Can someone explain the appeal of text messages?

[catnapper]

Ok, I might be an old fogey already, and thats just fine with me

I just don't understand why its so important. My daughter is known to be IMing friends on the computer with one hand and texting friends on the phone with the next. Why not set up a conference call?

I use my texting feature maybe once a week to text my husband while he's in class. In the old days I'd have called school and let a message for him. But my kids.... I can be in the car with them, having one conversation and they'd be texting someone else having another. It used to be that car rides were a time to get to know each other better.... enjoy the scenery.... catch up on some sleep. But nope, its an opportunity to text some friends whom you already texted back at home while eating lunch, while IMing others, heck, I swear some kids do it while in the shower!

Can someone please explain its appeal? I just don't get it!

Thank you!

[Cookiebaker]

I don't know about teenage kids, but I know that I love the text messaging feature. Mark is on the road all day and visiting customers, and it is a way to communicate with him without interupting him when it isn't convenient. That's the only time I use it though.

p.s. I think its hillarious when someone texts me by accident from a wrong number. It has happened several times.

[buttercup132]

It's more convenient then phoning. They have a little message on their phone to get and reply whenever they want. Not everyone people want to talk to are always on msn

I love texting it's so much easier. You also never get those awkward silences when someone has nothing to say.

[Laura's Babies]

I never had text until my sister and her hubby went on that move across country and I wanted to be able to keep up with where they were, when they were stopped for the night, started in the morning and just to know they were ok. They left right when I had to go back to work and cell phone recpetion out on the river is hit and miss but for some reason text will work when a actual call won't. Now I still have it so we can communicate while I am out there.

I don't really see what all the hoopla is about, it is hard to do with those little key pads on them, the messages have to be so brief but it IS handy to have. It was really nice to get "Happy Mothers Day Mom" in a text when we were in a dead area on Mothers Day.

[columbine]

slo kbord means u dont hafta lrn inglsh

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

It is a real pest, isn't it!! We have 2 kids, aged 18 and 22. They both have a mobile and send lots of messages; BUT there is an important houserule here:
NO phoning nor sending messages at the table while we are eating!! Even if they receive a message, they are NOT allowed to read it untill we have all finished our meal! No problems with that

[Aspen and Misty]

I text messege like it's my job

Personally, I don't like talking on the phone. I don't even enjoy calling my family that much. Text messeges allow me to quickly chat with them and makes it so I don't have to use the phone. There have been times when I have called my sister, hung up and then remembered, Oh yea! I need to tell her something else. If it's just a little thing I text her.

I also find it's a way to not interupt people with a loud ringing phone.

I have to agree though, there has to be some rules. In my house it is understood that there is no texting or calling at the table, during parties etc.

Ashley

[shais_mom]

I'm the same way - I txt a lot - its a nice feature to txt someone while they are working and can't talk on the phone which is the case with me sometimes. I might not be able to talk but I can quickly txt the person.

[finn's mom]

Texting is cheaper and quicker. Bottom line for me. If I pick up the phone and dial anyone, it's hard to have a one minute conversation just to say I'm on my way...without sounding rude or short. With my mom or David, it's possible, because they know me well enough to know if I say "I just want to tell you I'll be there in fifteen minutes", they know I'll be there and I don't want to talk at that moment. But, for most other people, it's just easier to send a text and be done with it. I still don't use text message lingo or anything, though. I can't type "lol" or "c u l8r" or any of those other abbreviations or acronyms. It's bad enough that letter writing is nearly obsolete. At least let me type in (mostly) complete sentences.

My mom, in the last year, has learned to text, and there really is nothing sweeter than getting a text message from my mother telling me she's thinking of me, loving me and hoping I'm having a great day.

[Hellow]

Texting ROCKS! It gives us teens a way to talk to someone without actually *talking*. It is easier than phoning and it wont let your parents *hear* what you are *saying*.

[Freedom]

It used to be that car rides were a time to get to know each other better.... enjoy the scenery.... catch up on some sleep.

Set some rules. NO texting in the car.

[Pam]

Interesting that you brought this up Kim! I myself have probably text messaged a half a dozen times in my life and wondered why others use texting so often. I would rather use the phone but I didn't realize there were times when the phone wouldn't work where a text message would. It has been an enlightening thread to me and now I understand it all so much better.

At my office we are not supposed to place or receive personal calls except at lunch. A couple of my co-workers have become quite sneaky about sending text messages while holding the phone slightly under their desks. Where there is a will there is a way.

[Aspen and Misty]

and it wont let your parents *hear* what you are *saying*.

In my opinion, If you are talking about things your parents shouldn't hear, then you probably shouldn't be talking about them at all.

Ashley

[RedHedd]

slo kbord means u dont hafta lrn inglsh

... that explains the appalling lack of spelling and grammar skills in today's world.

I don't text because it's expensive and tedious to try and get all that I want to say into a text message. I'm more into e-mail.

Also, I think it's sad that people would rather text than talk to someone on the phone. There's something so much more personal about having a real conversation; avoiding personal interaction may be a sign of some underlying fear or problem that needs addressing. Hiding under a text message and avoiding human contact exacerbates the problem and just leads to loneliness.

[Hellow]

In my opinion, If you are talking about things your parents shouldn't hear, then you probably shouldn't be talking about them at all.

Ashley

What if you are talking to your girlfriend?