"You show me yours and I'll show you mine."
Associate professor and psychologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, that behavior has been around for a long time and is part of natural sexual development, according to Dr. Jeff Temple, reported Motherlode, The New York Times' parenting blog.
The problem is that now, "showing" means "sexting."
"It's the medium that makes it different and scary," Temple said.
Temple's research suggests that sexting is not a solid indicator of risky behavior in your teen, but the chances that the sender of the photo or suggestive text will become sexually active in the following year are higher.
Temple said parents shouldn't fret. Instead, they should grab a hold of the opportunity.
Temple was quoted as saying, "It gives us a head start. If we discover that a teen is sexting, it's an opportunity to talk with that teen about sex prior to having it. We can use this as a vehicle to promote safer sexual practices and healthy sexual relationships."
But what about The Cloud? Big Brother? There are no mulligans on the internet. Even apps like Snapchat, where photos disappear after a few seconds, can be screenshot and the images can be saved.
"It's one thing for us to tell them not to do it, and another thing for them when they're in the situation and a boy or girl they really like is asking and they want to get into a relationship," Temple said, as quoted by the blog. "There's pressure there. We need to talk about it as something they're going to want to do and present both sides, and give adolescents more credit than they are typically given."
