! Especially at 18-i'm amazed at how many posters here don't believe their almost adult skids and ADULT husbands have no right to privacy. Snooping on e-mails, phones, journals....and I honestly think they invite more problems this way and damage their marriages and families.

I firmly believe that the ones w/the most problems in their marriages/skid situation involves those that are overly controlling and co-dependent.

I am typically all for snooping. A child in my house is not entitled to privacy. I am entitled to know what the hell they are doing at all times. Sorry, but that's the way it is-imo. In your case you have an 18 year old though-who's not really acting out-I just wouldn't see the need to snoop. I have an 11 year old son and a 9 year old dd-I dont snoop on them becuase I have no real concerns or need to snoop. My 13 year old dd-however-with her I am all up in her business. I read all of her communications on facebook, I occassionally go through her things, mostly I am reassured by the fact that she is not doing anything too wrong. I have read her journal on one occassion-my dh found it first and read the whole thing and she was expressing some frustration regarding him as well as sharing some things she did with a boy (nothing actually happened she just met him someplace without our knowledge)-dh got very upset-so I read over it to see why he was so upset. I gave it back to her and felt bad for reading it because it wasnt really anything major. I try and stay away from journals because it is more about FEELINGS-and I dont need to know all those-but the the electronic information tends to give me more of the info about what I want to know-(who's she talking to? what kinds of things is she saying? what are the saying to her?)