OMG! Parents Use Txting To Chat With Kids

from the what-a-concept! dept

Thu, Dec 28th 2006 12:44pm — Mike Masnick

Remember all those stories about parents freaking out that their kids were using SMS text messaging to communicate and how it was going to ruin their grammar? Then people started realizing that it actually doesn't do much harm as most kids can tell what's appropriate to use at what time, and could even improve writing skills, because it gets them more focused on the written language. So, now it seems that some parents have learned to embrace texting so much that they've found it's a great way to stay in touch with their kids, and to communicate with them even when they're sullen teenagers who don't like to talk to their parents at the dinner table. Many of the parents say their kids taught them how to text message in the first place (which isn't particularly surprising). Like instant messaging before it, it seems like this is just a better way for parents to use the communications tools that kids prefer, rather than trying to force them to use "old people's technology" like email.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

35 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Finally!, 28 Dec 2006 @ 1:19pm

I never have to actually speak to my kids again.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anna, 11 Jan 2007 @ 5:05pm
  
  Re:
  WHAT DO U MEAN??
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
big balogna, 28 Dec 2006 @ 1:21pm

shut your mouth
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- tymeshia, 4 Jan 2007 @ 9:06pm
  
  Re: cant
  u cant tell nobody to shet up okay ms hing!!!
  get back to me to ms. thing
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
in big balogna's mouth, 28 Dec 2006 @ 1:28pm

lol
Don't shut it without giving me time to pull it out!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
in big balogna's mouth, 28 Dec 2006 @ 1:28pm

lol
Don't shut it without giving me time to pull it out!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 28 Dec 2006 @ 1:28pm

???
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 28 Dec 2006 @ 1:31pm

I disagree
>...and could even improve writing skills...

Having read many kid's school papers, not my own kid's, I whole heartedly disagree. Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and spoken English are all taking a turn for the worse.

Or should I say:

WTF!?!?!!!!?111 Mi eNglish is teh r0Xorz!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Tim Harris, 8 Jan 2007 @ 3:10pm
  
  Re: I disagree
  The fact of grammar taking a turn for the worse is the radically steep decline in the effectiveness at schools to teach kids. Schools today are doing a terrible job at doing pretty much anything. Regulation, moderation, mentoring, and teaching has become one of american schools greatest failures.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
HossDM, 28 Dec 2006 @ 1:33pm

lol
Old people... Chill out!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Bumbling old fool, 28 Dec 2006 @ 2:00pm

I have but one word for this...
ZOMGLOLZYAY!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Dizzle, 28 Dec 2006 @ 2:10pm
  
  Re: I have but one word for this...
  Translation:
  Zebra Outside My Gaze Looks Older. Let (the) Zebra Yodel (its) Age (in) Years.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Tyshaun, 28 Dec 2006 @ 2:40pm

Instead of touting text messaging as being so great how about advocating, dare I gasp, talking to them in person?

I fear for the next generation being "raised" (to use the term loosely). I volunteer at a local high school and you can already see it where there kids are rapidly loosing the "art" of conversation. Yes, before I'm flamed, they are capable of speech still, but it seems like conversations with them are these short, stocatic, almost "text message" like things. I was a chaperone for a debate team trip recently and every debate I lisdtened to was simple a bullet list of points, no eloquence, no compelling pros, just a list of "I am right because 1, 2, 3, ..."

I dunno, maybe I am just getting old but I miss face to face talks and I think e-mail, texting, chats, or whatever is a poor substitute for real human interaction (although I'm sure Mike will site lots of articles that say how great it is I will stick to my anecdotal evidence on this one).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Magnanimous Coward, 28 Dec 2006 @ 2:50pm
  
  Re: Tyshaun
  yeah. whatever.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Tyshaun, 28 Dec 2006 @ 4:11pm
    
    Re: Re: Tyshaun
    yeah. whatever.
    
    Thank you for so eloquently proving how I think people are losing the ability to articulate well thought out ideas in more than simple "sound bytes".
    March on MTV generation, march on...
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- TashiKid, 28 Dec 2006 @ 4:26pm
  
  Re:
  Kids today don't even have the grammar or social skills to properly roleplay in a game like World of Warcraft. Lord help them in real life.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
JS Beckerist, 28 Dec 2006 @ 2:51pm

LOLZORZ ick
Dizzle, u md my day. Now if I could only get this imURmother@aol.com to leave me alone!!!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Tim McD, 28 Dec 2006 @ 3:31pm

Re:
Pardon me for saying this, I'm a 24 parent of two wonderful kids. Although they are still young neither of them will be allowed a cell phone till they are at least 18. This cell phone craze is getting out of hand. Just the other day I saw a kid at Wal-mart who could not have been much older than 7 or 8 talking on a cell phone to a friend judging by what I overheard. Now come on people, who in there right minds is going to give a kid that young a damn cell phone. I can drive down the road in the morning, and probably half of the kids (about 10 years old and older) now come on people, is this needed. How many years went past where people didn't have cell phones, now every kid has them. Forget text messaging for a minute, and talk about all this. Yes I can agree that having communication with teenagers is good when they are out and about, but it should still not interfere with everyday communication with your children. All I have to say is get rid of the damn things, kids DON'T NEED cell phones PERIOD. Grow up and learn how to be a parent and your kids wont need a cell phone. Plain and simple.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- DigitalBomb, 28 Dec 2006 @ 9:19pm
  
  Re: Re:
  Nice logical fallacy. So when did we all collectively decide that younger children are too young for certain technologies? I certainly don't remember voting for that.
  
  The problem is with parents like you who view a cellphone as a mature person's object. It's a damn phone. Get over it Mrs. Suzy Wondermom.
  
  Honestly, on what do you base the claim that a 7 year old kid shouldn't have a cellphone?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- i luv cells, 10 Jan 2007 @ 2:01pm
  
  Re: Re:
  ok im only 11 i got a phone last year there GREAT PERSON so back of !!!!!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Riggs, 28 Dec 2006 @ 3:45pm

I would have to agree that the cell phone craze is getting outa hand have to say im 16 i have a cell phone (pre-pay whoopde doo...) but my sister is only 10 and she gets a cell phone for xmas when i just got mine like 6 months ago... not like she really needs it cause shes eather at school (with friends) or at home(friends can call home phone)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Justin Moore, 28 Dec 2006 @ 5:27pm

Some...
I agree, some kids these days do NOT have any social or conversation skills. But... note the word SOME... I am 17 and I have had a Cell Phone since I was 15. I personally text and talk a lot on my phone, but I have converstaion skills as well.

I accually own my own bussiness, and with that you must have grammer and converstaion skills. Just as TashiKid said, I personally have been playing MMORPGs since I was 13 and I currently play World of Warcraft and I roleplay all the time on these games.

My point is that simply because this is a problem, does not mean that all kids with cell phones are like this.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Sudeep, 28 Dec 2006 @ 5:51pm

Agree with Justin Moore
Not all kids lack social or conversation skills. Its not the system thats abusing the children of today. Its what the kids learn from parents. If you are a crazy shopper yourself and are swayed by all the media and consumerism hype. Then your kid is gonna be the one who will get hooked! And it also depends on how you treat your kids too. I have come across people who are addicted to SMS and MMS. Most of these people are least interested in languages and say; 'look bro if the message gets through its enough I don't need no eloquence and comm skills shit alright!'
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Prometheum, 28 Dec 2006 @ 10:35pm

I agree with DB. A phone is an instument of communication. Just because its not a voicebox doesn't mean it needs a standard of use.

BTW old people, we >40 crowd are right because...

A.) Language is language. It'll evolve as it does, and if that means going from the archaeic to the more pointed and direct, thats how it's going to be. I'm sure they had the same conversation about two hundred or three hundred years ago about how kids won't use Thou anymore, and that people were writing their S's weird.

B.) Just because we're not ex-D&D players who prefer to narrate every time we cast, doesn't mean we can't own you in AV. Glory to the Horde!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Big Bologna post#1, 29 Dec 2006 @ 5:20am

damn old people... Prometheum said it best
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 29 Dec 2006 @ 9:01am

Oh, my. First of all, it's "grammar"! Proofread your posts, people (especially the self righteous mom and to the "businessman" kid)! It's not that hard. Also ">40 crowd" means that you're 41 and OLDER.

A bunch of morons you all are.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
DigitalBomb, 29 Dec 2006 @ 2:00pm

Re: Anonymous Coward
Anonymous: Agree with you the council does.

Spellcheck is your friend, use it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Tim McD, 1 Jan 2007 @ 3:56pm

What I was saying in my first post is that with simple communication your 7 year old shouldn't need a phone. I am 24 and unfortunately have to have two phones and most days (one is my personal and second is company as I am on call 24/7 company pays that bill) I could get along with out them. I am not here to say what particular age people should start using a cell phone, but I am saying that kids don't need to be talking with a friend in the middle of Wal-Mart. Now come on your telling me that could not wait till that got home? In the kid world having a cell phone is a status symbol thats all. 'Look my parents bought me a cell phone' BIG DEAL. I think that is where a lot of it comes into place. What I was originally saying was this world worked for many years without kids or anyone for that matter needing a cell phone. Why, all of a sudden do 7 year olds need a phone to talk with friends in the middle of a store? That could have waited till he got home.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
i luv cells, 11 Jan 2007 @ 5:38pm

i mean like cellphones are fine
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
nicole, 13 Jan 2007 @ 2:59am

hi im 11 does eny 1 have msn
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- paul, 9 Feb 2007 @ 10:10pm
  
  Re: reply
  i have msn
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 13 Jan 2007 @ 5:34pm

no i got it when i was 11 sorry thats not my real age
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
jasmine, 30 Jan 2007 @ 5:55pm

wat up
Wat up uncle junior!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
LANA, 23 Jun 2007 @ 4:29pm

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER I HOPE YOU HAVE THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE OK BY FOR NOW
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
nunu, 21 Jun 2008 @ 9:20pm

hey
heyheyhey
[ link to this | view in chronology ]