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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Facebook Depression ?

Check out this great MSN video: Teen Facebook Use Can Lead To Depression, Doctors Say

“Facebook depression” was reviewed on several channels linking depression in some teenagers to Facebook. According to a few articles it suggests that for teenagers who are already having issues with self-esteem, social media sites such as Facebook can make it more difficult for them to increase their self-esteem. Facebook in particular shows totals of friends, status to name a few of the indicators they can see online. With all this information presented to teens they can easily compare their status to that of their friends.

There are still some disagreements among researchers as to whether Facebook actually causes depression or if this just increases the depression that already exists in some teenagers. In my opinion Facebook cannot actually cause depression but its use can lead to lower self-esteem if the teenager already has issues they are dealing with. Parents need to talk with their teens especially if the notice changes in behavior after using various forms of social media not limited to but including Facebook.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Teenagers and Driving

It is important as adults that we make sure our teenagers are aware of the need to avoid cell phone use while driving. There have been numerous campaigns and pledges involving cellphone usage and driving, one well know pledge was done by Oprah. The use of cellphones while driving impairs the ability of drivers to concentrate on the road instead they are distracted by the ongoing conversation or texting. Teenagers do not understand the severity and consequences of cellphone use while driving.

According to several articles texting while driving can increase the likelihood by as much as 20 times leading to accidents happening. Teenagers are just one vulnerable group as it relates to this issue. According to a survey reported by the Los Angeles Times newspaper they stated in August 2010 that the highest proportion of distracted fatal accidents occurred in those under 20 years old. Parents need to stress the importance of these issues to their teenagers so that they avoid distractions while driving.

Video Sexting

In a previous blog post I discussed sexting and the repercussions that arise with teens using this in communication. On the ABC news this week there was a special called “Beyond Sexting”. This segment discusses the use of phones to not only send sexual text messages but videos are now being sent with sexually explicit content. Teens are not prepared for the consequences that may result from taking part in such an activity. Technology is now being used by teens to explore and exploit sexual activities.

The teen involved in this segment discussed the consequences of her actions and the long term effects that it was having on her social life. She recalls being betrayed by someone she trusted and tells other teens to beware as this could happen to them as well. This is something that this teen will have to live with for a long time to come but what was great about this is that she was willing to use herself as an example to convey a message to other teenagers hoping that this will help them make better choices and avoid doing what she had done.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/teens-sexting-level-explicit-videos/story?id=13191501&page=1

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Group Interactions

A teen have access to information at his/her fingertips but is this good thing for them? Gone are the days of going to the library requesting books and looking for the information needed. They can now type in what is essential for a project or assignment and there it is no need to look or read extra trying to find the information needed. In my opinion this has positive as well as negative aspects and we as parents need to consider both.

Working together on projects now can mean simply logging on and meeting online. Does this affect our teenagers’ ability to interact socially? How does it help them learn to work together, develop the skills needed to combine efforts and work as a team? Even as an adult taking classes online, meeting in groups online is completely different to actually going on a campus and interacting with classmates. I think as parents we need to encourage more face to face interactions between teenagers. When working on projects and assignments encourage more interactions to improve and increase input activities, as this will help to develop their team spirit.

Introducing Social Media

Social media can be difficult for some parents to accept and allow their children to be a part of, however there are ways to monitor and sites designed specifically for tweens and teens that can help them develop online etiquette and skills so that they will be able to manage sites better as they get older and are able to access and be a part of sites such as Facebook and other social media sites. Facebook was designed for ages 13 and up but it can be accessed by teens as well. It is a good idea before teens actually go on these social media sites that they visit other sites to get an idea of the online world and how it works.

Some sites recommended for tweens are Togetherville, Garden Party and Everloop these are sites that can be used to access educational activities, games, chat rooms and other entertainment. Everloop is a great site as parents can get alerts and monitor ongoing activities. This site also partners with iSafe. Togetherville is another great site but this one is linked to Facebook but the child as no access to this media site. If you would like to expose your child to some online media sites before jumping into a site such as Facebook these are some sites you can explore.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Teens and College

The internet is the ideal way to complete college applications online and as a useful resource for research on different colleges and majors. Finding sources for financial aid and scholarships available to teenagers the internet can be a useful tool. http://www.quintcareers.com/teen_college.html is a great website for the teenager seeking college information and resources. The website also offers a section for charting your ideal career path. It can also be used to learn about different career choices and the ideal majors to reach desired goals.

The website also offers several different options for financial aid resources. They provide links to FAFSA, scholarships and loans. A link to MeritMoney.com provides information to high school students with a 3.0 or higher GPA. Find tuition.com is another great link to find financial resources for school tuition. http://www.freschinfo.com is a free scholarship search with no registration required. Overall this site has several great links for the teenager interested in attending college and can help the parent seeking information as well.

Internet teen pornography

Teenagers are more exposed to adult content in music, videos and online activities than before. Most teens do not intentionally seek out porn they come across it while seeking out other information, it may be the result of a search but they need to leave the site or exit the internet as soon as possible if this occurs. They are not emotionally mature to handle a lot of the information that they are subjected to on a daily basis. Even for some adults the level of pornography that is available is so much that they can become addicted.

For teenagers who are still developing this could be difficult for them to understand. They may become addicted and not even realized the extent of the issues they are facing. There are support groups available for pornography addiction and parents need to be aware of the signs of addiction if they believe that their teen has an issue. Internet pornography can become a serious issue for teenagers as they may lose focus in school and shy away from friends upsetting their social life. It is important for parents to have parenting controls and filtering devices on that block access to dangerous websites to avoid some of these issues. www.protectkids.com is a good website with more information on this topic.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

New Gadgets

Technology can also be useful to teens in various ways. I have included several things that will be helpful to the teenager who wants to be connected. A portable hard drive would be ideal for the student who works from school and home to keep track of assignments. I think the kindle eBook reader is great especially for the teen who loves to read. EBooks are generally cheaper and many books are available for free. The digital voice recorder enables classes and lectures to be recorded so they can be heard later on and used as a studying tool.

Another gadget available is a chumby. This is an alarm clock that is connected via the Wi-Fi network. It gives news, weather and other alerts to keep your teen up to date on current events. The Live scribe Pulse smartpen records audio and allows you link it to what you write this is ideal for the student who cannot keep up with the speaker. The sharper image programmable message clock allows messages to float in mid air they go directly to the clock, connection to the internet is all you need to receive and display messages from anywhere in the world.

Online Suicide Pacts

Teenagers are in the developing stages of their lives emotionally and physically. They are using diverse forms of technology on a daily basis to communicate and express themselves in numerous ways. It is more difficult to be a teenager today than it was several decades ago, there seems to be a lack of social communication skills as teens become more involved in interactions using technology rather than face to face activities. They are unable to build meaningful friendships and lasting relationships that can help them develop emotionally.

With no in-depth relationships they are unable to communicate and reach out for help when needed. Some may turn to other methods to make a statement or to prove a point such is the situation with those who make suicide pacts online and post the actual event. According to the center for disease control suicide is the third leading cause of death in those ages 15-24. The rate of teens committing suicide is increasing and becoming more real for many parents. While doing research for this topic I came across a website www.teenlineonline.org it was shocking for me to read the despair and depression felt by teens today. As parents we need to be aware of sites available online that relate to suicide pacts and the warning signs.