The One Where I Ask You To Help Me Interview My Teenage Boys.

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and LG Text Ed

Earlier I was asked to participate in LG’s Text Ed campaign. I agreed because I have two teenage boys (Two! Teenage! Boys! How am I still alive and walking around this world?) and this topic is relevant to my life.
In my first post on this subject, I made a confession:

I have 2 teenage sons who both have cell phones and who both use those cell phones for texting. I suppose as a responsible parent, one would expect me to say that I’ve had conversations with them about “sexting.” But the truth is, I haven’t.
I have had conversations about what is and is not appropriate to post online. But I’ve never had the conversation about what is and is not appropriate to send via text messages.
I trust my children with their cell phones. They’ve been responsible cell phone users and to my knowledge, have never engaged in sexting. But, I suppose I would never know that unless I checked their text messages.
I do not check my children’s text messages.

This is about to change. As part of the LG Text Ed campaign, I am going to interview my boys on this subject and post that interview here. But! I need your help. Will you help me? I’m looking for suggestions for questions that I will ask my boys. The questions can be anything cell phone related–phone ettiquite, sexting, bullying. Keep in mind that I am open and honest with my boys and that they have an AMAZING sense of humor. So, this will not only be educational, but most likely HIGHLY ENTERTAINING. You’re going to want to be a part of this. Trust me.
Added Bonus: Your comment will help others!
Because this topic is so important for our kids and their futures, BlogHer really wants to get the conversation about texting, sexting and safety going – both with our kids and among parents. It will match LG’s donation of .50 to dosomething.org for every comment on this post.
So, would you please be so kind, so helpful and give me your suggestions on questions for my boys? Dosomething.org will get a $1.00 for each and every one.

18 thoughts on “The One Where I Ask You To Help Me Interview My Teenage Boys.

  1. MarfMom

    I’d be interested in hearing what teens use their phones most for these days. As adults we hear a lot about sexting and bullying via texting, but is that because those things are common or because they make a good news story? So, are teens mostly sending texts to chat, or sending pics, or trading music, or actually using their phone to talk on?

  2. liz

    What are their reactions to stories in the news about sexting and bullying using text messages and facebook? Does it happen in their crowd?

  3. Becki

    Does having a cell phone at your age affect how your peers view you? My son is 9 and already asking for a cell phone because “So and So has one!”

  4. Kristen

    I wonder how many kids at their school do they have in their contact list on their phones. How many of these kids do they actually consider their friends? And if the number of friends is significantly less than the number of kids in their contacts, how does the actual exchange of phone numbers happen?

  5. MBB

    Don’t ask them “if” they sext. Ask them:
    So, how many times have you sent a picture of yourself not fully clothed to someone else?
    How many different people have you seen in a text msg that weren’t fully dressed?
    And do your questioning not in an “interview” but randomly when they aren’t prepared. I prefer late at night when they’re tired and their defenses are down. Especially useful if you let them stay up really late (1:30) watching tv and they feel relaxed with you.
    But be prepared you might not like what you hear….

  6. Marie Green

    Heh. I just had to google GNOC.
    Hmmm, what questions to ask? I really just want to know how common/widespread sexting is. If they don’t do it, is it widely known that many/most kids do? Also, is it common to use very derogatory language with girls (suck my d***, bit**), that kind of thing. What do they think of talking to girls that way?

  7. Cricky

    With the ideal of the “locker room” in mind:
    Have their guy friends shared “sext” or personal text messages from girls with the group of boys?
    How did it make them feel to see these texts?
    Knowing that a text message can be shared, forwarded or shown to any other person, do they censor their text messages?

  8. BetteJo

    Hmm.
    What do they really think the ramifications can be from sending naugty photos to other people, or passing on ones they may receive?
    Another question might be – why are you rolling your eyes???
    And … do they realize that once a text or photo leaves their phone, it is not private anymore – regardless of who they send it to?
    … and why are you rolling your eyes now???

  9. Brilly

    Is texting and driving common amongst their friends.
    Do they get enough education about the dangers of texting and driving
    Are they concerned about getting RSI in their thumbs from constant texting.
    Do they think texting is changing peoples ideas about spelling and grammar.
    Are they concerned about brain cancer from mobile phone use or testicular cancer from carrying their phones constantly in their pockets, or do they think both these things are just urban myths made up by old fuddy duddys 🙂

  10. Sarah

    ask them to remember that every girl is someones daughter, who was a sweet little girl like G, and deserves to be treasured and respected for who she is. ask them to think of every girl as they would their own sister in terms of their desire to protect and honor.

  11. Becky

    I would ask them if they ever tell their friends when your family goes on vacation. We are always telling our kids not to share so much. Could set us up for getting robbed.

  12. Laura

    Ask them if it affects their sleep habits. I finally installed a policy that my son has to bring his phone down and put it on the charger at a certain time b/c girls were texting him all night long. I don’t understand how they function at school the next day!

  13. Jessie Kessler

    Do they forward rumors or gossip about other classmates or friends? Even if it was forwarded to them.

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