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Talking to Teens About Sexting

Posted on Feb 14 2013 under Blog Posts | Tags: , , , ,

As cell phone and mobile device use grows among teens, the issue of teen sexting continues to rear its ugly head in our communities. Sexting blog post photoParents, you may be in for a rude awakening if you think your teens are NOT sexting. According to a longitudinal study published in July 2012 by the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, nearly 28 percent of teens say they’ve sent nude photos of themselves via text or email. Another 57 percent reported being asked to send naked photos. The study also reports that teens who demonstrate sexting behaviors were more likely to engage in dating or sex with girls participating in more “risky sexual behaviors.”

So what can you as a parent do? I believe that success with teen sexting has a lot to do with communication between you and your child. You need to have open communication with your kids and talk to them about the dangers of sexting. It may be a difficult and uncomfortable conversation to have but it is one that needs to happen. Kids want their independence; and I agree that as a parent you cannot be there 24/7. However, remember, you are the parent; you have every right to access your child’s Internet accounts and cell phone to ensure that they are not indulging in any activity that is inappropriate. Your kids will fuss but at the end of the day it is your job to protect them.

If you would like to know more about sexting, check out this blog post Caught Your Kid Sexting, Now What? You will learn about sexting and the practical steps if you suspect that your teen is sexting. You can also listen to our podcast “Back to School Series: Cyber Bullying and Sexting”. Also stay tuned for our upcoming March radio series with topics from school bullying, cyberbullying, sexting and the prevention of youth violence all in support of the National SAVE Youth Violence Prevention Week.

Authored by Mia Brooms
Graduate Student Intern

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How to Address the Fear of the Big Bad Wolf

Mia BroomsIn the story of the three little pigs, we encounter the character of the big bad wolf; he is portrayed as big and bad. The same can be said when we think of the “big bad wolf” in our daily experience. However, fear tends to be the driving force behind this concept of the big bad wolf. Our thoughts, fears and emotions make conflict ugly and uncomfortable and hard to deal with. Fear makes us build walls in order to protect ourselves from this “the big bad wolf.” This is often the same way we deal with race, because we don’t know the person, group or culture we become afraid and we build walls to protect ourselves.

Once someone comes into our personal space we become afraid and this creates a fear that may make us act in ways that are inappropriate. Fear is a basic survival mechanism which occurs in response to a specific stimulus such as pain or the threat of danger. Once recognized it can lead to an urge to confront or flee (also known as the fight or flight response).

The fear of something or someone unknown and the lack of understanding is the basis for placing people and groups into categories. By creating these categories, it places that unknown at a safe enough distance so we don’t have to talk about or deal with the issues.

However, in order to break this cycle and deal with the perception of the big bad wolf, we have to be willing to get to know someone or a group that is different than us. Break down those walls, be curious and ask questions in order to understand the other, and start building different kinds of relationships.

If you would like to know more listen to Who is The Big Bad Wolf and Why are We Afraid of Him/Her? How race relations create, nurture and perpetuate the existence of this fictional character with Marvin E. Johnson, Founder and Executive Director of the Center alternative Dispute Resolution and Lou Gieszel, Deputy Executive Director of the Maryland Judiciary’s Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO)

Mia Brooms, Graduate Student Intern

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Welcome Student Intern – Mia Brooms

Posted on Sep 23 2012 under Blog Posts | Tags: ,

Please welcome Mia Brooms as the new graduate student intern for The Texas Conflict Coach Blog Talk Radio show. She will be working with us during the 2012-2013 school year.

Mia Brooms is currently a graduate student in the Negotiation and Conflict Management program at the University of Baltimore. She is originally from the Island of Barbados but moved to Baltimore three years ago after getting married. She is a full-time employee of the University of Maryland, School of Dentistry where she serves in the Office of admissions as an Academic Program Specialist. Mia is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus where she obtained a Bachelors of Science in Management with Honors.

Upon completing her graduate studies it is her hope to work with youth in the community. Mia believes that if people are exposed to conflict resolution at an early age, this could help in curbing the existence of so much of the crime that is present in our society. Young people need the skills to be able to handle and resolve conflict in a non-violent manner. This is her passion and it is her hope to take all the knowledge and experiences gained through the program and develop programs that can help our youth.
Mia is a young, motivated, dedicated, self-disciplined and optimistic individual. She loves life and everything it has to offer and wish she had more than 24 hours in a day to take advantage of her time here on Earth. She is a Christian and enjoys sharing her faith whenever the opportunity is presented. An important aspect of her life is family, her husband Irvin Brooms recently graduated from the University of Baltimore with a Masters in Legal and Ethical Studies. She firmly believes in putting family before everything because without family she is nothing.

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