Just Text Me, Mom!

Over the last week we’ve spent a lot of time with family. In this time, I’ve watched my cousin text message faster than most people can type on an actual keyboard. He’ll have some sort of thumb disorder soon. I asked him if there are texting competitions. He scoffed and rolled his eyes because he’s eighteen. He is way too cool for my humor. Besides, I was interrupting an important texted conversation.
This got me thinking about my two boys turning into texting teens. I started to realize that this will most likely be one of the primary ways they communicate. Weird. There will be even more technological advances as the years go by too, that’s a given. Miles and Asher will most likely live a lot like the Jetsons. That totally freaks me out.
I noticed that my cousin doesn’t really like talking to his parents, but he will respond to text messages from them, so they’ve learned how to do it. That way they can at least know where he is and get him to somewhat directly answer their questions. And I don’t blame them for taking what they can get in this somewhat snotty and rebellious stage of life. (Not that all teens are snotty and rebellious, but a whole lot are no matter how good the parenting….)

Since Ryan and I will most likely communicate at least somewhat with our children in this way, I have to make it clear now that I don’t really get it. I don’t really get the rules. I don’t text that much now, I’m much more of a caller/emailer. It’s fun for me every now and again (to text), but a lot of the time I figure I could have made three phone calls in the time it takes me to find the letters for a text. My cousin says I need more practice. But at 30 cents a pop, I think I’ll practice sparingly.
Okay, back to the rhetorical questions…
when does the conversation end? I mean, I can tell with my friends cause we each say a little something and there’s a bit of a close to the conversation. But with teens I’m guessing it’s more like instant messaging. So then do you just finally say, “yeah that’s so true, he’s gross. Bye.” Or do people type out a big explanation like, “well, I have to get back to my homework now so let’s stop texting about nothing.” Or do you just stop responding, leaving your friend to wonder until they finally realize the conversation must really be over?
How long should you wait between texts? Teens don’t like to appear too anxious and available, so is there a bit of a rule of wait, or is the faster the better cause it’s cool to be the fastest like ever?
Can you text fight? “I can’t believe you’re choosing HER over ME!” Or can you still use face to face interaction for that?
How long can one text conversation last?
Is there ever a place or time where it’s not cool to text?
Do you text even when it’s faster and more convenient to call?
I have more questions, but you get the idea. I don’t really get it.

I hope my boys ask girls out in person or at least on the phone. I hope they still want to hear the sound of my voice every once and awhile. And most of all, I hope they have a desire to sit down and talk to Ryan and I. I know we have some control over this, but they will be their own people, focused on their own things. I just really hope they want to tell me about those things and watch the interest and joy in my face. It’s okay if they’re mad texters like my cousin, as long as they tell me exactly what they’re saying every time. I’m sure they’ll be perfectly fine with that…