Boarding Schools for Girls

The digital age is upon us, and young people have embraced it whole-heartedly. They chat, text, IM and tweet; and they do it all via their cell phones. Its convenient, but also problematic for parents whose teens never seem to unplug.

In an Oct. 1 Associated Press article, parents indicated that they are experimenting with various means of controlling their children's technology use in a way that encourages positive interactions without giving rise to parent-child confrontations:

We all know teens love their gadgets -- more for texting than talking. But the devices are posing some new challenges for parents. How can they teach their tech-savvy kids some electronic etiquette?

So far, parents are learning on the fly, imposing new rules for their young offenders such as "no texting at dinner." ...

It's not only cell phones that parents are restricting.

Many are establishing control over their children's computer use -- setting themselves up as administrators for Internet accounts, asking kids questions about who they are communicating with online, and at times looking directly over their shoulders at the screen.

Labels: technology, computers, texting, communication

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

If your child posts online references to sex on social networks such as Facebook, chances are that she is about to become sexually active, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Dr. Megan Moreno and her colleagues studied the Facebook pages of 85 college freshman, surveying them about their sexual experiences and intentions. The research team found a strong association between posting sexual references online and becoming sexually active in real life.

"Facebook profiles may represent an innovative venue to identify adolescents considering sexual activity who may benefit from targeted prevention or education messages," according to this study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada.
 

Labels: sex, computers, internet

Posted By: Boarding Schools for Girls 0 Comments

Words like “cyberbullying” and “sexting” have become descriptors for some of the negative ways that teenagers use the Internet and their cell phones. Based on mainstream media’s coverage of these topics, it would seem that “everybody’s doing it.” But are they?

“A recent Pew Internet report on teen and tween Internet usage paints a much less ominous picture with 62 percent of kids saying they go online to get news about current events and politics while another 31 percent logon for health, dieting or physical fitness information.” [Source: Business Wire]

Many young people also have an online component for their classes. Of course, cyberbullying and sexting are real problems for some teens. But the problems aren’t as prevalent as we think.

 

Labels: computers, online, internet

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 0 Comments

By now, it should be clear to all parents that video games aren't only for boys. But when deciding what games your daughter (or son) is allowed to play, don't rely on the game's rating system alone to help you make your decision.

Video games, like movies, have their own rating system. The system is meant to help parents decide what games are appropriate for their kids. But, if you rely solely on the ratings, you may expose your child to things you don’t like. Take, for example, the following video game description:

“This video game is a first-person shooter in which players compete in a ‘kill-or-be-killed’-style TV program. The characters are rewarded with notoriety, fame and points for creative kills. Some female characters are depicted in bikinis, low-cut clothing and showgirl costumes that expose a lot of cleavage. A movie set displays a call sheet that details a bedroom scene. Since this scene involves nudity, only the involved actors and the director should be present. Items such as beer and wine bottles, kegs and tequila appear in the game. Players are also able to consume beer.” [Source: Mercury News (CA)]

On a related note, if your child appears to be obsessed with video games, professional intervention may be called for.

 

Labels: computers, video game

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment