Is YOUR teen sex-tine?

[sunsetssplendor]

"sex-ting"

And before you say, Oh my kid would NEVER do that! listen to this: a recent study by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and CosmoGirl.com found that 20 percent of teens say they have sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or video of themselves. That's one in five, which means that someone on your child's basketball or cheerleading team has probably done this.Some school officials say that the actual number of kids "sex-tine" is higher than that. Jim Brown, school resource officer at Glen Este High School in Cincinnati, says that far more than 20 percent of his school's students are participating in this trend. "If I were to go through the cell phones in this building right now of 1,500 students, I would venture to say that half to two-thirds have indecent photos, either of themselves or somebody else in school."

More disturbing, though, is that teens seem to understand that their photos will be passed around; the survey found that 44 percent of teens say it's common for their sexually explicit images and text messages to be shared with people other than the intended recipient. Jim Brown says, "They think, 'I have the right to decide what's best for me.' The next thing you know, it's on YouTube, and you become an international star because you're exposing part of your body. ... Then, they want to retrieve their good reputation, and they can't."

My kid are too young for cell phones right now, but I'm already talking with them about the internet and how everything you post lives there forever. I'm also trying to make sure that they respect themselves enough not to give in to peer pressure, which is the really hard lesson. Mostly, though, I'm just preparing myself for years of keeping a close eye on what they're up to, on line and off. What about you?






My teen isn't sex-tine but he sure has lost all cell priviledges due to the content of some messages. I think we need to pray diligently for today's youth - I just feel it's necessary and vital at this point.

[ServantofTruth]

None of our older children have mobiles (15 1/2, 14 & 12) . Our eldest a couple of years ago was given our old one, couldn't find a use for it. Our 3rd has asked a few times, his friends have them - we just say we have a telephone and take/ pick you up from school.

The school had a ban on mobile phones for years. Which we backed. The head told new parents it was his biggest problem at school dealing with phone numbers being passed on and obscene messages being recieved. So he was adament no phones.

Afew weeks later a letter came home, mobiles are now fine in school. We felt like giving up!

If you are worried about your child getting home safely, pick them up. If you are worried they are friends will not behave properly, pick them up. A phone can't protect from older children or adults. It can't tell you that your child is behaving properly.

How precious are your children? Give them a mobile and wave good bye or actually rearrange your life so they come first and you can protect them in satan's world. SofTy.

[tt1106]

I bought my oldest (almost 17) one this week, because she has fainting spells.
Before I say, my kid would never do that, I should probably say, that my kid would have done that 2 years ago. Since that time though, God is hard at work on her heart. She is a new creation and it is apparent in everything she does and says.
I will point out that I am not naive, she had a phone before(she paid for it, through prepaid) , but for two years it sat in my safe because she would text in the middle of class and after her curfew.
Two years without it, really spoke volumes to her though. She went without internet access for several years also, because not only do I have a content filter, but I also have a keylogger.
Being a LEO has made me paranoid and cynical, but the Lord is working on me as much as he is working on her and since he has taught me how to Love people including my children, there is alot more caring and trusting in my household (not to mention dialog and communication). Not blind, but certainly earned.
Trust and verify.

[moonglow]

I have already talked to my son about this...he just turned 13. I have heard about it on the news and how it ruins their lives. He doesn't have a cell phone though of course wants one. Alot of the kids around here have one so their parents can just call them when they need to come home or the kids call their parents to ask if its ok to do something. Like for instance, Nate has a friend that is nine ..we invited him for supper so he had to call and ask if it was ok. now we do have a phone! Which he has used many times for the same thing...they have our phone number...so he really doesn't need a cell phone for that...but he tends to go to one kids house to play (asking first if its ok) they aren't home so goes to another and another and another and the parents lose track of him because he forgets to call and tell them the first kids weren't home so he went to someone else's house...or he is just out riding his bike and they need to get ahold him to come home. Kind of hard to call when you are bike riding with no phone. So in that way I can see it being needed...the kids around here do play outside alot and go from one friends house to another in their games.

At any rate, I have a cell phone which my son uses to call a friend out of state, but the internet is blocked on it. I can't even download any photo's on it..which makes it useless to take any pictures at all actually. So I would just say if parents feel their teens or children really need a cell phone, just block the internet access so pictures can be transferred from one phone to another or put on the net at all. My understanding is it cost to send a picture from one cell phone to another anyway and you can ask that service be taken off....then no worries at all! Of course that also blocks texting! Not sure if they can be separated or not...

God bless

[Followtheway]

We all grew-up just fine with out cell phones, if dad wanted to get ahold of us you better come running or your gonna get a whoopin.