About 20 percent of teenage boys and girls have participated in sexting, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The organization put together a tip sheet for parents about how to identify sexting, and how to stop it. More information is available at www.aap.org.
What is sexting?
Sexting refers to sending a text message with pictures of children or teens that are inappropriate; the pictures may be naked or engaged in sex acts.
How should parents address it?
* Talk to your kids, even if the issue hasn’t directly affected your community. Ask, “Have you heard of sexting?” and “Tell me what you think it is.”
* Use examples appropriate for your child’s age. For younger children, alert them that texts should never contain pictures of people without their clothes on, kissing or touching each other in ways they haven’t seen before. For teens, be very specific that sexting often involves pictures of a sexual nature and is considered pornography.
* Make sure all kids understand that sexting is serious and considered a crime. It could end up on permanent records, hurting chances of getting into college, or getting a job.
* Experts have noticed that peer pressure can play a major role in the sending of texts, with parties being a major contributing factor. Collecting cell phones at gatherings of tweens and teens is one way to reduce this temptation.
* Monitor headlines and the news for stories about sexting that illustrate the very real consequences for both senders and receivers of these images. Ask “Have you seen this story?” and “What did you think about it?” and “What would you do if you were this child?”
* Rehearse ways students can respond if asked to participate in inappropriate texting.
