In this culture, providing a cell phone and Internet access seems as critical to the well-being of teens as learning games and Legos did when they were toddlers. And certainly there are immense benefits to technology. You can contact your child by cell phone almost anyplace or anytime. The Internet allows incredible access to information.

The Downside of Technology

Unfortunately, the downside includes reports of teen sexting, sending nude or seminude photos and sexually explicit text messages on cell phones. Teens are also posting these types of images and messages on social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. Email and webcams allow them to participate in cybersex. And parents provide the very tools of technology that can lead children to these forms of sexual misconduct.