Parents Need To Talk To Their Kids About Sexting At A Young Age, Psychologist Says.
In the New York Times (3/12, Subscription Publication) “The Checkup” blog, Perri Klass, MD, spoke with “Sheri Madigan, a psychologist who was first author of a large study on digital sexual activity published at the end of February in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.” Madigan recommended that parents begin talking to their children about sexting at a young age. For teenagers, “parents need to be willing to consider the idea that sexting may happen in the context of healthy relationships, Dr. Madigan said.” Still, parents “need to be willing to go over more problematic scenarios, including what happens if the relationship ends, especially if photos have been sent.”
- From the American Academy of Pediatrics from 2009
With more and more children using cell phones to call, text and send images, parents should consider the risks to kids who use them for illegal and regrettable purposes.One such activity is “sexting,” the sending of text messages with pictures of children or teens who are naked or engaged in sexual acts.One in five teens participates in “sexting,” according to a nationwide survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. The emotional pain it causes can be enormous for the child in the picture as well as the sender and receiver — and often involves legal implications.
Parents should talk with children about sexting before a problem arises and introduce the issue as soon as a child is old enough to have a cell phone, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
The following tips from the AAP can help parents have a conversation with children about sexting:
Ask kids about the issue, even if it has not directly impacted the community.
Gauge your child’s understanding of sexting and then offer an age-appropriate explanation. Alert younger children with cell phones who do not yet know about sex that text messages should never contain pictures of kids or adults without their clothes on, kissing or touching each other in ways that they have never seen before. For older children, use the term “sexting” and give more specific information about sex acts they may know about. For teens, be specific that “sexting” often involves pictures of a sexual nature and is considered pornography.
Make sure kids of all ages understand that sexting is considered a crime in many jurisdictions. In all communities, there will be serious consequences if they sext, possibly involving the police, suspension from school and notes on their permanent record that could hurt their chances of getting into college or finding a job.
P.S. It is my understanding that even being the passive recipient of an unsolicited sexting message is a Federal crime with serious consequences. Advise your child NOT to delete the communication but to show you and tell you about it. Even when "deleted" the communication may yet remain on the hard drive of the electronic device. Should you and your child find yourself in this situation, get formal advise from an attorney about what to do.
Dr. T