TEXT Code 101

To all my parents with Teens or even Tweens...

   If you have a teen in your home, they most likely have a cell phone. And because they have a cell phone they are probably very involved with texting. I've always shared with parents there are a few areas that you HAVE to have your hand in when it comes to the lives of your kids. #1-Friends, 2- Internet/Phone, 3- Music/Media.
   Let me ask a question parents. Do you you have boundaries for your kids in these areas? Or do you let them do what they want when they want? I can't tell you how many times i've heard parents tell me, "I didn't raise my kids that way!" "How could they be pregnant, she knows better!" "They didn't learn that from us!" Well you're right, maybe you didn't raise them? Maybe the culture has been raising them right underneath your nose! Maybe your kids look and act exactly like the ones they have been spending so much time with? Ok, pretty difficult to think about this? It might be, but in these days you are going to have to FIGHT for your kids. You're going to have to take time and do your homework. Your kids are valuable and God has great plans for them! He's entrusted you to guide them and protect them from the evil that lurks to destroy them.

   Do you feel overwhelmed sometimes? Like you want to give up? That's very common and you're not alone. And more importantly i'm here to HELP you! You can do it! Do NOT give up! God believes in YOU, that's why HE gave you those kids! OK, so stay with me on this blog and i promise to continue to pray with you and give you tools to help you.

   Today i want to focus real quick on TEXTING. Remember pagers? Do you remember 143? or 823? Or how about "533 4017 50017" ? (See you soon) Pager CODE! Well in life things don't really change, and today many kids use code when they text so others they don't want to know what they're texting will not understand! aka Parents, aka Teachers, etc. So here's the latest of texting codes...

IWSN- I want sex now   GNOC- Get naked on camera  NIFOC- Naked in front of computer
PIR- Parent In Room  53X- Sex   TDTM- Talk dirty to me   PRON- Porn  
POS- Parent over shoulder   KPC- Keeping Parents Clueless  IPN- Im posting naked
SUGARPIC- Suggestive or erotic pic  DOC- Drug of choice  LH6- Let's have sex
99- Parent gone  GYPO- Get your pants off   KOTL- Kiss on the lips
(L)MIRL- Let's meet in real life

Some of these may shock you, but it's happening everyday with thousands of youth in America. Youth that are in church too! So if you see these on your kids phones, don't freak out. Pray, have a conversation in love with your kid, and administer accountability and boundaries. If you ever see something that is code and you're not sure what it is, just google it. Here are some stats about texting/sexting...
  
     40% of teens have posted or sent sexual /explicit messages.
     48% of teens say they have received a sexual/explicit message.
     71% of teen girls who have sent these texts have sent them to their boyfriend.
     17% of teens who have received a sexual/explicit message have passed it on.

As technology continues to develop, there are more and more doors that allow the enemy to come in. We have to be ahead of the game, and have a plan! I hope this blesses you. Every week i promise to give you resources and wisdom to help you with your teens. 

PARENT TIP OF THE WEEK...
     Here's something i suggest and have seen work. Pick a reasonable time that the whole family puts their cells away to be charged for the night. 9pm? 9:30pm? Maybe its the dinner table or living room. Everyone puts their phones there and leave them for the night. In the morning phones are available again. There really should be no reason teens take their phones in their rooms to go to bed. This eliminates tons of temptation. 

Thanks for reading. If this encourages you, please pass this on to someone else.

Changing This Generation,
    Chris