Do You Know What Your Kids Did on the Internet Today? PARADE Special Report on How to Keep Children Safe and Healthy in a 24/7 Hyper-Connected World

NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For today's youth, being wired is a way of life. The average teen sends more than 50 texts a day; younger children spend over 10 hours a week playing video games; and the amount of time all kids spend online daily has tripled in the past 10 years.

We are just beginning to assess how this nonstop connectivity is affecting kids' development, but it's clear that it is changing the nature of children's relationships to each other, their families, and the world around them.  Helping your children make smart choices has never been more crucial. This Sunday's special report in PARADE discusses some of the thorniest issues and how parents can navigate them.

Monitor Kids' Facebook Pages

For some kids, social media is a positive experience, strengthening friendships and communication. Others, though, may feel left out, obsessively comparing themselves to peers and seeing the fun others are having—or at least posting about. Social media sites like Facebook or even texting, can lead to cyber-bullying. Warning signs: your child is avoiding his phone or seems depressed after going online.

Texting vs. Talking

One of the biggest behavioral changes Generation Wired is experiencing is a preference for texting over talking. Kids 11 to 14 spend, on average, 73 minutes a day texting; for older teens, it's closer to two hours. Experts worry that this change in how kids communicate is endangering the development of how they converse, read cues from vocal intonations, and even negotiate.  

How Many Hours Does Your Child Spend Gaming?

92% percent of kids ages 8 to 18 play video games, and 8.5 percent can be classified as addicted, meaning their play interferes with the rest of their lives. Watch for these telltale signs of addiction: a drop in grades, a change in sleep patterns, and increased anxiety.  

An exclusive PARADE poll of 1,000 moms and dads finds: 67% say texting is hurting their kids' school performance; 40% of parents say their kids Facebook, text, and chat while doing homework; and 87% of parents say the internet helps their kids perform better in school.

SOURCE PARADE Magazine

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