Maybe you heard all the hoopla about sexting among teens and maybe you remarked to your spouse about how crazy the world has become. Maybe you even remember wondering if your teen was involved in this act but surely you must have quickly dismissed the disturbing thought. You’d know if something like that was going on under your roof, wouldn’t you? Statistics say that almost 65% of teens aged between 13 and 19 are sexting and enjoying it. Experts believe that this number increases among 12-year-olds. 6% of those involved in the survey said they had started sexting as young as 9-years-old.

Is your teen sexting?

If your teens have cell phones, they are surely texting. If they are texting, there is a good chance that they are sexting as well. Unfortunately, teens are good at covering up their tracks on technology. As savvy as you think you are, your teen was born in an age of technology.

No matter how sure you are that your teen is never going to do something like that, you have to allow the possibility that you might be wrong. That means you need to have a difficult discussion with your teen that starts with ‘Have you ever sent or received a naked picture?

Your teen is undoubtedly going to deny it and tell you that they feel insulted. If you are good at knowing when your kid is lying, this is the time to use this tool to your advantage.

Believe it or not, you are not totally helpless. Here is what you can do:

Talk to your teen:

It is one of those unavoidable responsibilities of parents that might make them uncomfortable today but does have its benefits in the long run. Tell them about the long-term effects sexting is going to have on them. Talk to them how nude pictures of kids under 18 are considered child pornography which is illegal. Make them aware of the consequences if their naked photo leaks out in school. Talk about self-esteem and self-respect.

Set rules:

Establish rules when you give them their first cell phone. If they already have one, randomly check their phone. Make sure that you know what is in their phone. Make regular checks of their device.

Take their cell phone away: It is drastic, yes! But you need to do this if you don’t trust your child. Cell phone is a tool they can use to bully others or be bullied themselves. You need to keep a control and help them maintain a balance in their tech-based habits.