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This is a great topic for discussion!
My thoughts are-
* take the gosh darn cell phones away, period
- if this is impractical, do not allow the child to do any text messaging
* get a cell phone service that does not include messaging
* the first time the bill comes in for more than the standard monthly charge, make the child pay for it! In the meantime go to the top of the list....
* regardless of the content of the messages, if the number of daily t/ms's is more than, say, ten (10) have a talk with the child about waiting to use the telephone when they get home and then place a daily limit on its use of no more than 20 minutes total.
The only ways I am aware of that you can prevent sending photos is not to have a camera. So, no web-cameras, and no cell phone with a camera. Better, have a heart to heart discussion with the child up front when giving them a cell phone to use about using it responsibly. Sending dozens of texts a day to friends is not a good use of their time. Talk to your child(ren) about what often happens when they send provocative images out into the world and how once they press the "send" button, that picture is out there for the world to see.
Guys often think it is fun to share pictures with their friends; those friends think it is cool to forward them on to others, and before you know it the entire school has seen them. Reputations have been ruined and embarrassing comments and gossip ensue.
Just ask a girl or boy if they would hand another person a photograph? If they say "of course not!" then ask them why they would send such a picture by t/m or E-mail. The followup to this is that even handing a person a photograph is no guarantee it won't end up in cyberspace. Lots of families have scanners...............
I believe that the use of cell phones needs to come with restrictions and guidelines that are strictly enforced. The same goes for E-mailing.
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