We, as members of the now generation, consider texting to be commonplace and a distinct technological barrier separating us from our parents. Most parents started texting because it was an easier way to get a hold of their children, but lately parents are increasingly making their presence known to the world of texting.
Four years ago, the media was concerned that parents were being blinded by the cryptic messages their children send via text and web. Kids were sending texts to their friends with acronyms that parents didn’t understand, so police advised parents to learn the things their kids were trying to hide from their parents. A news station created a list of 20 Internet acronyms all parents should know. Some of these include KPC (Keeping Parents Clueless), TD2M (Talk Dirty to Me), and PAL (Parents Are Listening). ("20 internet acronyms," )
Four years ago, the media was concerned that parents were being blinded by the cryptic messages their children send via text and web. Kids were sending texts to their friends with acronyms that parents didn’t understand, so police advised parents to learn the things their kids were trying to hide from their parents. A news station created a list of 20 Internet acronyms all parents should know. Some of these include KPC (Keeping Parents Clueless), TD2M (Talk Dirty to Me), and PAL (Parents Are Listening). ("20 internet acronyms," )
Studies are showing that many parents prefer texting as a means of contact with their children throughout the day. The wireless provider, AT&T, has just released data from two of its studies that support this claim. Families, friends, and romantic partners alike are using SMS more and more to communicate. The studies found that not only do parents find texting a quick and convenient way of keeping tabs on their children, but they feel texting their kids is also a ‘cool’ and ‘hip’ thing to do. ("Parents want to," 2011) Parents are now even creating their own acronyms we must learn to decode! AT&T states “text messaging can help reduce the communication gap that sometimes exists between parents and their kids.” There are many reasons for this, including the instant communication factor of a text, versus maybe having to play ‘phone-tag’ with each other. Texting is an easy way to get a quick answer from your child. If all a parent needs to know is whether or not their child is coming home for dinner, texting is the best means of communication. Children agree with this, and think texting is a much more efficient means of communication with parents because they don’t need to have a long conversation with them. Also, when kids are with their friends, they’re more likely to answer a text from their mom rather than a phone call. A text is discrete, which is a benefit for teenagers who don’t want their friends knowing they’re texting their mom/dad. Tone of voice becomes a nonissue, eliminating the problem of conflict on the phone, which often occurs naturally when a child and parent are talking. Another benefit of textin say and how tg is that it allows people to think about what they want tohey want to say it before pressing the send button. Texting is also cheap for those who have unlimited texting! Phone calls take up minutes on a cell phone plan, and phone conversations can go on much longer than originally planned. ("Text messaging: a," )
Just as parents are embracing their inner youth through text, children are right on board with them. In fact, we are encouraging their creativity in text form to share with our peers on the web. WhenParentsText is an online website where parents and kids send in funny and entertaining conversations between each other for the online community to read. In these conversations, the parents are trying to embrace their inner youth by joking around with their kids and talking about things that probably wouldn’t come up in a face to face conversation. Some of these include a dad texting his daughter saying “Live, Laugh, Love”, and a mom explaining how she “boob dialed” her child. It is simply entertaining and an LOL experience! Check it out for yourselves and post your favorites here for discussion! ("When parents text:,")
Citations
20 internet acronyms all parents should know. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wgal.com/news/13658646/detail.html
Parents want to be "cool," are using sms with their kids. (2011, August 01). Retrieved from http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2008/10/parents-want-to-be-cool-are-using-sms-with-their-kids.ars
Text messaging: a family affair. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/files/pdf/parent_teen_factsheet.pdf
When parents text: the 13 most hilarious fails from mom and dad (pictures) . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/03/when-parents-text_n_817331.html#s233842
