OMG.....this is one of those things where you see girls on TV talking about their experiences with things like sexting and you think "no....she's too smart for that!"

Well....apparently this is my first experience with learning that the whole "it won't happen to me" mentality is total BS. She will be 17 in October and my sister found some "repulsive" pics on her cell phone. She went to the boy's house and told his mom. She took away the boy's cell phone and grounded him I guess.

My sis just doesn't know what to do. I remember when I used to cut and thinking how alone I felt while being surrounded by people. I told my sis that she (my niece) needs to see a therapist. Like now. All I wanted was to have my mom and dad pay even a little attention to me.

I told her I think just taking time out of her day to do something alone with my niece would do a world of difference. Even if it's taking her to a baseball game or even just a bike ride. My niece has a different dad than her 3 siblings so she is the only one in the household with my last name. Everyone else has my sis's husband's last name. There are 4 kids (youngest being 2.5 yrs old) so I know she doesn't get much attention or privacy for that matter. Her step-dad (my BIL) is a total snoop and constantly riffling through her things and basically spying on her.

She has over a 4.0 GPA in high school, doesn't drink, doesn't smoke etc.... Totally top of the line student and kid in general. I feel like she is probably feeling massive amounts of pressure and I think this is a cry for help and a sign of depression rather than her just being a "slut". I don't know how to tell my sis that this needs to be seen as an opportunity to change the parenting/family situation in general. I don't want her to feel guilty, but at the same time, she does kind of get wrapped up in other stuff and I know my niece feels trapped.

I would stay out of it but my sis explicitly came to me and said she was coming to me for "sound advice". She said she has gone off on my niece a couple times about this already. I don't really know how to explain to her that this could be a direct result of such a hectic family life.