As the parent of two teens, with a third fast approaching the ‘tween years, the issue of technology safety is constantly on mine and my husband’s minds.

Our youngest child was cyber-bullied this year – someone gained access to his Webkinz page, left foul language, and destroyed what he had created. How should we handle this?

Our oldest child likes to communicate with his friends through texting. Should we even allow text messaging on his phone?

Our daughter stays in touch with her geographically distant friends and family, including our exchange student from India, by instant messaging and e-mail. Is this safe?

This issue attempts to address some of these questions and we provide resources to help parents navigate the ever growing list of technology that is available to them and their children.

Opinions vary widely and personal experiences yield different results.

Do we treat the technology like driving and alcohol by banning its usage until they reach a certain age? Or should we gradually introduce it to them at a young age and help them set limits?

Let us know what you’ve experienced and how you’ve dealt with texting, instant messaging, Facebook and MySpace. Your insight could be invaluable to your neighbors and our readers. Send your comments to sdetar@thedanielislandnews.com for future publication.