ROFL J/K TTYL
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 Edit This 17 Comments »
C: Mum, what did you do before texting?
Moi: Good grief, we SPOKE to each other! We didn't need to text a sibling to pass the salt across the table because we had the ability to open our mouths and issue forth a vocal request!
C: So, um.... what did you do?
Conversation is, apparently, a lost art. And I am, apparently, old-fashioned and mean. Because I won't give my children cell phones.
So, A called me wailing on the phone because she couldn't get a ride to the dance. "Mum! You've got to text J for me and ask her to come get me!" Well, this dilemna seemed to have an obvious solution. "Why don't you, um... I dunno, call her?!" I said.
"She won't pick up! She only texts!" (Of course, silly me! Why use a phone for TALKING?!) So ensued my initiation to texting. I sent J a text. It took twenty minutes. Is it just me or is this a really cumbersome and time-consuming way of communicating?
When you see five kids sitting in a row silently, they're not actually being silent - there is an intense discussion going on - heads tilted down, fingers hopping...
how u?
cool. u?
cool.
doing?
nuthin.
cool.
Can you see the IQs lowering?
When I tell the kids they're going to get "finger carpal tunnel" and hunch backs they look at me like I'm crazy.
When I look sideways, and scrunch my eyes a bit, I can actually see the lumps forming...
MM thinks if the situation had been reversed and talk was invented after text, then the kids would never stop talking, marveling at the ability to speak to someone far away in real time rather than typing every conversation. It just seems that communication technology is going backwards instead of forwards.
I wonder what the next NEW thing will be? Carving letters into rocks and hurling them at your friends house?
Moi: Good grief, we SPOKE to each other! We didn't need to text a sibling to pass the salt across the table because we had the ability to open our mouths and issue forth a vocal request!
C: So, um.... what did you do?
Conversation is, apparently, a lost art. And I am, apparently, old-fashioned and mean. Because I won't give my children cell phones.
So, A called me wailing on the phone because she couldn't get a ride to the dance. "Mum! You've got to text J for me and ask her to come get me!" Well, this dilemna seemed to have an obvious solution. "Why don't you, um... I dunno, call her?!" I said.
"She won't pick up! She only texts!" (Of course, silly me! Why use a phone for TALKING?!) So ensued my initiation to texting. I sent J a text. It took twenty minutes. Is it just me or is this a really cumbersome and time-consuming way of communicating?
When you see five kids sitting in a row silently, they're not actually being silent - there is an intense discussion going on - heads tilted down, fingers hopping...
how u?
cool. u?
cool.
doing?
nuthin.
cool.
Can you see the IQs lowering?
When I tell the kids they're going to get "finger carpal tunnel" and hunch backs they look at me like I'm crazy.
When I look sideways, and scrunch my eyes a bit, I can actually see the lumps forming...
MM thinks if the situation had been reversed and talk was invented after text, then the kids would never stop talking, marveling at the ability to speak to someone far away in real time rather than typing every conversation. It just seems that communication technology is going backwards instead of forwards.
I wonder what the next NEW thing will be? Carving letters into rocks and hurling them at your friends house?
17 brilliant observations:
I just love that they say "Mum."
Texting is a necessary evil. I wish I didn't use it so much...but I'm getting worse and worse. But-I will never accept a date over text. Ever. I have my standards:)
I can so relate! My daughter texted me once because the school was evacuated. She was all dramatic like they are at 13. So I texted back. "OMG! like really, what up with that?" the next text I got was her wondering if it was me, or did someone else have my phone. I laughed and laughed. It is definately a different world. Thanks for the post. Have a great day! Love, Joy
My daughter wants an I phone. She says ALL the cool kids have one.
HMPH! I say you don't have a phone to be cool.
Texting might lower your IQ. That would be good research indeed.
lol, 2 funny
Technology is a funny thing :)
First off, thank you for inspiring a potential column. Secondly, my niece just broke up with her "boyfriend". They never actually spoke, the entire thing happened through texts, start to finish.
Thank Heaven my kids were raised before all this CRAP came to confuse life up even more that it used to. I don't know and I realize I'm not in it anymore to make a knowledgeable decision, but I think were I raising kids now, cell phones and texting would not be an option for usage. But then, I'm not raising kids now. It's a whole different world. Crrrrazy.
I think I'm the last of our kind who doesn't own a cell phone and have never texted. Not interested, just another monthly bill.
R Max ----YAY , you are back with me. I have missed you and now I can keep in touch with you again.
Funny post ---I DO NOT TEXT. takes me forever. My kids laugh at me. I don't even have a cell phone now. (no one to call really, but before I only turned it on when I needed to) The kids would complain, MOM I tried to call you but your cell phone was off. I know, I say...I only have it for emergencies. Sheeeeesh
Communication by talking, giggling, and hugging is going to be a lost art. The world needs more "tangible" contact I think.
I ADORE texting. There. I said it. It's like passing notes in class. My husband can be in a stake meeting, and he'll send me a little text, and it's like we're getting away with something naughty!
AND...we have very few minutes on our phones but unlimited texting.
AND...I hear from my college kids 3-4 times a day via text message. Just little memos on how things are going.
Wouldn't trade it!!
R Max, I hope you have an accent cause I think that it is cool if you do. Could you text me just so I can see?
Sorry, I'm with DeNae, I love texting.
mfpso (my favorite post so far!!!) I love picturing them hurling rocks to each other. You are so funny!
I agree with you about the level of texting that goes on between kids rather than just plain talking to them in person or on phone. However, I also have to say that I do text a lot. Sometimes, its the only way to hear from my husband or kids during certain times of day when a phone call is not appropriate. I like the technology but there needs to be some limitations too. Thanks for the post, I liked reading it.
Just circled back to say I really love this post. Again.
Love this post. My kids aren't old enough to want cell phones yet and I hope they never are. I hate sitting in a room with someone who is texting. I think it is incredibly rude. It is like saying "I think all of you in this room are boring so I am going to have a conversation with someone else who isn't here instead!" Like I said incredibly rude!
I don't give my kids cell phones, either. They have to pay for their own. The ones who really want them manage to earn the money for them, and the ones that don't, don't. Profound, I know...
lol. but you're depriving them of a social life thru text! hehe. just kidding.
I'd rather call than text really, it's time consuming, murders spelling and grammar and doesn't fully convey the meaning of your message - since half of the message is in the delivery.
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