Number 21
Here is the latest edition of YouthMoves – a news-sheet for people interested in youth issues in
Written and Produced by Kirrilie Smout, Psychologist, Speaker and Youth Specialist
WELCOME
Welcome to the latest edition of YouthMoves, a news-sheet that gives ‘snatches’ of youth news, info & resources relevant to busy people relating to teens.
What’s in this issue?
- Teenagers’ mobile use
- PLUS find out about useful youth resources
- PLUS find out about upcoming youth events
- Our contact details
- How to unsubscribe OR join up friends and collegues to this newsletter
If you would like to see the back issues of Youth Moves log onto our website www.innovateonline.net
If I can assist your work with young people in any way (by offering counselling services, speaking/training or just answering a question about youth issues), please feel free to phone me on 8357 1711, or email kirriliesmout@innovateonline.net.
PS, I am often asked about reprints: Please feel free to reprint articles in school newsletters providing the following sentence is included: Kirrilie Smout, Innovate Psychology and Education, www.innovateonline.net.
Can’t Live Without My
A recent Australian Psychological Society (APS) study on teens and mobiles showed that approximately 83% of Australian teenagers now have a mobile phone. I see many potential positives of teenage mobile phone ownership. For instance, mobiles can facilitate teenagers’ connection with peers, an important part of adolescent development (they especially help shy teenagers – 47% of teens have said they could SMS things to friends that they could not say in person).
Mobile phones can also provide an additional level of safety for teenagers. They can be used to summon help in an emergency, to find a safe lift home and to get out of dangerous situations. Teenage mobile ownership is convenient for parents; they can often contact teenagers quickly and easily. Teenagers can use their mobile phones as organisation devices – for example I have helped some teens to use their phone’s alarm to remind them to call home/take medication/remember to do things.
Having acknowledged the positives, there are also potential disadvantages of teens having mobiles. For instance, mobile bullying is a real problem, where teens send nasty text messages to each other, or use other people’s phones to harass someone/run up bills. The APS survey showed that 10% of teens have been bullied via mobile. Mobile bullying is particularly destructive as the victim cannot “escape” the bullying by going home. Another teen mobile problem is how it can encroach on other activities. Teenagers will not uncommonly text/call friends very late at night and lose valuable sleep. Many teens will also spend family, homework and class time distracted whatever is happening on the mobile.
Another potential problem is cost and competition. Mobile phone bills are the biggest cause of Australian teen/young adult debt. Many parents are frequently having to pay large mobile bills for their teenagers. Many families simply cannot afford the latest mobile, adding one more “gap” between different levels of socio-economic groups.
Another concern I have about mobiles is that they can give an illusion of safety. Teens will often take risks they would not take without their mobile (eg going to certain places). Parents will sometimes allow their teens to do risky things because they believe their mobile will get their teen out of trouble. We should remember that mobiles cannot be relied upon absolutely. For example, the APS study found that 77% of parents said they couldn’t contact their teen on their mobile when they needed to.
Teens owning mobile phones is part of our future. Like it or loathe it, as people who care for teenagers, we need to help them manage this new technology. Kirrilie
(PS Turn over the page to the “Forum” to see ideas for setting teenage mobile phone rules).
QUOTE OF THE WEEK FROM PEARL S. BUCK, author, Nobel Prize winner, civil rights activist (1892 – 1973)
The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation.
STATS and FACTS: Around 25% of the users of portable music players had daily noise exposures high enough to eventually cause hearing damage, with some users being well above the limit at which damage occurs.
Source: National Acoustic Laboratories, 2005
NEWS AND EVENTS
Early Childhood Intervention Australia: 'Early Childhood Intervention: Whose landscape is it?’, 7th Biennial National Conference, March 6-8 2006, Adelaide: This Conference is aimed at both parents and service providers interested in research, policy and practice in early childhood for children with additional needs and their families. For further information contact: Conference Design Pty Ltd,
Adolescent Services Enfield Campus-ASEC provides intensive services for young people aged 12 - 18 years with significant mental health problems from all over
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training - ASIST: These 2-day training courses are run nationwide and aim to help participants develop skills in recognising, engaging and refering people at risk of suicide. For information on hosting or attending an ASIST session, contact LivingWorks Education National Office PO Box 390, Nunawading VIC 3131, Ph: 03 9894 1833; Fax: 03 9894 4354; Email: info@livingworks.org.au or go to http://www.livingworks.org.au/pages/asist.php.
Forum: Mobile Phone Rules
Dear Kirrilie,
My teen is turning 13 and is desperate for a mobile phone. I have hesitations but think I’m going to give in! What rules should we set down?
Concerned Parent.
Hi there,
Here are five basic suggested rules about mobile phones:
1. The teenager is not allowed to have the mobile on their person whenever they wish. For example, the phone is turned off and kept in the kitchen after 9.30pm at night, during homework time and during family meal times.
2. I suggest a pre-paid phone initially to avoid the possibility of large bills. The teenager must contribute to buying credit for the phone. Agree in advance to how much credit you will provide if any.
3. It is the teenager’s responsibility to always answer every call on their mobile when they are out without parental supervision.
4. The phone must never be used by another teenager.
5. The teenager must follow all school rules regarding mobile phones (please note that while this is at times less convenient for parents – for example wanting the teen to text you while at school about pick up times – the safety and wellbeing of the school population as a whole depends upon school mobile rules).
Write these rules down and give a copy to the teenager with the mobile. Tell them that if any of the rules are broken, the mobile phone will be confiscated for a certain period of time. Don’t be conned into believing you are unnecessarily harsh. The APS survey cited earlier shows that 60% of parents have rules for their teens mobile phone use, and half of these parents do not allow teens to have the mobile in their room overnight. Keep in mind that while teens having mobiles can be a great thing, it also requires extra effort by parents as monitoring and enforcing of rules will be required.
Good luck,
Kirrilie
RESOURCES
HOT TOPIC – EMPLOYERS AND YOUNG WORKERS
Two papers have been released recently on this topic. Job Watch’s study – Fast Food Industry: A Research Study of the Experiences and Problems of Young Workers – is available at http://job-watch.org.au/jwinfo/fastfoodreport.pdf. Mary Tresize-Brown’s paper – Employers and Young Workers –is available at http://www.public-policy.unimelb.edu.au/conference2005/Tre1.pdf.
PARENT HELPLINE- 1300 364 100
This is a confidential telephone information service for parents in
PARENT EASY GUIDES
Parenting SA offer these guides on a wide range of parenting topics. These can be obtained in
free. To order copies, contact Parenting
SA on (08) 8303 1660, or order by fax on
(08) 8303 1653, using the forms at http://www.cyh.com/SubContent.aspx?p=362
Produced by Kirrilie Smout, Psychologist and Professional Speaker specialising in Australian Youth Issues. Kirrilie is available for keynote presentations, training, counselling/assessment of young people, and offering comment on youth issues. For information please contact Innovate Psychology and Education: phone 8357 1711 or go to www.innovateonline.net
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