DANGER IS JUST A CLICK AWAY!

I am greatly concerned about the direction our society's youth are headed.  I had the unfortunate pleasure of viewing some of my daughter's text on her phone last night after she had fell asleep.  I know...I know..I can hear the rumble of bloggers who feel I have overstepped boundaries as a parent. I have done the unthinkable...I invaded my teenage daughter's privacy, YES!  

After viewing some of the text and social media of blogging on her phone, I was appalled!  Not that my daughter had said anything inappropriate.  It was the subject matter between the social media appearing from other teens that was not only inappropriate, but dangerously crossed the line with sexually explicate content.  

I realized at that point that despite my efforts to protect my child from viewing, reading, listening to or engaging in ungodly material, was futile!  The things in our society that would never have been accepted years ago are not only acceptable, but desired by most youth.  The sexual immorality, lack of respect in language use, and no real concern over consequences as taken the lead.  It's as if they've lost all consciousness.  

Matthew 24:12

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

There is no real reference or a love of God in them to prevent them from posting or acting out their subject matter.  No fear, no care, and obviously NO COMMON SENSE!

Some parent's have lost consciousness too. As I viewed over the comments on my daughter's phone and pics of profiles, I thought surely, no parent would allow this, if they knew about it.  Yet, I was reminded of when I brought to another parent's attention a concern, I was ostracized, apparently they knew the teen was participating in something potentially dangerous and blew it off.

I realize I cannot control what's in the world.  It just frustrates me that as much as I have informed my children of pedophiles in cyberspace, and the dangers that lurk behind texting, emails, and chat rooms. They are still targets!  The enemy slithers his way in by any means. 

I have to painstakingly keep tabs on their social media, and games.  Most of the time I have nothing to worry about, but then a snag happens, and I am once again fully aware of the presence of evil.  I am reminded that Satan is roaring like a lion and wants my child! He wants your child!

1 Peter 5:8

Be on your guard and stay awake.  Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.

We must be aware.  We must be conscious of their social networking,  internet use, Ipad, Iphone, etc...Abduction happens too often.

A recent study found that the majority of Internet predators do not pose as children as the prior conception of the Internet predator stereotype was perceived.  The Internet predators openly tell their age and their intentions and your kids openly talk to them about their own sexual desires. Scary!

The statistics show that teenagers are knowingly chatting to adults. It's a brave new world.  A world where our children still need to be protected from their curiosity.

Of course, the children do not tell their parents whom they are chatting with so how are parents supposed to know who their kids are chatting with on the internet?  With the advent of Facebook and the other thousands of social networking and chat sites on the internet, danger is only a click away.  The Internet predators are out there and your kids are willingly chatting with them. It seems that there is another dangerous trend that teens are participating in called Sexting.  They send nude or semi nude pics of themselves to others using their cell phone. Parents need to be aware of this new trend.              http://www.onlinesafetysite.com/P1/Teenstats.htm

When I dropped my daughter off for school without her cell phone until we can further clear up boundries, she was extremely upset with me.  I hated to take it away.  I hated that she was angry with me, I could hear the murmurs under her breath that probably were, "I hate you!" Yet, if that be the case, then I'm doing my job well. I had to remind myself that I am not here for a popularity contest or to be my daughter's friend.  God has entrusted this child to me to raise, protect, and guide.  It is our duty as a parent to peek into the private world of our children occasionally. We need to not be so busy, we don't have an eye on their connections. We cannot become so lax that we lose our children and they lose their innocence. 

Watch this interesting video I found and share it with your teen. When my son watched it, it grabbed his attention and concern.

Dangers of Social Media and Teens

Guidelines for parents

Monitor your children's use of all technological devices.

Take precautions with your children's use of cell phones. Text messaging enables children and adolescents to be in touch with and to make plans with people without parental knowledge. Know your children's cell phone contact list.

Be specific about cell phone use and set up specific rules about how and when the phone will be used. Set a limit on how much time children can use each month and how many text messages they can send and receive.

Emphasize and enforce the rule that teens should never use a cell phone while driving.

Establish rules of etiquette, such as never using a cell phone within 20 feet of another person, phones should be turned off in places where they might disturb other people, private conversations should not take place in public places, ESPECIALLY BATHROOMS!

-Brenda Graff

http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/kids_cell_phones_staying_connected

www.foodforsoulmagazine.com