“Ghost-Riding”:
The New “Trunking”?
Teens have been doing crazy – some would say stupid – stunts with their cars for decades. Recently there was concern over “trunking” – teens riding in the trunks of their friends’ cars.
But a newer trend called “ghost-riding” or “ghost driving” involves teens outside their cars. The idea is to exit the vehicle while it’s moving at a low speed – and then dance on or around the car while music pumps out from the dashboard.
Homemade videos of teen ghost-riding have been popping up all over the Internet. Many show the cars involved crashing into stationary objects like hydrants and telephone poles - or going up onto sidewalks. There have been several lethal accidents connected with ghost-riding incidents – along with numerous injuries.
Get Your Head Out of
That Game!
Tired from trying to get the attention of teens bent over some electronic game? A new study says you’d better get used to it. Most of the market for wireless gaming – that is, playing games on wireless devices -- consists of teens and adults less than 24 years of age. And a new industry forecast says that market is expected to grow by more than 16 percent annually between now and 2010 – when the number of people buying mobile games is expected to reach 50 million.
And it’s not just boys. The survey found that young women were only slightly less likely to buy these games than their male counterparts. And young girls are being hooked on a whole new generation of games, such as www.webkinz.com.
Moms Much More Likely to Be Kids’ Confidants Than Dads
A common complaint among teens is that their parents don’t “get” what they’re going through. But many teens still look to their parents, particularly their mothers, for guidance.
A national survey in Canada found that more than two-thirds of teens turn to their friends and closest confidants for advice. But 60 percent said they ask their mothers for guidance during stressful times – compared to 37 percent of teens that seek out their fathers’ counsel.
More than half of the teens surveyed said they were comfortable talking with their parents about topics like bullying, drugs and alcohol or harassment. But only 27 percent said they would talk to their parents about sex.
And the places where teens said they had the most significant talks with mom and dad? At the dinner table, in the car and just before bedtime.
Instant Messaging Provides Real Value to Kids —
and Parents
Ever hear a constant beep or pinging while your teen is on their computer? Chances are they’re talking to their friends through Instant Messaging (IM) – a way of sending real-time text messages.
You might think of IM as just frivolous communications, but according to a recent survey, more than half of teen IM users say they’ve used Instant Messaging to get help with their homework (although less than ten percent have contacted a teacher or tutor via IM).
Along with chat, gossip or sharing math problems, many teens also use IM to share photos, music and video files.
Introducing
Parents & Company:
The antidote to MySpace
You’ve seen or experienced the power of online communities such as MySpace and Facebook. The influence they have over kids is amazing. Now, we’ve launched Parents & Company, and online community just for parents and educators. You can share information and ideas, meet others facing the same challenges and stay on top of the latest issues affecting children and youth.
Parents & Company is absolutely FREE. And it’s online now.
Click here to JOIN NOW.