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Limit your teen’s time spent online, and put computers in a common area of the house. |
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Learn about the digital devices your teen uses. |
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Visit your teen’s Web site or personal blog. |
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- IM’ing can be a distracting activity, taking away from your teen’s ability to concentrate on homework.
- IM can be a social crutch, as it requires no face-to-face interaction. It can be a communication crutch and inhibit a teen’s development of good speaking and writing skills.
- Strangers may try to contact your teen. If your teen is prone to risky behaviors, they could easily be lured in by predators or asked to engage in illegal activities, like buying illicit drugs online.
- The acronyms and symbols that teens use while Instant Messaging, which their parents largely are not familiar with, can enable them to leave their parents in the dark about certain subjects, such as drug or alcohol use or personal relationships.
- IM provides an additional way for teens to talk with people they might not have the opportunity to talk to in person, such as teachers, experts for a research project, people with similar interests and even family members.
- By setting up their own Instant Messaging account, parents can stay in constant communication and check in with their teens using a technology that teens love.
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