Is Your Teen Hardwired?

Teens today have created an electronic barrier to isolate themselves from their parents and other adults. Many teens walk around with earbuds in both ears, music blaring so loud that it can be heard across the room even through the earbuds. The damage being done to the ears is a topic for another day. This sound barrier can reduce communications with the teen to a sort of sign language. The music being listened to is something that parents may be interested in investigating. Many of the lyrics in songs today contain a lot of profanity, racial slurs, and degrading comments about women.

It can't be good for a teen to have this type of message literally pounded into his or her head every waking hour. Some teens go to bed with ear buds in and put them back in first thing in the morning. The music is also playing when they do their homework, drive, basically whatever they are doing. Parents should not only monitor the type of music their child is listening to, but the time they spend listening. A teen that is constantly "tuned out" to their surroundings may be struggling with the realities of life.

Modern Technology

With all of the new technology available today, teens are able to download movies and other objectionable items directly to their individual electronic devices. The problem some parents have is the fact that technology may have passed them by. This creates a situation where the teen has the ability to access things that the parent may not approve of. For a relatively low monthly price teens can have an account that will enable them to view unlimited movies on their electronic devices. Movies that depict inappropriate activities and that may not be in harmony with family values can easily be obtained.

There are ways a parent can stay in control of their child's electronic devices, but it will require research and regular monitoring of the electrical devices the teen has. Parents should establish some ground rules before giving a teen the latest and greatest technological device. Rules may include complete parental access to any of their electronic devices, at any time. The ability to install tracking software so activity can be reviewed. It should be understood that any abuse of the device could result in it's loss.

Internet

The Internet is a wonderful educational medium, but it can also be detrimental to the development of a teen. If not controlled and monitored it may be educating your teen about things beyond their maturity level. The most obvious downside is the ability to download pornography online. In the privacy of their rooms teens can upload movies and images the would more than likely make their parents shutter. With every new device there is, or will be, some type of monitoring software that can be installed. The addiction to pornography is an epidemic in the country today.

Some children and teens may innocently stumble onto a pornographic site, only to be ensnared by it's captivating nature. Once intrigued by the images, children, teens, and adults will have a desire to view them more and more until they are hopelessly unable to free themselves from it's entangling web. It would be much easier to prevent this problem than to try and cure the habit and devastation the addiction creates.