Parents give their kids cell phones as a way to stay in touch and keep them safe, but it's also a way for predators to reach your kids.

Many cell phones are also tiny computers that can be used to check e-mail, text friends and visit online chat rooms.

Last year at least 72 percent of all 13- to 17-year-olds had a cell phone. And those are numbers worth paying attention to, says Seattle Internet Safety Specialist Linda Criddle.

"Parents still think a phone is just a phone," says Criddle, who says most cell phones are tiny mobile laptops right in the palm of your child's hand.

"The parent who thinks 'no big deal' needs to look at the phone's functionality, because the bad guys are," says Criddle.

"There's a lot of children being targeted," insists Criddle, who has helped the state Attorney General's Office create a tip list to keep kids Internet-savvy and safe.

In a Snohomish County, Wash., courtroom this year, the principal of Highland Christian School, Mark Brown, pleaded not guilty.

Police say the former school principal raped a 14-year-old student. The Arlington man insists it never happened.

Police say before his arrest Brown and the girl exchanged 700 text messages and phone calls.

"Cell phones are a fantastic opportunity for predators," says Criddle.

That's why on her Web site and in her book "Look Both Ways" she insists parents need to pay attention to who their kids are talking to.

Criddle says parents need to learn how their child's cell phone works as well.

"Learn how the phone works, don't be afraid to push the buttons, ask a store clerk to actually show you what the phone can do ... and then talk to your kids about it - establish do's and don'ts," says Criddle.

But for some parents, talking may not be enough or may not even be an option.

There is another way. It's called Radar, available through the Web site www.mymobilewatchdog.com, and its maker touts it as a parent control service for your kids' cell phone.

It's software that alerts parents anytime their kid gets a suspicious text, e-mail, photo or call or instant message.

It even lets them read every text message.

Radar lent us a Blackberry with the software installed. The first time the phone is used after the software is installed a pop-up message warns the user that radar is watching.

Kathy Brown, the parent of teenage daughters, hesitantly agreed to test it out - so did her teenage daughters Kristina and Heidi. They agreed to let mom and a reporter monitor their text messages.

"It's kind of like an eavesdropping, underhanded way to get information," says high school student Kristina Brown.

Radar's maker says it's not Big Brother - it's Big Mother.

"I think I'm gonna find a lot of text messages," said Kathy.

Radar allows parents with their kids to create an approved list of callers and texters.

If an unapproved or suspicious text or call is received, parents get an instant alert thru their e-mail. We set it up to receive all the girls' text messages.

Parents can also check Radar's Web site to monitor the phone's activity log and put a block on any number.

We monitored the girls for an entire month.

They warned their friends. At first they thought twice about who or what they texted, but they admitted after a couple weeks that they forgot they were being monitored.

"I do feel like it's kind of spying," said Heidi. Her mom agreed. Kathy didn't like "snooping" on her kids and found monitoring the text messages was a waste of time.

Kathy says that in our 30-day experiment - conservatively - her daughters wrote or received a total of 10,000 text messages.

"I couldn't keep up with it, it overwhelmed my e-mail, it was just, uggggh," said Kathy.

Mom didn't find any suspicious activity - but she did learn something - her kids' text messages are boring.

"They were boring, but some were really amusing too," says Kathy.

My two favorites: Heidi wrote, "OMG we made the saltiest nastiest ice cream in the world." And Kristina texted a friend to ask if moths that land on the wall are dead or sleeping.

And of course some of it was peppered with "text speak" - abbreviations that some parents can't even read.

For the Browns it was a fun experiment. For another family it may a vital tool.

"If I were concerned about them getting in trouble that might be a way to monitor it," says Kathy, "although I think if I have a problem or concern with Kristina or Heidi, I'll just talk to them."

"I believe in transparency," agrees Internet Safety Specialist Linda Criddle.

Criddle says one sure way to avoid the problem is to buy phones without Web access. If that's not possible, she says to keep in mind that some calling plans give vital information right on the phone bill. Monitor it for unknown numbers and texting or calls at unusual hours.

For the Brown family, they'll rely on something else - trust and the old-fashioned way of communicating - talking to each other.

Radar cost about $10 a month and is geared for kids 8 to 14 years old. The software also offers a texting dictionary - so parents can read the often abbreviated text language.

Another option? Some cell phone carriers can block a child's cell phone access to website. Check with your carrier.

Radar is available through the web site www.mymobilewatchdog.com