What Can Parents Do to Prevent Youths from Sexting?
What Can Parents Do to Prevent Youths from Sexting?
Young people in their pre-teens and teens are aggressive and don’t like to share each and every detail of their lives with their parents; rather, they feel closer to their online and offline friends. They want to enjoy their freedom with their friends because they feel that parents are their critics. It is this gap between children and parents that gives way to the secret lives of youth. Here are some of the strategies that can help parents protect their young children from sexting and its adverse effects.
Don’t let your children exploit your ignorance.
Do what your kids are doing. Some parents aren’t really into social media. This ignorance or lack of use of social media on the part of parents allows children to manipulate their parents and have free rein on the internet. Be your children’s friend on social media so that you can know what is happening in their world.
Say goodbye to a culture of silence.
Parents in Pakistan draw a line between themselves and their children, which for the sake of peace in the family, neither party would dare to cross. Teenagers, for example, would never share with their parents that they have a girlfriend or boyfriend. And if parents found out something about their child that made them uncomfortable, they might either ignore it or snub their kids. This nagging attitude of parents sends a strong message to children that it is better not to discuss anything. As far as sexting is concerned, parents won’t be able to know their children’s online lives unless they break this traditional culture of silence.
Establish a cell phone ethics contract before you buy your child a phone.
Your children don’t need a cell phone as soon as they are old enough to know how to operate one. Nor do you have to buy them a cell phone just because their friends have them. Parents should decide and come to a mutual understanding regarding the ethics of using a cell phone. An example rule is that cell phones will not be locked with a password, nor will it be used after 10 p.m.
Talk about sexting and its possible consequences.
Parents need to talk about sexting as soon as their children start interacting via social networking because it originates in social networks. Ask your children if they have received any messages containing sexual words or images. Their answer will definitely be no. It is then that you can explain that they can tell you if they receive any such messages.
- Talk about the blackmailing, humiliation and social disapproval that may result from sexting.
- Tell them not to forward any messages with sexual content even if it’s about a fellow classmate whom they don’t like.
- Explain how such messages can become viral and do irreparable damage to someone. Parents can refer to real life stories to make their point authentic.
- Ask them how they would feel if their teachers, siblings, and parents viewed the message or image.
- Tell them that if they click send, they can never undo that. A message sent in fun may end in serious trouble.
Tell your child never to be pressured into sexting.
So many pre-teens and teens are pressured into sending nude or semi-nude images of themselves or into responding to sexting. These kinds of acts are usually committed by people your youngster has never met in real life. Explain this trend to your children and tell them that such people may claim to love or care for them but are actually exploiting them. They may seem not seem interested in your lecture, but your words of advice will sound an alarm when they find themselves in such a situation. Tell them that someone who forces them to do something with which they are not comfortable is not a well-wisher.
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