Don’t Mess with Textas
Earlier today, I was at a meeting where someone made an announcement about another meeting–the topic of which related to “teens who text instead of talking to their parents.” The person organizing that meeting went on a rant about how teens are “texting, tweeting, FaceSpacing (sic)–they’d rather talk to someone 20,000 miles away, than talk to their own parents!”
I leaned over to the friend next to me & said, “if my kids knew about this kind of intervention, they’d stage it on me, not vice versa!”
He leaned back & said, “I’m pretty sure someone made similar complaints when they invented the telephone–’No one writes letters anymore!’.”
November 9, 2009. meta.
Jody replied:
Yeah, I’m busily browsing blogs and Facebook while my sick kid plays with my 2000-vintage GameBoy. So I’m thinking the intervention needs to start with me.
November 10, 2009 at 10:26 am. Permalink.
thordora replied:
It’s so true. There’s always something for cranky adults to whine about…
November 10, 2009 at 12:25 pm. Permalink.
Jennifer replied:
When people rant like that, I always wonder what’s REALLY bothering them.
November 10, 2009 at 5:05 pm. Permalink.
Susan replied:
And let’s not forget the evils wreaked by the invention of the typewriter and telegraph!
November 10, 2009 at 10:25 pm. Permalink.
jo(e) replied:
What’s funny is the assumption that the recipients are 20,000 miles away. My kids text and FB each other (and me) when we’re all sitting in the same room.
November 11, 2009 at 2:51 pm. Permalink.
Becca replied:
I’m with Joe–best way to communicate with your kids is to get right in on the texting. M and I resolved a big issue by text the other night–she wasn’t in the same room, but I’d sent her out on an errand to get her out of the house and her bad mood, and while she was gone she texted me what she’d been unable to tell me, and we had a long text conversation that I’m not sure we could have gotten to in person, or at least it would have taken a lot longer.
November 16, 2009 at 5:12 pm. Permalink.
Comfort Addict replied:
Though I haven’t texted much, I’m automatically suspicious of anyone who criticizes any particular means of communication. My favorite is face-to-face but we should not discourage the act of communication in any form.
November 22, 2009 at 1:08 pm. Permalink.
the five-year mark « Bumblebee Sweet Potato replied:
[...] I’d never sign up for it. I did a fair amount of thinking about blogging and other forms of social media. I also taught the kids to sew, and took a picture of our pumpkin-like cat. Finally, I gave thanks [...]
January 31, 2010 at 7:17 am. Permalink.