What Parents Should Know About 'Sexting'

Technology can be a blessing but it can also be a curse.

'Sexting' is the practice of using a cell phone to distribute nude and/or explicit photos of oneself to another person or groups of people. Sexting is growing in popularity among teenagers. It has been found that teens use sexting as a way of contributing to a romantic relationship or to flirt with their friends or social interests. Sexting is a very serious activity that all parents should be aware of.

There are several different ways that sexting can be extremely dangerous to our children. For one, teenage relationships and even friendships do not always last forever. Once those ties are cut the teen who sent photos of themselves to someone no longer have control over that photo. The person who received that photo can be redistributed without the knowledge or consent of the person who sent it. This happened recently to an Ohio family whose daughter had sent nude photos of herself to her high school boyfriend. Upon the breakup, the boy forwarded the photos to other students and friends of his. The girl was tormented to the point that she committed suicide.

A recent study found that one in five teens had sent nude photos of themselves to someone using their phone or had posted pictures online using social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook. If your teen already has a cell phone you should be aware of sexting trends and how to prevent your child from becoming another victim. There are many ways you can protect your child if you educate yourself on the current fads that your teen may be subjected to.

-Before buying a phone sit down with your child and discuss the responsibility that comes with having a phone. Set limits on how many minutes may be used and to whom your child's calls should be to.

-Routinely check your child's phone. Your child may feel that you are invading their privacy or that you do not trust them, however you must take responsibility for your child and monitor their actions.

-Cell phones are a luxury that are not afforded to every teen and should be treated like any other privilege. If your child is not following the rules and guidelines set forth when you purchased the phone then the phone should be taken away.

-Parents should be checking text message inboxes, sent, received and deleted boxes as well. Check incoming and outgoing phone numbers to determine who your child is talking to.

-You can also monitor your cell phone bill to see how many text messages are going out, coming in etc. Teens are pretty smart so you cannot rely on checking the phone alone. Phone numbers can be deleted or disguised, so can text messages. Pay attention to your phone bill and bring up any questionable numbers or texts for explanation.

-If you haven't purchased a phone yet, get a phone that does not have the ability to take photos. If your teen already has a phone that has a built in camera, consider trading it out for one that doesn't.

-Teens cannot always see the consequences of their actions, therefore it is the parents responsibility to get actively involved in their children's activities and to keep them on the right track.