Average age of a cell phone first ownership has dropped to 10.3 years of age, according to Dr. Sheri Madigan of Alberta Children’s Hospital, Canada. This age drop has brought a new danger of sextingto these children. She advises that parents should encourage children to talk about what is sexting according to their age.
Children can get wrong ideas on sexting from peers, that may shock parents. But she advises to never yell and never get angry for what they already know. Important is to explain to children few simple things. Like never take, send or receive photos without clothes, or offending language.
Most important is to explain that what is sent has lost their control on who will see it, forever. Simple explanations will protect children. Legal hurdles or fears will not make sense to them. But explaining that how sexting can end their choice of a good school admission, a job, social respect.
Adolescent curiosity about nudity and body is very natural, and according to experts, children who do sexting are only curious in and about sex and are not ready for actual sex. It is well known expert opinion that children who talk on sexting with their parents are least likely to endanger themselves by sexting. Parents will help these teenagers if they will recall their own teenage curiosity about body and about nudity. Children who are sexting are big risk takers.
Parents who want to protect them must go over what happens after sexting in as much detail as possible, where it goes, what uses can it have, how it would affect them personally and that what they send is traceable to them.
“Ignoring or yelling parents are an indication of serious mental problems of parents more than that of children” said Dr. Madigan.
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