Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Teen's voice tells the story of an 'overcomer' ...
“Trinity” had been receiving unwelcomed “sext” messages. Her story has been difficult for me to write; I felt the “telling” carried an incredible weight. Certain details — the specific words that were said to her and the fact that she had experimented with cutting as a result, weighed on me. I didn’t know what to tell, what to leave out. I wondered: did I save Trinity’s story as the last in this series for a purpose, or did I somehow put it off, because it was difficult to deal with? I now see that the best way to cap off this series about Kids (and Adults) and Social Media is to hear from a teen, and a parent, in their own VOICES. The Interview “The Growth Chart”: I’ve never understood the “cutting” thing. What makes someone do it? …
Thursday, November 1, 2012
As a "Word Person," I can't help but wonder if SSEWBA. If so, will I still be able to talk to my kids?
The Conversation U up? Yep. <3 Texting ALAP. TYVM. :) HUD? Good. HBU? M$UlkeCraZ. Want 121, F2F. Not 2nite 4sure. L?^L8R? 2moro? COBRAS? Lol. Not sure. LHOS. Now. IYD! Yep. DISTO? JK. Sort of. FOGC? RMMA. BTWITIAILWY. ? CUWTA. LOL. Looked it up. Aww…that’s sweet. ;) Still, IDK… AUNT—u can trust me. TBH, B4U I never would've…but 1432. It will b ok. FTFOI? I will delete right after. KPC. WDYT? WRU? IDK…In my room… J Send me a Pic? Plz? GNOC? GOI. UR cra-cra. GNSD. No. Let’s GOWI. IPN. Sending u a pic now. NVNG…SHMILY? The Grade Patch Parents, if this were a test, would you make the grade? How much of this conversation did you get? Take <3, B4 2day, my answer would have been: “Not much.” If u2 would earn an “F” in text-reading, you’d …
Monday, October 29, 2012
People have always agonized over and often given into sexual temptation, but the “new spin” on this age-old struggle has dangerously severe consequences, especially for teens
A New Spin on an Age Old Struggle According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 20 percent of teenagers (one in every five young men and young women) have sent “sext” messages. The issue of sexting has been in the news for years, and it is an issue that originated with social media sites then found its way to cell phones, which “feel” more private. The term “sexting” was officially defined in 2010 in United States v. Broxmeyer, as “the exchange of sexually explicit text messages, including photographs, via cell phone.” “Sexting” (“sex” + “text”) might involve sending nude or partially nude pictures or sexually-oriented written messages. Teens might also choose to use social networking sites like Facebook. Illicit pictures to …
