Teen and Cell Phones
How times have changed. A decade ago, you rarely saw a teenager with their own cell phone. Now there everywhere.
In fact, the numbers have increased so much that teens make up the majority of the world's cell phone users. And this brings us a whole new set of problems.
According to Nielsen Mobile, your typical 13-17 year old sends and receives about 1,700 text messages every month. What exactly are they sending, you ask? Well, some teens are exchanging text messages during school. And thanks in part to their Internet capability, they provide students with the ability to cheat on their tests. Obviously, the schools aren't happy about this, and this has caused many schools to crack down on them. While most schools banning cell phones from their classrooms, other schools are going a setp further and confiscating all wirless devices.
Then there is the "sexting" issue. Many teens are sending messages to their boyfriends or girlfriends which include nude or semi-nude pictures. This brings up the issue of child pornography, and many of these students are now registered sex offenders.
And if that's not enough of a problem, there is the issue of driving and using your cell phone. According to recent reports, more than 20% of fatal car accidents involving American teens were the direct result of cell phone use.
With all of the problems caused by teenagers and their use of cell phones, what can a parent do? Here are some tips on how you can help your cell-phone-obsessed teen.
In fact, the numbers have increased so much that teens make up the majority of the world's cell phone users. And this brings us a whole new set of problems.
According to Nielsen Mobile, your typical 13-17 year old sends and receives about 1,700 text messages every month. What exactly are they sending, you ask? Well, some teens are exchanging text messages during school. And thanks in part to their Internet capability, they provide students with the ability to cheat on their tests. Obviously, the schools aren't happy about this, and this has caused many schools to crack down on them. While most schools banning cell phones from their classrooms, other schools are going a setp further and confiscating all wirless devices.
Then there is the "sexting" issue. Many teens are sending messages to their boyfriends or girlfriends which include nude or semi-nude pictures. This brings up the issue of child pornography, and many of these students are now registered sex offenders.
And if that's not enough of a problem, there is the issue of driving and using your cell phone. According to recent reports, more than 20% of fatal car accidents involving American teens were the direct result of cell phone use.
With all of the problems caused by teenagers and their use of cell phones, what can a parent do? Here are some tips on how you can help your cell-phone-obsessed teen.
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1. Guidelines
Education is key. Talk to your kids about the dangers and responsibilities associated with using a cell phone. Tell them what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Make sure to set time frames as to when the cell phone should be turned off, or when the phone needs to be placed in the parent's care. Without defined guidelines, your teenager could wind up a victim.
2. Embrace Technology
Instead of calling your daughter to find out what she will be home at, send her a text message. Instead of bugging your son to watch a news segment on TV about the risks of texting while driving, send him a link to the video. If you embrace the technology that your kids use, you will have a better time communicating with them.
3. Learn The Lingo
With a 160 character limit for a text message, the use of abbreviations is quite common. And while you might know that LOL means "Laughing Out Loud", do you know what DUSL or PIR means? Would you know if the message was innocent or had more deviant intentions? Besides the character limits, many teenager end up using abbreviations in order to leave their parents in the dark. If you know that DUSL means "Do You Scream Loud", or that PIR means "Parents In Room", you will have a better idea on what your kids are saying and doing with their friends.
4. Monitor Their Activity
Who was your son talking to at 2:30 in the morning? Did you know someone was sending your daughter explicit text messages? You could look through their phone, however they will simply delete their call or text logs if they think you are snooping.
No need to worry, as there are other ways to get the information you need. First thing to check is your cell phone bill. If your carrier doesn't already provide you with detailed billing, ask for it. While it may cost you a few more dollars a months, it will provide you with most of the information you need.
The other route you can take is to install spy software on their phone. Programs like Mobile Spy allow you to monitor your teenager's text messages, call information, and even provides you with their GPS Location. You can verify their whereabouts or see what text messages they received in real-time simply by logging into your account.
1. Guidelines
Education is key. Talk to your kids about the dangers and responsibilities associated with using a cell phone. Tell them what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Make sure to set time frames as to when the cell phone should be turned off, or when the phone needs to be placed in the parent's care. Without defined guidelines, your teenager could wind up a victim.
2. Embrace Technology
Instead of calling your daughter to find out what she will be home at, send her a text message. Instead of bugging your son to watch a news segment on TV about the risks of texting while driving, send him a link to the video. If you embrace the technology that your kids use, you will have a better time communicating with them.
3. Learn The Lingo
With a 160 character limit for a text message, the use of abbreviations is quite common. And while you might know that LOL means "Laughing Out Loud", do you know what DUSL or PIR means? Would you know if the message was innocent or had more deviant intentions? Besides the character limits, many teenager end up using abbreviations in order to leave their parents in the dark. If you know that DUSL means "Do You Scream Loud", or that PIR means "Parents In Room", you will have a better idea on what your kids are saying and doing with their friends.
4. Monitor Their Activity
Who was your son talking to at 2:30 in the morning? Did you know someone was sending your daughter explicit text messages? You could look through their phone, however they will simply delete their call or text logs if they think you are snooping.
No need to worry, as there are other ways to get the information you need. First thing to check is your cell phone bill. If your carrier doesn't already provide you with detailed billing, ask for it. While it may cost you a few more dollars a months, it will provide you with most of the information you need.
The other route you can take is to install spy software on their phone. Programs like Mobile Spy allow you to monitor your teenager's text messages, call information, and even provides you with their GPS Location. You can verify their whereabouts or see what text messages they received in real-time simply by logging into your account.
Additional Resources:
To learn more about Cell Phone Spy Software, please visit http://cell-spy-software.info/
For more advice on Spy Software for Cell Phones, please visit http://cell-spy-software.blogspot.com/
