The Bert Show – “Vault: Do You Know What Your Kids Are Texting?”

Original Air Date: March 25, 2026

Episode Overview

This candid episode of The Bert Show dives into the real and pressing issue of teenagers and preteens’ phone use, with a particular focus on texting, “sexting,” and how much parents actually know (or think they know) about what’s happening on their kids’ phones. The hosts and listeners share stories, data, and opinions about parental oversight, privacy, and the consequences teens face when private digital behavior becomes public.
Theme: Parental awareness and control over children’s digital communication and the prevalence of risky behaviors among middle and high school students.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Reality of Teen Sexting (01:00–02:25)

• The hosts raise concerns about parents' underestimation of what their kids are really doing online:
  • “More and more you’re hearing stories now in the news of sexting going on and kids getting in trouble for it, kids getting arrested for it, kids getting kicked out of school for it.” — Host (01:12)
  • A news story is cited where a 14-year-old girl’s nude photo circulated at a California middle school; 10 students faced in-school suspensions.
• The hosts emphasize surprising statistics:
  • “That stat. One in five teenagers have sent nude pictures of themselves somewhere.” — Host (02:07)
  • They challenge the assumption: "You probably think...not mine. Grab the phone, give us a call, let’s scroll through those texts." — Host (01:12)

2. Educators Are on the Front Lines (02:25–03:48)

• A caller recounts how their mother, a middle school principal in Florida, had to address sexting in an assembly:
  • The principal asks students how many would be comfortable with her seeing their phone content, resulting in silence.
  • Discussion broadens to include teacher-student texting scandals: “They’ve had a lot of relationships busted between teachers and students over texting and sexting.” — Caller (03:07)
• The topic is highlighted as both local and national concern: “It’s been a big topic of discussion, and I think that, you know, parents are kind of naive to this whole thing.” — Caller (03:48)

3. Parental Monitoring – Technology and Ethics (03:50–05:14)

• A 19-year-old caller, Destiny, explains her mother’s excitement about being able to view her kids’ texts online:
  • “She told me that she could check your text, did that freak you out? …It did, and she was excited about it. And I was like, oh, great.”— Destiny (04:23, 04:27)
• Destiny has a 17-year-old sister “pretty much freaking out,” suggesting secretive behavior is common (04:41).
• Callers and hosts debate the ethics and practicality of surveillance:
  • “I have her password on MySpace. I have everything.” — Caller (05:30)
  • “If my parents had my Facebook or MySpace password, I would just create a different account.” — Caller (06:47)

4. The Cat-and-Mouse of Parental Oversight (05:50–07:10)

• The hosts and callers discuss the arms race of digital monitoring and teen subversion:
  • “You gotta be way more covert now.” — Host (07:08)
  • Parents mention using keyloggers and software, while teens create secret or secondary accounts.

5. Real-Life Discoveries & Family Impact (07:22–10:00)

• A dramatic call from a parent who found nude photos on their 15-year-old daughter’s phone, hidden in the photo gallery (not the messages):
  • “She was deleting her messages and I found the pictures in her pictures…She’s had her phone for quite a while. I’ve always trusted her.” — Caller (07:36)
  • The discovery led to stricter rules and a family meeting.
• This prompts debate about whether sending nude photos indicates sexual activity:
  • “I do think her daughter is sexually active. And I think the fact that you made it more strict in the house has just secured that.” — Caller (08:47)
  • Discussion on whether sending such images counts as sexual activity: “Sending nude pictures, having sex is not the only sexual activity that you can participate in.” — Caller (09:21)

6. Boys, Girls, and “Vulgar” Messages (09:36–11:06)

• A father describes discovering a sexually explicit, harassing message sent to his 13-year-old daughter by a classmate:
  • “A young man sent her picture text of his hands…‘looks like parts of your female anatomy need to be held.’…She texts him back and said, ‘Please don’t send this type stuff to me.’ He just berated her back…” — Caller (09:39)
• The parent’s takeaway: “If you have middle schoolers, definitely check your kids’ stuff…it’s more of a protection thing.” — Caller (10:33)

7. Prevalence of Hidden Behaviors (11:10–11:48)

• No matter how strict or trusting parents are, hosts and callers agree that many teens have secret accounts or behaviors; parents’ trust is often misplaced.
• More statistics drive home the point:
  • “One in five teenagers has sent a nude or semi nude picture to somebody…[and] 9 out of 10 parents think it can’t be their kid.” — Host (11:37, 11:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You take your kids stuff and you check it. I have her password on MySpace. I have everything.” — Caller/Parent (05:30)
• “If my parents had my Facebook or MySpace password, I would just create a different account. Don’t you think the majority of kids are doing that?” — Caller (06:47)
• “She was deleting her messages and I found the pictures in her pictures.” — Parent, on discovering nude photos (07:36)
• “I do think her daughter is sexually active. And I think the fact that you made it more strict in the house has just secured that.” — Caller (08:47)
• “You gotta be way more covert now.” — Radio Host (07:08)
• “If you have middle schoolers, definitely check your kids’ stuff…it’s more of a protection thing.” — Father caller (10:33)
• “One in five teenagers has sent a nude or semi nude picture to somebody…[and] 9 out of 10 parents think it can’t be their kid.” — Radio Host (11:37, 11:48)

Important Timestamps

• 01:00 – Host introduces the topic, issues call for parents to check kids’ phones
• 01:45 – News story of California middle schoolers sexting
• 02:07 – Discussion of “one in five” sexting statistic
• 02:26 – Educator’s assembly story from Florida
• 03:50 – Destiny discusses parental monitoring of texts
• 05:30 – Parent describes full access to child’s accounts
• 06:47 – Teenage perspective on creating hidden accounts
• 07:29 – Parent discovers nude photos on daughter’s phone
• 09:39 – Father recounts harassment of 13-year-old daughter by peer, underscores need for oversight
• 11:37 – Stats on sexting prevalence and parental denial

Flow & Tone

The conversation maintains a balance of humor, candor, and concern. Hosts and callers are direct, sometimes blunt, and draw on real life and news stories to ground the discussion. The tone is conversational, lively, and at times, confessional or exasperated.

Takeaways

• Parental denial is widespread; many believe “not my kid,” ignoring mounting evidence and anecdotes.
• Teens are technologically and socially adept at hiding behaviors.
• Open communication and smart, respectful oversight may be more effective than heavy-handed, secretive surveillance.
• Sexting and risky digital behavior are common and rarely limited to “other people’s” children.
• Parents need to be informed, vigilant, and proactive – but also realistic about the limits of control.

For more on parenting, digital lives, and teen behavior, check out daily episodes at www.thebertshow.com.