Kids do stupid things, which is why they have parents to guide them. However, a lot of American parents don’t truly care or invest time into their children, and then they wonder why problems happen. Likewise, many parents fail to see the connection between their actions as children and those of their children, in so far as that people tend to have patterns of behavior, and instead of recognizing and dealing with them, they would rather go about ignorant of the actions of their children.
One would think that given the dangers of Internet pedophiles, the proliferation of hardcore pornography, and the temptations of peer pressure on children and teenagers that have always existed, that parents would recognize this from their own youth and try to seek the welfare of their children. However, it seems that the trend of past ignorance continues as parent are surprised that their children- much like what they may have done or actually did do at a comparable age or if they would have been placed into a similar situation -are consuming hardcore pornography and sending naked photos to each other.
Late last year, a police officer from Prince Edward Island warned that nude selfies were now so ubiquitous among schoolchildren that “it’s become part of the courtship process for kids as young as junior high,” according to Canada’s state broadcaster. In some cases, pictures are being sent by children as young as sixth grade. These photos—generally of the sender’s genitals, or topless photos—have a “110% chance” of being shown to others. Despite this fact, most teenagers simply do not seem to think through or understand the consequences of this behavior.
The sexting phenomenon has transformed teen dating. “They’re sending these pictures before they go on, say, a date with somebody,” said Jane Wood of PEI’s Youth Justice Services. “I would say that these pictures are being sent before they hold hands. It seems like the first thing to do.” Some girls are pressured into sending the photos, while others now send them willingly as sexting becomes the norm. As a result, Wood noted, “I’ve had kids that I worked with in junior high and are now in high school and will say, ‘Jane, I sent pictures like in Grade 8. I wasn’t thinking and now they’re being passed around again in high school.’” (source)