Is Your Teen Sexting?



Or are they just ‘fwdg’ the sext-messages that they receive?

Sexting is in the news a lot...and it's not just teens doing it.

But, while adults are allowed to do as they please with photos of their unclothed bodies, clearly kids should not be.

      So what if your teen is sexting?

And what if they should be caught sexting by teachers or other types of authorities?

Should they be charged with child pornography?
 What about being required to register as a sex offender?

Seem kind of drastic???

 Watch this video from The Huffington Post where they reported recently that Rhode Island has banned teens from sending or forwarding sexually explicit text messages.

My personal opinion?

Thank goodness....

Don’t we want our daughters to respect themselves and their bodies? And don't we want our boys to respect women?

Laws like this (while realistically won't always be followed by all and inevitably won't catch all) could
Hopefully do the following:
  • Deter young girls from exposing themselves to boys for attention, which would…
  • Help preserve their reputation….and....
  • (Hopefully) increase their self esteem (at least it would help avoid decreasing it)
Then it just might:
  • Deter boys from encouraging girls to do it, which could...
  • Assist boys in understanding that this is not acceptable behavior and...
  • Female classmates are more than just their bodies
If the law refers to sexting as a felony, it makes kids aware of the reality of what they're doing is not a joke, and would clearly define the very gray lines teens create between adult behavior and child porn.

What do you think?

Not sure?

Visit these links below to find out more...
What is sexting? 

Who is sexting?  (This link may contain offensive content)

50 Acronyms Every Parent Needs to Know (This link has mature and offensive language)
  
Read this story of Jessica Logan, a Columbus, Ohio, teen who took her life after her nude picture was spread around school via text message.

Read a list of 2011 Legislation Related to Sexting.

(To read more on this topic visit Family Matters with Amber in County Kids Magazine and read my most recent column.)

Truly,
Amber

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