Effective Ways to Control and Prevent Sexting
7 Effective Ways to Control and Prevent Sexting in Teens, Sending digital sexually explicit photographs, videos, texts, or emails, typically over a cell phone, is known as “sexting.”
It is essential to know and trust the person you have chosen to Sext with. If you don’t have any information about them or think they are pretending to be someone else, make sure you are ok with the consequences that may follow.
You might be interested to know that under certain circumstances, sometimes, when an explicit image or video of either you or your partner that you traded during a sex chat gets leaked, the polices will not get involved, such as when:
- You and your partner had each other’s permission to share the explicit media
- Neither abuse nor assault is depicted in the messages
- Neither one of you is underage (under 18)
Honestly, due to possible hackings and other potential reasons, the safe keeping of sexts and exclusively shared media can NEVER be guaranteed. You have to take preventive measures to protect yourself and your loved ones from shame and sorrow.
Educate Yourself
As much as you want to educate your kids, it is essential that you know enough before starting the conversation.
Keep the Dialogue Open
If they feel comfortable, they will talk.
Don’t Be Judgmental
You don’t want your kids to feel afraid or do the exact opposite.
Listen to Them
Don’t lead the conversation and give a lecture on why they shouldn’t sext. Let them talk too. Have this conversation with them BEFORE they experience sexting.
Talk to Them
communication is always key! Don’t wait for them to come to you. Go and ask them about sexting to see what they already know about it. Look for conversation starters; if a related topic or program comes on the television, or if one of your children’s friends has had a similar incident that you know of could be the right time.
Determine the cause of your teen’s sexting first. Keep in mind that every action has a purpose. There is a reason why your youngster is behaving this way. What are they obtaining out of sexting, you wonder as you scratch your head, struggling to make sense of it? Does sexting give her social validation, make her feel lovable, make her more popular, raise her self-esteem, or satiate her sexual curiosity? You’ll be in a better position to speak to your kid about the risks of exchanging sexually explicit photographs once you know what your child is getting out of sexting.
Once you have established the reason, you can try to address the issue and find a proper solution for it together with your adolescent.
The following are some of the topics you can discuss with your kids to educate them about sexting:
- It can always get out:
Tell them their messages or photos/videos can be shared with others, even by their own friends. Even apps that remove images briefly are sent and have high security; they can never be sure.
- Once it’s out, it’s out:
Encourage them to think twice before posting or sending something. The Internet is a scary place. You might be able to delete the content you have shared online but you can never be sure there aren’t any copies or screenshots of your info out there!
- You are not alone:
Tell them to talk whenever they feel the need. They might have been bullied, or they just don’t know about the consequences of what they’ve done.
Remember:
You need to talk to your children as soon as they acquire their FIRST smartphone, laptop, or webcam.
Connect Them With Positive Role Models
According to social learning theory, if a youngster can relate to supportive peers, they may begin to model, change, and make better decisions. Risk-taking peers foster a culture that encourages abnormal conduct like sexting. Therefore, your teen is less likely to indulge in sexting the more positive social relationships there are. You can use Safes parental control to keep your child safe.
