2013 In Review: What Teens Had To Deal with In 2013

Teen trends have always seems wacky, silly and sometimes downright scary for parents. Adolescence is a time to explore new things and gain independence from parental authority, so teens readily embrace fads and trends that appear to help them on their way. However, while most trends are benign, there are some that can actually be dangerous or harmful to teens.

Here is a list of harmful teen trends and fads that were popular in 2013:

Hand Sanitizer:

Teens drink hand sanitizer, which has large amounts of ethyl alcohol, to get a buzz, similar to cough syrup or mouthwash a few years ago.

Vampire Bites:

Inspired by the media vampire rage over the past few years, teens are actually drawing blood from a girlfriend or boyfriend’s neck after a few love nibbles and drinking blood as a sign of devotion.

Stunts for Online Viewing:

Whether it’s video of vandalizing, daredevil stunts, practical jokes or other wacky event, teens frequently video their activities and post them online, even though some of them are either mean, destructive or downright dangerous.

Cyberbullying:

When teens take to social media to shame, manipulate, embarrass or harass another, it’s cyberbullying and many states have enacted laws to make the activity criminal.

Salt and Ice Challenge:

Teens love to engage in strength and stamina contests, and the salt and ice challenge requires teens to hold a mixture of salt and ice for as long as possible before the burning and pain is too much to bear and the skin receives second degree cold burns.

Cinnamon Challenge:

Another stamina challenge is to eat a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon then try to swallow it without drinking, while other teens laugh at the victim’s choking, gagging and irritated eyes.

Car Stunts:

From surfing on the top of a moving car to riding in the trunk to avoid detection, when teens and cars combine for stunts, it quickly becomes dangerous, harmful and in some cases, fatal.

Vodka Eyeballing:

To avoid trouble with parents who might smell alcohol on the breath, many teens are eyeballing vodka, or pouring a shot over the eyeball where blood vessels carry it into the bloodstream.

Choking High:

Teens looking for a free high cut off circulation around the neck using a belt, sock or their hands, then enjoy the sensation as the blood rushes back, however the game can lead to passing out, brain damage and sometimes even death.

Sexting:

Sending explicit photos of themselves or others can get teens into a lot of trouble as more states are increasing in awareness of this growing trend and linking it with distributing child pornography.

Knockout Game:

This new activity involves teens trying to knock out an unsuspecting person with a single punch, and it has already resulted in several deaths and multiple hospitalizations across the country.  

Parents who are concerned that their impressionable teen may be tempted to participate in some of these growing trends should take the time to communicate about the consequences of the actions. 

Parents should stress the dangers involved and give teens some ideas of how to get out of situations where their friends are pressuring them to join in. Once teens understand that the long-term effects— many of them harmful—are not worth it, it just may give them the courage to resist.

Tyler Jacobson is a freelance writer who writes primarily about family dynamics in a digital world, such as how to talk to your teen about online safety.

Responsible Social Media Use for Teens

Today’s teens love social media as a way to connect with friends and share their passions and interests with others. However, responsibly using social media is something that goes beyond a teen with a new smartphone. Parents should help teens with responsible social media use because misuse can result in a range of issues and problems. Here are some topics that parents absolutely must make sure their teens know more about in order to become responsible social media users:

Privacy

The privacy settings on social media accounts are there for a reason—to prevent anyone from accessing someone’s information. Even though teens may think it is fun to share passwords and account names, they must understand that it opens up the doors for everything from harmless pranks to more serious violations of trust and boundaries. The only way for teens’ social media accounts to stay secure is to keep them completely private, allowing the privacy settings to do their job.

Permanence

Teens may view social media platforms as a way to express what they are thinking in the moment, connect instantly with friends and then move on—never gaining a full understanding of the permanence of information on the internet. Text messages, photos and more never really disappear once they are posted online. Teens should understand that they should never post anything online that they wouldn’t want everyone around them to see or read. A good rule of thumb on this is to think before every post if the content is something they would want their grandmother or their younger sibling to see. If not, don’t post it.

Bullying

Cyberbullying is a growing problem among teens that use social media, and extreme cases of bullying have contributed to teen suicide. Most teens report that they have witnessed some form of cyberbullying in the past year. In order to use social media responsibly, teens should have a clear understanding of what cyberbullying looks like and the steps they can take to get help in dealing with bullies before it’s too late. They should also know the steps to take to report any cyberbullying they witness. Recent laws enacted in many states have criminalized cyberbullying, so there are real consequences for these cruel action.

Monitoring

Part of a teenager’s understanding of the permanence of any data put out onto social media includes knowing that certain organizations use the internet as a resource. For example, law enforcement agencies often check out social media for more information and insight into illegal activities that teens document. Social media photos and texts can help law enforcement recreate timelines, prove alibis and more. Another example is a teen’s current school. The school might choose to monitor social media accounts to ensure that enrollment standards are being met. Finally, college admissions counselors have been known to gain insight, both positive and negative, into applicants by looking them up on social media. Teens should always remember that lots of organizations use Facebook to their advantage, so they should only post neutral or positive events.

Predators

A predators is anyone looking to take advantage of another.  Predators use social media to identify and build “relationships” with potential victims. Whether a predator is after financial information such as PIN numbers, or wants to pursue an inappropriate relationship, teens must be informed about a predator’s tactics. With chat rooms, texting, and private social media groups, it’s very possible for teens to carry on extended, intimate conversations with strangers without parents knowing.

Teens are likely going to use social media with or without a parent’s guidance. Therefore, parents should take the time to talk with them about signification issues related to social media and help them identify ways that they can choose responsible social media use.

Tyler Clark is a freelance writer with expertise in parenting, child development and family dynamics. He urges parents everywhere to teach their teens how to use social media responsibly.