"Sexting" and cell phone use

Our next Kohl's a Minute for Kids campaign topic is "sexting" and responsible use of cell phones.

One of the big decisions parents face as their children get older is whether or not to get them a cell phone. After all, if they have a cell phone, they can stay in touch with you and their friends, you can reach them when you need them and, besides, most kids have cell phones these days. Children may start asking for a cell phone by age 10 or even younger.

Before saying "yes" to your child’s wish for a cell phone, make sure you understand the risks. One of the greatest risks is "sexting," or sending text messages with pictures of children or teens, who are naked or engaged in sexual acts.

Greg Ramey, PhD, a child psychologist at Dayton Children’s and Dayton Daily News columnist, points to sexting as one of the greatest risks of preteen and teen cell phone use. "Kids this age are totally unaware that such pictures can constitute child pornography and can result in criminal prosecution and designation as a sexual predator," he says. This can result in emotional pain for the sender, the receiver and the child in the picture.

For tips to protect your child from "sexting" and how to approach responsible cell phone usage visit our Kohl's A Minute of Kids microsite.

Teaching Your Teens to Drive

A couple weeks ago we posted a blog post about the importance of setting rules and boundaries for your new teen driver. 

The State of Ohio requires parents to log 50 hours of driving with their new drivers. Here is an opportunity offered by some of our partners, AAA Miami Valley and PDS Driving School, to make sure the time you spend with your new driver is quality time. 

Free parents only training class
Sunday, December 6 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm
AAA Conference Center
825 S Ludlow Street
Dayton, OH 45402
Call (937) 224-2826 to reserve a seat!

Each year over 6,000 young drivers are killed in car crashes. This parent class is a first step to reduce these devastating incidents.

It’s Time to Talk to Your Teen About Safe Driving

National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), October 18 – 24, has been designated by Congress as a time for communities, schools and families to raise awareness and provide solutions to teen driver crashes, the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S.

We encourage parents to talk with their teens about the risks associated with driving and to set clear expectations for teen drivers and passengers. Here are 5 tips to get the conversation started:

1. Absolutely No Alcohol. Teen drivers (ages 15-20) are at far greater risk of death in crashes where alcohol was present than the rest of us, even though they cannot legally purchase or possess alcohol.
2. Seat belts: Always Buckle Up! Teens buckle up far less frequently than adults do. The very first thing you can do is to be a role model for your children by buckling yourself up every time you get in the car. When your teen is ready to drive, remind them that whether they are driving across town or just around the neighborhood, wearing seat belts is the absolute best way to protect themselves and their passengers from severe injury or even death in the event of a crash.
3. Cell phone/texting: No talking or texting while driving. Talk to your teen drivers about the risks of talking, texting and other distractions, and set clear expectations about driving habits. Distracted driving results in a slower response rate which could be deadly to a pedestrian or a driver.
4. Curfew: Have the Car in the Driveway by 10 p.m. Talk to your teen driver about when you expect them to have the car back in the driveway. The reason for setting a “home-by” rule is to protect your kids by keeping them from driving during the high-risk nighttime hours.
5. Passengers: No more than one at all times Research shows that the risk of a fatal crash goes up in direct relation to the number of teenagers in the car. Non-adult passengers can be a dangerous and fatal distraction for young novice drivers. Also teach your child to be an considerate passenger who doesn’t distract the driver.

And remember, it's also extremely important to lead by example. Follow the rules of the road. Always wear a seat belt, don’t talk on a cell phone while driving and don’t speed. Your child watches your every move.