Sexting…

I’m not sure if you’ve heard the term, it is fairly new, but incredibly scary and life changing.  The term is sexting, the reality is it is happening and most likely your daughter knows someone who has participated in this activity, involving sending nude pictures from cell phone.

I was  shocked myself, when several months ago my mom informed me about a girl in my home town who had been caught doing this very thing, of course this was before the term “sexting” was created.  For the young girl, the consequences were minor, but for many teens as the news is showcasing the repercussions have been much worse including for some, jail time, which is about as serious as it comes.

So, how do you keep your daughter from sexting?  Open communication is key, besides this there are now also programs that you can utilize that will help you to monitor your teen’s cell phone activity and hopefully ensure that they will not participate in such activities.  Of course,  be prepared as your daughter could easily participate or be exposed to the activity via the acts of others and using phones of friends.

Also, you will need to check the Internet activity of your daughter as websites such as Facebook allow for photo posting as well.  Then, there are webcams that come with some computers or can be purchased fairly inexpensively that can allow teens to do more than just take a picture of themselves naked.

This is why active communication is necessary.  Begin now talking to your daughter about the reality of sexting, the consequences and why she should be sure to stay away from the activity.  Not only is it degrading but it is un-Biblical and harmful to her.

For an additional resource to help you to communicate with your daughter on this and other similar activities check out our guide: Seven Easy Tips: Encouraging Your Daughter to Say No.