Text Messaging: R U In2 It?

advanced34    Cell Phones, Technology, Text Messaging     communications, e-mail, kids texting, Text Messaging

 I am an avid text-messager.  Detractors say it’s impersonal, it’s cold.  I say, get with the times people!  It’s efficient. It’s easy. It’s private, and it’s pretty much free when I bundle it with the other cool stuff on my phone.   

And I sleep with my phone.  It wakes me every morning. It vibrates on my mattress, and gently lulls me awake better than any alarm clock on the planet.  I wake up happy to see my shiny little plastic friend lying next to me. He is so considerate and unobtrusive.

But back to text messaging. It is the bomb diggity. I can text my kids while they are in class (even though the school told me I am not allowed to) to find out how their day is.  Cut the cord you say?  Nah, not yet.  They love it. And I am the “Cool Mom” that everybody loves. That’s why all my kids’ friends love to come over to my house.  See where this is going? Yup, I am that smart.  Keep an eye on the little cherubs and troublemakers 24/7 because they love being around me.  See how effective text messaging can be in the Parenting column?

I text message my boyfriend. He is a moody, young-blood who can surprise me with his testosterone fueled anger some days. Solution?  Text him in the morning.  “Good morning!” I send.  If I get a “J” back, then I know the coast is clear.  If there is no response, his calls go into VM the rest of the day. Text messaging is like my own personal emotional bodyguard.

This brings me to my ex-husband.  Dear Lord!  What did women DO before text messaging??  Like many, I have had the unfortunate 4-year I-am-trying-to-get-divorced-without-going-broke experience. We are on generally civil terms right now (today) and I credit text messaging with that.

E-mail could never have blocked the anger and poison that would drip from every one of our communications in the last four years.  But texting does. “C U @ Marriot @ 5pm” is the extent of it these days when we are scheduling an exchange of our kids. “Runng l8. B there in 15” is a common text I’ll get from Mr. Reliable… Even as I work my thumb through a dreadful cramp as I punch out “Sum things nevr change!” I am thankful that I have this tool.  Without it, my kids might be minus one dad.

If only my divorce attorney accepted text.  SHE charges $26.50 per e-mail!!

So for me, and perhaps for many moms like me, text messaging is the communication tool of the future. Without it I might be the mother of some trouble-making, gang member, wild-child, be minus one very hot boyfriend, and could be in jail for leading my kids’ father to the crocodile pond at the zoo after they’ve been fasting for 3 weeks. Now that is a truly amazing feat!

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