These days, knowledge and support from tech savvy parents is power. An overwhelmed and tech-anxious parent may want to avoid the Internet all together, figuring 'what I don't know won't hurt me,' but given the risks associated with constantly plugged-in teens, this is a dangerous position. I fully admit that I am not as knowledgeable as my patients when it comes to navigating all of the social media and Internet nuances, but that doesn't mean I don't ask questions or seek out new information. 'Family support makes a transformative difference in the lives of people who come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer,' PFLAG the largest organization for LGBTQ people, their families, and friends wrote on its site. As the social media landscape continues to grow and change, these questions are coming up more and more and parents are looking for answers.įirst of all, it's very important that parents become knowledgeable about how their teenagers are communicating, even though it seems the kids will always be a step ahead with new technologies and new platforms. For an LGBTQ person, a supportive family can make all the difference. I am getting asked more and more in my practice about how to talk to teens about situations that involve racy interchanges on Facebook, sending inappropriate pictures via text, and other Internet situations that spiral out of control.
