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Harmless Pastime Or Risky Addiction?

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On the surface, texting may seem like a harmless pastime for teenagers and a helpful way for youngsters to stay in touch with their families throughout the day. It can be very reassuring for parents to know that if their children have a problem or need something that they can communicate their needs to their parents in a matter of seconds.

But like most things, if it is overdone there can be negative impacts on the lives of teens. Excessive time spent texting or talking on cell phones is contributing to insomnia, which can be a factor in obesity, poor academic performance and an increase in automobile accident rates in teenagers. Millions of teens are texting into the wee hours of the night when they should be getting some much-needed sleep.

A new report finds that the average teen sends and receives 80 text messages a day. A recent Nielsen study found that the average U.S. teenager sends and receives more than 2,200 messages a month. Ninety percent of teens have their own cell phones and one third say they send text messages after 9 p.m. on a regular basis. At least 20 percent of the teens surveyed report texting past 11 p.m. at least three nights a week.

As one researcher put it: “Most kids go to sleep with their phone plugged in right by their heads. Every ping of an incoming message is a temptation to pick up the phone. Their phones are extensions of their bodies. They’ve gotten so good at text messaging they can do it with one hand and with their eyes closed.“

A poll from the National Sleep Foundation said teens with electronic items in their bedrooms were twice as likely to fall asleep in school. Our brains naturally respond to the light exposure that results when we are on the computer or a cell phone in the dark. Even tiny light distractions can cause significant changes in sleep patterns.

So what can parents do to help ensure their children aren’t overdoing it on nighttime texting? Set some ground rules. Keep phones out of bedrooms. Have teens put their phones on a charger in a central location (like the kitchen) after 9 p.m. at night. More and more parents are purchasing laptops instead of desktop computers for their kids. That way the computer can be completely removed from teens’ rooms at night.

Have the “text talk” with your teenagers. Help them understand that, like most things, texting can be a fun and helpful tool if it is used in moderation. With a little understanding you and your teen can work out a safe and healthy compromise.