Summary: Can Texting Be Damaging For Teens
Can Texting Be Damaging for Teens?
Now, you have to qualify this by stating that I am still learning how to give a good interview. This was a live interview, and so it was challenging and something at which I was not trained in graduate school. So, with some practice, I know I'll get better at giving a polished interview.
So, on to the question as to whether texting can be problematic for teens. Like practically any behavior that we can think of, texting, in moderation, is generally harmless. However, certainly texting can be problematic for some teens. Most teens text around 50 messages per day. This might sound like a lot, but most of these messages are very short and can be entered within a few seconds. However, some teens text several …show more content…
I think, if it is not too late, you should talk to your teen or kiddo about the responsibilities of cell phone use prior to giving them the cell. You should have a discussion around each of your expectations of cell phone use as well as some of the dangers of misuse. Consequences for misuse of cell phones should be discussed up front and prior to them becoming problematic (ideally). Teens should know what the consequences will be before they ever "cross the line." The punishment should fit the crime, too. It is important that all parents understand that cell phone use is an integral part of teen life now and restricting access for prolonged periods of time is likely to result in quite a battle with the teen and many hurt …show more content…
I will discuss "sexting" in the next blog. Teens' frontal lobes of the brain, which are involved in planning and thinking of long-term consequences, are not fully developed until their mid-20s. That is why teens, as well as many college students, often engage in risk-taking behaviors. We can all probably look back to things we did when we were young and say to ourselves, "What was I thinking?!?" In a way, you can serve as a surrogate frontal lobes for your teen. You need to do so carefully and not just list out the dangers to your teen. You should try to get your teen to think of the consequences of misuse of the cell phones for him/herself through some Socratic questioning. Again, your should refrain from being judgmental. Realize that, if we were teens now, we'd probably be making many of the same
Now, you have to qualify this by stating that I am still learning how to give a good interview. This was a live interview, and so it was challenging and something at which I was not trained in graduate school. So, with some practice, I know I'll get better at giving a polished interview.
So, on to the question as to whether texting can be problematic for teens. Like practically any behavior that we can think of, texting, in moderation, is generally harmless. However, certainly texting can be problematic for some teens. Most teens text around 50 messages per day. This might sound like a lot, but most of these messages are very short and can be entered within a few seconds. However, some teens text several …show more content…
I think, if it is not too late, you should talk to your teen or kiddo about the responsibilities of cell phone use prior to giving them the cell. You should have a discussion around each of your expectations of cell phone use as well as some of the dangers of misuse. Consequences for misuse of cell phones should be discussed up front and prior to them becoming problematic (ideally). Teens should know what the consequences will be before they ever "cross the line." The punishment should fit the crime, too. It is important that all parents understand that cell phone use is an integral part of teen life now and restricting access for prolonged periods of time is likely to result in quite a battle with the teen and many hurt …show more content…
I will discuss "sexting" in the next blog. Teens' frontal lobes of the brain, which are involved in planning and thinking of long-term consequences, are not fully developed until their mid-20s. That is why teens, as well as many college students, often engage in risk-taking behaviors. We can all probably look back to things we did when we were young and say to ourselves, "What was I thinking?!?" In a way, you can serve as a surrogate frontal lobes for your teen. You need to do so carefully and not just list out the dangers to your teen. You should try to get your teen to think of the consequences of misuse of the cell phones for him/herself through some Socratic questioning. Again, your should refrain from being judgmental. Realize that, if we were teens now, we'd probably be making many of the same