[4_2_it]

Another thought. When I get my daughter a cell phone (probably for her 13th B-day) it will not have a text message feature. 13-17 year olds do not "need" to text each other. They can use the phone or exchange email if they "need" to communicate.

Young teen girls AIMing each other only creates more problems than it's worth. I'd rather be the hard ass, than deal with the consequences of this stuff gone awry.

Question: What is so important in the live of a 13 year-old that she has to AIM her friends ASAP?

Answer: Nothing.

Also, I don't let me kids participate in chat rooms because a young teenager is not ready to handle the 'real' world environment many of these innocent chat rooms offer.

Again, I know I can't stop my kids from dating boys and everything that goes with it, but I can put them in a position where they will be able to make good decisions. I just communicate with my kids and stay as involved as I can. Hopefully, the 13 years of parenting has had some positive impact on them.