verizon teenager parents

Teens Vs. Parents

by Anne Middleton, on November 2nd, 2015

In our current technological environment and insane attachment to all things electronic, could you ever imagine an awkward, pimply-faced teen growing up and avoiding the Internet and online communications? Preposterous!

But for every parent who has ever pondered the question, “what the heck was my teenager thinking when they posted risky information or pictures on social media,” a team of researchers from Penn State advocates the hypothesis that these kids “were not really thinking at all, or at least were not thinking like adults do.”

In opposition to their experienced adult parental figures and no surprise to grown-ups, this demographic of moody and rebellious offspring tend to employ the age old cliché, “act now, and think later.” 

These inexperienced, somewhat naive children enthusiastically engage in risky behaviors on the world wide web.  And only if (and when) they mess up, do they come crawling back to their home base, begging to be rescued.

Adolescents predictably and habitually ignore potential consequences before they text, post, tweet, engage in sexting, or whatever the current trend seems to be. Engaging in peer-to-peer sharing, they thrive on disclosing even the most personal elements of their lives without apprehension or concern of the consequences.

Comprehending this disconnect between the privacy concerns of teens and what information these youths are all to content to reveal to the world is bewildering to those that conceived them. Why would their growing child voluntarily engage in social media as a platform for self-expression? And how did this develop into an appropriate method to gain acceptance from their contemporaries?

There is legitimate concern for such intimate revelations. Kids may disclose vital contact information, or exchange photographs with strangers.

However, without taking on the minimum risks, teens will not have access to all the positive benefits the Internet can provide, nor will they acquire skills and life lessons on how to manage risk and how to safely navigate this online world."

What are the alternatives?  Well, overprotective guardians can breathe a smidgen easier with options from a leader in wireless interaction, Verizon.  From setting data usage limits to blocking calls and texts, Verizon provides the reassuring power to control it all with Verizon Family Safeguards & Controls. These features are easy to set up and most of them are already included in your plan.

T-Mobile relishes the concept that parents can live a worry-free life when their independent child operates even the most advanced devices. T-Mobile's offers WebGuard, a feature that blocks access to specific websites. T-Mobile offers text, IM, and e-mail message blocking for free.

Go ahead and exhale mom and dad.  Your fears can be diminished with these progressive options on Smartphones, tablets and more.  Now all you have to be concerned with is what happens when your teenager acquires their drivers’ license!