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0217 FEBRUARY
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d o you remember your
first
kiss? you can probably close your eyes and see your surroundings, recall the butterflies, and you are right back there. since the 1950s, that kiss could have been described as ?
first
base,? the start that leads to the next steps in a physical relationship. ?at kiss often decided if there would be a second kiss or any further why do ?ey push send? rhonda norwood, phd and lcsw of goodwood counseling, specifies that curiosity and lack of judgment is completely normal for teenagers. in fact, ?the combination of the two can be a perfect storm when it comes to
sexting
. teenagers are unable to see the future and understand the possible consequences of their actions. ?ey are impulsive.? more and more teenagers are using
sexting
as their
first
step into
sexual
curiosity for many reasons. ?ey feel like it is a prerequisite for dating, and the idea of a dating relationship is very important to many. in this ?snapchat? culture, trading images has been ?normalized as the
first
step? to show interest in someone, dr. norwood shares. dr. norwood also says the correlation between sending a nude image and subsequent
sexual
intercourse within a year makes ?perfect sense.? she explains, ??e danger of social media and smartphones is that they lower inhibitions. ?e individual feels like the anonymity and distance between her and the other person makes it easier and safer.
sexting
slowly desensitizes the teen to the whole
sexual
experience. ?ey send the image and get good feedback, which leads to even more unhealthy encouragement.? ?e illusion of safety is the trap that many fall prey to behind the black mirror that they feel protects them. what?s ?e new
first
base? by joy holden ?at action is
sexting
, which involves sending
sexual
or nude images or graphic
sexual
language. according to a study published in the journal pediatrics by dr. jeff temple, associate professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at university of texas medical branch in galveston,
sexting
has become that initial contact that leads to
sexual
activity.
sexting
precedes initial
sexual
intercourse, and those teens that sent a naked picture of themselves were more likely to have engaged in
sexual
intercourse by the next year. while this finding is alarming, and may have parents scrambling for their child?s phone, it can actually be an invitation for the parent to talk to the child, understand their motivation, and communicate the dangerous consequences involved. physical actions. today, in our age of social media and electronic interaction, that decision is being made by another action, one that involves a smartphone camera and a text. 32 brparents.com | february 2017
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