Textaholics Anonymous
By alaskanray
@alaskanray (4636)
United States
July 7, 2010 5:48pm CST
My daughter bought herself a cell phone yesterday with her own money. She got unlimited calls and unlimited texting and has been texting non-stop since!
Now, I am no luddite(sp?) but there is something about this whole texting thing that makes me a little crazy. It just seems that we are becoming a nation of textaholics, particularly among our young people. Am I the only person who objects to all this texting???
4 people like this
7 responses
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
8 Jul 10
Sigh. Yeah, it puzzles me, as well. I mean, what's wrong with just talking? And isn't speech cheaper than texting (I even hate that mish-mashed, ungrammatical term!)? I really don't know for sure; I haven't enough money for a cellphone anyway...
I suppose we'll just have to accept it, though, because it's like trying to hold back a tidal wave to stop it! One hopes some other communication method will someday replace it. It's killing the younger generation's ability to spell (& maybe even simply talk! 
)
Maggiepie
“I can't stand the stupid idiots in here. Can we get smarter idiots?" ~ LOLcats caption
I suppose we'll just have to accept it, though, because it's like trying to hold back a tidal wave to stop it! One hopes some other communication method will someday replace it. It's killing the younger generation's ability to spell (& maybe even simply talk! )
Maggiepie
“I can't stand the stupid idiots in here. Can we get smarter idiots?" ~ LOLcats caption1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
8 Jul 10
LOL...Maggie, I love your quote! I agree that the textspeak that they use is probably bad for their language skills, as well, but like you say...can't stop a tidal wave, eh?
I was telling my daughter that I thought all children should have to see "My Fair Lady" at least three times during their school career: in 3rd grade, 8th grade and as a requirement for graduation from high school! Poor language skills just grate on my nerves!
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
22 Feb 12
I am, when something is going on or trying to talk to someone and they start texting. I also feel that our kids are not going to have person to person or communication skills. I could not believe it when my son told me they only spent a month on learning cursive writing in school. On top of that it is really difficult to find out what your kids are texting if they always delete everything.
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
22 Feb 12
I have heard that there are parental control apps that you can have installed but my problem with that is that I'm allergic to apps and have a hard time figuring out how to use them. 
Still, I have been sooooo much happier since I got rid of my daughter's cell phone entirely. She is far more communicative with me than when she had that darn cell phone!
Still, I have been sooooo much happier since I got rid of my daughter's cell phone entirely. She is far more communicative with me than when she had that darn cell phone!
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
9 Jul 10
Hi, alaskanray. I kind of feel the same way that you feel too. I don't like it when my husband text a lot. It does get on my nerves. It makes me kind of suspicious of whom he is talking to too. He would rather text someone than to call them on his cell phone. It just makes me wonder sometimes. I know a girl that text a lot too. She has the new Boost Mobile phone, and all she does is text, text and text. She says that she enjoys texting. I can't see how she can do it. To me, texting can become very addictive once it has started with a person.
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
9 Jul 10
I think it's the age. You know, when I was younger my mom got a new stereo system and I was the one who had to put the thing together and work it and teach my mom how to work it. Now with the newer technology I have to have my daughter show me how to do things. For some reason it just comes almost naturally to her because she grew up in a more technologically advanced age than I did, just like I did with my parents.
As we age, our brains have their synaptic pathways pretty well set and they become hardened which is why it's harder to learn as we get older. (Can't teach an old dog new tricks has some basis in fact.) The folks who are able to continue their learning throughout their lives at the same pace as when they were younger are the rarity, not the norm. Our children are going to live in a much more technologically advanced age than we do so their synaptic patterns are geared toward that. I'm lucky if I can get my computer to work without catching every virus that comes along. LOL 
@MellowYellow (39)
• United States
7 Jul 10
In the words of Michael Jackson, you are not alone. I have a 15 year old daughter who loves texting but I'm very leery about who and what she texts so I monitor everything and she is only allowed to have 1000 texts per month.
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
8 Jul 10
I think that's why I find this so scary...because I can't monitor her texts. I have no idea what is being said or who she is talking to. Maybe a little parental paranoia at work here?
@Kalyni2011 (3496)
• India
10 Feb 12
No you are not the only one, i too object to such use, here the guys/girls buy SIM cards that give free talk time and free sms, they talk and send sms like mad persons..
You should watch to whom she talks or sends smss
Best of luck.
Happy posting, cheers.
Kalyani
Best of luck.
Happy posting, cheers.
Kalyani
1 person likes this
@alaskanray (4636)
• United States
10 Feb 12
Thanks, Kalyni. Yes, I took her cell phone away completely and now she is in counseling with a therapist who is trying to help her learn some self defense mechanisms that will help protect her. It is a scary world out there and the new technology just gives those creeps one more venue to stalk our children.
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
15 Dec 11
Personally I think Texting in many ways is replacing life. People are never talking on the phone or in person anymore. They also are too busy to do anything else, and even have to constantly be checking their phone. I know I have text on my Cell and could even post here in myLot if I wanted too, but to me the novelty does wear off, or at least for me it did. But when especially for children it starts interfering with everything else, it becomes objectable for sure.
1 person likes this
