If you have a preteen or teen in your life, you are probably well aware of the popularity of texting. My daughter is eleven, and sometimes her texting drives me crazy! Here are a few things that annoy me:
- She prefers to text rather than talk. I’m not talking about places she has to be quiet, I mean she would rather text ALL THE TIME! Wouldn’t it be easier to verbalize something and have a conversation than to type everything out?
- She tries to text while doing other things. When I catch her, I make her put her phone up. But if left to her own devices, she would text during meals, while helping clean the house, and while shopping. There is nothing more annoying that seeing her try to walk around the store with her phone up so she can text!
- She gets mad if I call her. I called her on her phone a few weeks ago. “Why didn’t you text me?” she sneered. I told her I would rather talk to her so I could hear the beautiful sound of her voice. I explained that I just don’t get all of the emotion from her texts. She quickly informed me that she CAN show emotions while texting by using different punctuation.
- She texts me while I’m driving. When I call her back, I have to explain that I cannot text while I’m driving. I think it’s funny, because then she has to TALK to me.
- Her text language doesn’t make sense. Okay, I understand why you would want to abbreviate and replace words with letters. But does typing KEWL instead of COOL really save you any time?
I guess the only good thing is now I have something I can threaten to take away from her if she gets in trouble!
Ugh, Em is into the texting thing too. It's all she does! We went shopping for her trip last week, and as we walked around she kept getting messages. I finally stopped dead and waited until she was done texting. I finally had to draw the line--texting cannot be a substitute for human companionship. Like you, I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteI also don't understand why teenagers send so many text messages. Surely, it's easier to just call someone and talk to them?? Maybe I'm old-fashioned! My daughter is only five but is already pretending to send text messages on her toy mobile phone and is asking for a real mobile! It can only get worse as she gets older....
ReplyDeleteI don't have any kids, but I also don't really understand the appeal of text messaging. I do use it once in a blue moon - but I'd much rather talk to a person than get a text message. Plus, if you send a text to someone who doesn't have a plan (like me) then you just cost them money, and that's kind of rude in my not so humble opinion. (IMNHO)
ReplyDeleteI don't have kids at this point and I don't love texting but sometimes it just is easier than talking.... I know that sounds weird but it's true!! LOL
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't get it. I text once in a while, like to say "I'm on my way" which is so much faster than calling to say I'm on my way, but that's about it. I don't get a lot of the abbreviations or changing spelling. But I guess you're just not cool if you don't spell it kewl.
ReplyDelete~Kelly
http://30somethingandsearching.blogspot.com/
I see no point at all to texting unless you are in a meeting and must get an IMPORTANT message to someone that can't wait. My husband and I never use texting and still we were charged for two text messages that were sent to our phone. I called and had texting blocked so that won't happen again. It's certainly something I can do without. If I had teens (or kids) who text, you can be sure I'd let them pay for their texting themselves out of their own money.
ReplyDeleteLin - Yes, that drives me crazy. I think it's rude to text when you're in someone else's company, even if it's your mother.
ReplyDeleteRoz - That's funny your 5-year-old wants to text. The craze goes younger and younger!
laneerg - Yes, it's a big deal for Angel and her friends to only text kids who "have texting." Now, kids are asking for texting for a birthday gift!
slcolman - Yes, I do know some adults who prefer to text. Usually they have a keypad (not the old fashioned number pad like I do).
Kelly - As my daughter would say, IDK... (with an eyeroll). Yes, I am definitely not KEWL.
Karen - The trouble started when the biggest kid (my husband) added unlimited text to our family plan because HE likes to text. I had no idea my daughter would get into texting so much!
well, i think that txting is awesome! i luv 2 txt. nt near az much az my kidz but i stil <3 it. if ur n an emergency in a trunk you can't call bc sum 1 cud here u. if u txt, no 1 can hear u. so ur safe. i understand that in sum situations it cud b badd but it is still great. well g2g, L8r.
ReplyDeleteI am a teenager myself and I cannot understand the hype at all. It seems so much easier to use the gift God gave us ( a voice) than to text. It also annoys me how most of the kids in my classes text while the teacher is talking, which is insanely disrespectful. Sometimes I feel like taking their phone and smashing it on the desk because the clicking that it makes is annoying. Seriously, children are in class to learn not to text.
ReplyDeleteHey! I read your blog and I had to say that I'm also a teenager who loves to text. I don't know why, but it's just fun. It's good for communication, and it's also a great time-killer when you're bored. However, I HATE Text Speak with a passion and I myself never use it. It's hard to understand, takes longer to read and in my opinion, makes people seem so stupid. But I do like texting itself; just with the proper language!
ReplyDelete