Technology everywhere: when will we learn?

Are teenagers too obsessed with their technology? Between cell phones, TV, MP3 players, video games and Facebook, when do teens have time for actual socializing?

It seems that teens' technology has become their lifeline. If someone were to take away their cellphone, it would be like taking away their oxygen.

As sad as it is, for some teens, it is an addiction.

If a teen goes to visit a friend or family member, you can almost guarantee that they will be pulling out their phone to text someone about something while visiting. This is kind of sad because it seems that teens are saying, "Yeah, I'll hang out with you, but I really would rather be with this person."

Another sad thing is that teens spend more time chatting on Facebook with their 650 "friends" than they do having a face-to-face conversation with a friend in real life.

An added problem is that most teenagers will have at least one ear bud in their ear at all times whether they are at school (and the teacher is talking) or at a performance. It's as if teenagers need a piece of technology with them at all times or else they suffer.

I am not saying that we should get rid of technology or even ban it from school; I simply think that teenagers need to understand that there is a time and a place for technology. As one veteran Regina mom who has raised three teens, comments, "With all of today's modern communication technology, youth are missing out on opportunities to have real and deep relationships."

Teenagers should be able to put down their cellphones and leave the MP3 player at home to spend some quality time with family and friends. Talk, play a game, go for a walk, do something enjoyable without technology. Teens need to put away the gadgets before it's too late and they end up staying in their own little technological world with no outside interactions.

by: Jillian Stewart, Leader-post

New iPhone app aimed at getting help to troubled teens

Kids may not come with user manuals, but a just-released technology-driven tool aims to make it easier to find help for hurt and troubled teenagers.

The process — recognizing a problem, identifying the causes and ultimately finding help — can be a complex puzzle for adults unfamiliar with the pressures teens face at middle and high schools and the resources available to help.

That dilemma begged an obvious question: “How can we put a tool in the hands of all those people?” said Eric Nidiffer, vice president of Turning Point Experience, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students avoid destructive influences in their lives.

For the past 10 months, father-son duo William and Eric Nidiffer have been working with the Southern Nevada Community Gang Task Force to produce that tool — a comprehensive iPhone application designed to educate adults about the top 20 issues teens face and provide them with the resources for finding help.

Read entire article here.

By Jackie Valley, www.lasvegassun.com

Experts warn of pitfalls teens face on social networking sites

A photo or snippet of information posted to a social networking site such as Facebook can become a digital first-impression of a person, and for some young people, it’s not a good one, an expert on cyberbullying said.

To make his point, Sameer Hinduja, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, flashed a series of photos publicly displayed on Facebook of teens drinking, doing drugs and engaging in other questionable behavior.

“It’d be nice if I sat down with any of these kids and had a chat with them and got a feel for their integrity and their character,” said Hinduja, keynote speaker at a forum on cyberbullying, sexting and social network privacy.

“But we live in a society where we don’t take the time to do that. What we do is Google you...and make a snap judgment about you,” Hinduja said.

The Anti-Defamation League and Henderson Libraries hosted The ABCs of Cyberbullying panel discussion on Wednesday at the Paseo Verde Library.

Read entire article.

By: Rich Coleman, www.lasvegassun.com

Demi Lovato's Treatment Sheds Light On Teen Issues, Expert Says

Now that Demi Lovato has entered a treatment facility to deal with "emotional and physical issues she has dealt with for some time," her public struggle is shedding light on a whole range of issues that many teenage girls face. Lovato has been open in the past about the pressure she's under, including her self-esteem issues and constant media scrutiny.

Dr. Dorian Traube, assistant professor at the University of Southern California's School of Social Work, spoke to MTV News about the advice she has for young people who might be going through a similarly difficult time.

"Well, I think regardless to whether the bullying contributed to what sent her to seek treatment, she's in treatment because she's having issues related to self-esteem and mental health, and all of that makes you feel lonely," she explained. "So I think it's important for young women or teens to realize that it is important to find an environment in which they feel like they excel and treated with respect and that they have a good cadre of friends around them."

Read entire article here.

-By: Jocelyn Vena, mtv.com