This is a serious call out to all parents of teenagers! When is it okay take away your teens smart phone? 
Some teenage issues have been around forever and are likely to continue to plague parents for centuries to come, but the parents of today’s teens are dealing with some disturbing issues that are truly unprecedented.
Parents have always known that the web was a dangerous place. Teens can be exposed to predators, pornography and other unpleasant things that come with the territory of an ungoverned digital world. What we didn’t count on was how deeply our teens would embrace this new world and how willing many of them would be to give up their dignity and self-respect in the process.
A Frightening Future: Sexting and Smart Phones
The invention of smart phones has made the exchange of sexually explicit materials easier than ever. Not only can teenagers snap naked pictures of themselves and easily share them with others without their parents knowing, but they can also use built-in filters to make themselves appear glamorous and perfect in the process. This can quickly get addictive.
Another major negative about phones is the easy access to porn. Most porn sites don’t even require a login these days, and kids under the age of 18 can easily gain access. When young teenagers watch porn, they develop unhealthy ideas about sex. These ideas could stay with them and affect their ability to have healthy relationships for the rest of their lives.
A Parent’s Priority: Protection
You might shudder at the thought, but if you know your teen is sexting, taking away the smart phone might be your best option. I have a client with a 13-year-old daughter who was caught texting very explicit verbiage about sex, and she was the one initiating the conversation! Her mother was at a loss for what to do and seemed surprised when I mentioned that taking the phone away was an option. It might not be easy, but we have to parent. It has become far too popular for parents to try to befriend their teens.
