Teenagers & Cellphones:

A Match Made in…?

In this post 9/11 era, many parents believe that the cellphone insures the safety of their children, by keeping them just a speed dial button away. Focusing on the frightful image of a child's car going off the road and no one there to save them, I believe that most parents are oblivious to the many dangers that the cellphone presents to their children.

Texting & Speaking While Driving-Too many adults are guilty of this. We all understand why car rental companies don't rent to people under 23 or 25. Teenagers are both less cautious and less experienced. Adding the ubiquitous texting and cellphone use to the mix is a recipe for disaster.

They Can't Concentrate on Anything Else- It's hard to get the full attention of a teenager who is constantly checking his cell for the latest text or call. The three to four hour AP, ACT and SAT exams are not being rewritten for this generation, the length of whose attention span is diminishing rapidly.

To Whom Are They Texting & Speaking?- When the phone rings at home, you know who is calling. You have no idea who is calling your children.

Unsupervised Internet- As Computer Crime Investigator Phillip Rosenthal told us, teenagers should not use the internet unsupervised. There are predators and people who misrepresent themselves (not to speak of a lot of inappropriate stuff we wouldn't let into our home). Cellphones with internet pose this additional challenge.

As long as our teenagers are under our roof, it is our responsibility to protect them physically, emotionally and spiritually. Once they leave our homes, we afford them opportunities which we hope they will make the most of.

A few suggestions to avoid these pitfalls;