Teens and Technology, Are They Addicted?

In today's society a teenager with their heads in the phone and their fingers going a mile a minute is considered the norm. Since when did hanging out at the mall become a foreign concept to teens? Nowadays teenagers don't even have to go outside the house to hang out with their friends because they can talk to all of them at the same time. I see my teenage son messaging all of his friends on MySpace and Facebook all while texting on his phone. Kids have absolutely no stimulation to the outside world because their worlds are "digital." As a parent, I would be lying if I didn't admit that it worries me with my son driving. Gone are the days where parents are worried about the distraction of too many people in the car; now we worry more about the distraction of technology. I am not sure that teenagers today would know how to survive without all the gadgets and gizmos like cell phones and computers. Sometimes I think that teenagers are addicted to technology. Is this even possible? Is technology as much of a problem as alcohol or drugs? I am beginning to think that it is very possible and highly likely. What are we to do as parents? Should we worry about our children being too easily distracted by their cell phones while behind the wheel? Should we worry about the exposure it can bring from dangers lurking on the internet?

Although it is nice to be able to get in touch with our teens whenever we want, it is also scary to think that the same device that helps us keep track of them could also be harmful to them. We also need to make sure that they fully understand the seriousness of texting while driving. Pull up stories on the internet of the facts concerning texting while driving so that they can get a better understanding from a source that they know well, the internet. Set some ground rules with your teen regarding the cell phone and driving like pulling over to use the phone.

Teenagers are more likely to be way too trusting and therefore put too much of their personal information on the internet. As parents, it is our responsibility to make sure that our children understand the dangers of the internet. We have to let them know that just because it is on the internet doesn't mean that it can't impact their lives. We need to teach them that predators are always looking for vulnerable kids, no matter what age. But most of all we need to explain to these children that what goes on the internet, can be on the internet for years. They don't want their actions as a teenager to reflect on them when they go for job interviews in the future.

So be the parent! Put limits on the use of the computer and cell phones. Make it a point to talk to your teen and let them know that you are only doing this to keep them safe. Don't let technology take over your teen's life; it should be a luxury not a necessity.