I’m a responsible parent of nine children and you would think that I despise text messaging, but I don’t. I love text messaging! I love text messaging my children. What better way for parents to keep in touch with their children than to send text messages. Think about it. You don’t have to have a real conversation just keep in touch with little notes once in a while. There are no long awkward silences on the phone, just messages to get your point across. Text messages work best especially when adult children have moved out of the house and you don’t have a lot of time or the distance is too far.

Needing to get an important message through to your children? Whether your children are in class or at work “texting” never fails to deliver and you know how teenagers will always read their text messages. Plus I can send “I love you” messages every so often to let them know I am thinking about them. It’s an easy way to start the mend of an estranged relationship with children when time has passed by too quickly.

I think it’s the best invention since sliced bread. I can send a message anytime or any place and they will get it whether they want to talk to me or not. I can even send pictures. They send me pictures too. For example, my oldest son took a trip to the west and sent me pictures of his exciting travels along the way through his phone. The Arizona Desert, the Colorado River gorge and even a picture of his father’s gravesite where he was buried in a family plot on the other side of the country.

One time I was with my two youngest sons on a field trip to Fort Conde in Mobile for a day of Colonial experiences and two people dressed as pirates (one Captain Jack Sparrow and the other his side kick) were exhibiting sword fighting demonstrations. The picture with my two boys and the two pirates were a big hit with my other children. How cool is that? We got the same reaction when my youngest son was petting a sweet fawn on a local farm. It made a great text to send to everyone.

Texting is wonderful but it also has a dark side. We must text responsibly. Teenagers from 12 to 18 can overdo texting to their friends every day to the point that it becomes an addiction. Checking your phone bill totals each month can keep you in check of how many texts are being sent out every day. Any teen with more than 2,000 texts a month on one phone has way too much time on their hands and their texting has taken over their lives.

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There are also common sense rules for texting such as no texting while driving. A sad story in Southern Alabama was when one of the high school teens was texting while driving her car and didn’t see a red light only to crash and lose her life and greatly damage the lives of the others in her car. Do not text and drive. It is just too dangerous.

Texting is a privilege and should be treated as one. We cannot replace good conversation with just texting. There is a time and a place for both.

“Like all communication tools, cell phones with text messaging capabilities can be positive or negative depending on how they are used. Stories can be told of a texted birthday greeting that made someone’s day or a disaster that was avoided because someone was warned quickly and effectively in a text message. Still, not-so-positive stories can also be told of teenagers texting their friends during Sunday School or seminary lessons, of people being hurt by the content of a message received, or, as in the example above, of people avoiding or disregarding those around them in favor of texting someone else” (Russell and Brad Wilcox, Keep Texting From Taking Over, New Era, August 2007)

There is a time and place for texting. It does not replace face to face conversations but can add sweet messages to a child’s life. I will stand by my statement always: I love texting. This is a wonderful way to communicate with your children.

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