The Family of Today
Well, I wouldn't say we talk to each other more than in person, but we are talking to each other more electronically than before.
For instance, here is an instant message my hubby left me while I was watching tivo and he was signing off his laptop. I came back to the bedroom to find him sound asleep with this love note on my laptop.Okay, all together now -- say "Awwwwwww."
Here is an instant message with my son as I am trying to get him to come upstairs for dinner. I really need to get up on all this lingo though. He says things like "kay," rather than "ok." Why, I don't know because he is using three letters and I am using two.
Many parents are getting frustrated with their teens texting so much. I have always been of the theory that parents should join their children rather than resist them. Resisting just builds walls. How many parents have banned their children from texting rather than joining them?
Hey, I figure that if that's the way the want to communicate and that is the way they will hear me best, then that's what I'm going to do!
I think I was one of the first parents to hit MySpace and Facebook. I decided that there is no way to stop them, but there is a way to teach them. So, I jumped right on and began learning the site so that I could teach them how to be safe by example. Of course, it doesn't mean they listened to me!
Please tell me that we are not the only family like this! I would love to read your comments about how your family communicates.
10 comments:
We're getting like that too. Heck my 9 year old daughter has an email now but she can only get it on my compouter though. So I feel as though I'm in charge I guess plus her computer doesn't have internet.
My hubby is just now starting to do the text messaging now. He got a new photne and had too. He sends me texts to my email cause I don't have a cell phone.
It's more convienent I guess though and at least your kids talk to ya.
Tabatha
Hummie,
I totally agree with your approach regarding technology. I have 3 sons all who majored in Digital Media. I must stay up to date to communicate with them, to understand what is important to them, etc. otherwise it would be more difficult to understand their passion for all the techo stuff. Yep, I'm totally hooked too and love it when they share new sites etc. with me...it broadens our scope of topics to discuss (better than the weather). My sons live in three different states so technology makes it easy for us to communicate and share as a family.
I joined Facebook as soon as I could as I wanted to know what was going on in my sons life as well as know their friends. Yes, I'm even friends with many of their friends and I purposefully try to communicate with them.
I believe as parents we too have to learn about computers, texting, cell phones, on-line sites like Facebook or else we will wake up one day and realize we have nothing in common with our children and feel left out of their lives. Most important is to give guidance as all these wonderful inventions also have potential for evil, so our children have to be warned and guided. If parents do not do the teaching then someone else will and it may not be the same as your ideas.
My mom and I chat over IM ... and we live about 20 minutes away from each other. Sometimes it is just easier ... we can multi-task. I just say k instead of ok, lol ... I agree, why spell out kay when ok or k is shorter? Hee hee.
I do feel like it is easier to join them, and if it keeps you connected I'm all for it! My kids are too little for it now, but I will try. I am not into texting, but I will do the IM thing, and can try texting ... if I have to, but I'll HAVE to get a different phone because the keys are just too darned little and I would mess it all up! LOL! :)
My kids are too small at this stage. But I hadn't thought about it that way. Thats food for thought. I also agree with what Merr said above about guiding our kids.
oh absolutely! we often communicate to the kids via msn around the house .. easier than yelling! lol
i actually did a techno post yesterday, so not much about communicating but about other techno gadgets!
well I am happy to see we are not the only family either. I joined facebook and myspace as soon as my daughter mentioned wanting to join. I wanted to be up to date and to help her out with safety also. The texting does bother me.. like during church etc. I do not allow my children to do that. I am not opposed to them texting though. I love to get texts from them. My dh just got a cell phone last week and I think he LOVES the texting. He now wants to know if there is something to where he can receive his texts via email and respond via email. When he is at work it would be much easier. Anyone have the answer????
SO we just keep up to date with our kids. Hey I love being the cool mom. LOL.
I am a teacher at church and a youth leader and my church kids LOVE that they can facebook me. I like that it gives me insight on them. It is an interesting world.
Great post, Hummie! and yes, we are pretty much the same way as our kids get older.
And my daughter's ringer on her phone is never on, but you can text her and it goes off immediately! LOL!
Me and my kids text throughout the day....its great to know whats going on with them at all times.....and yes, I call hubby upstairs by an IM or call him through Yahoo Phone and we talk while he is just downstairs. Communication in any form is the key as in todays world we are all so busy with our own lives. I'm for Texting and IM. :)
I so totally agree with you! As soon as my kids wanted a myspace page, I got one too. That way I could keep an eye on things. Now that they are older (17 & 18) I don't worry about it much, but it's a good way to keep in touch with friends, and my 13 year old will probably be asking for one soon, so I'll keep it. My husband even got one cuz he wanted to see what all the hype was about, and he likes it!
And as far as texting, all 3 of my boys text, text, text. Thank goodness we have unlimited texting. And yes, I do text them myself. We have full conversations sometimes.
I am of the mind that if they won't talk to to me (since they're teenagers) that if I got on board with their way of life, then they'd have no choice. And you know what? It's worked out just fine. I feel better connected to them because of it. I think back on how disconnected I was from my parents and I just shake my head.
DH and I text and email and IM all the time. We will text each other while sitting in the same room. TG we have unlimited texts or it would cost us a fortune!!
My kids are still too little for much but TB does have a facebook and has his dad and I as friends on there. :)
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