The following is a WCBSTV article:
Years ago, parents complained about their teenagers spending too much time on the phone. But these days the kids aren’t even talking that much. It’s all about texting.
They do it at school, on the street, and even in the car. In fact, the average American teenager sends and receives nearly 3,000 text messages a month.
“That’s about 100 texts a day. That’s 6 times the average in 2007,” said Laura Hahn of Good Housekeeping.
That has some psychologists concerned over-texting may cause anxiety and sleep problems. “It interrupts their daily routine, they’re thinking about responding to someone when they really should be thinking about school work, or they can’t get to sleep at night because they need to get back to someone,” Hahn said.
The Good Housekeeping Institute said if you’re concerned that your teen spends too much time texting, you might want to set a few rules, like establishing text-free zones. A few good places to start inside the car at the dinner table which is a great place to talk to your kids, and cut the texting during verbal conversations.
A lot of parents find their kids texting until the early morning hours, so set a curfew and stick to it, reminding them that having a cell phone is a privilege, and require your child to charge the phone somewhere other than the bedroom.
“If your child charges their phone in a different part of the house, say the kitchen, they are more likely to have uninterrupted sleep. If it’s out of site, it’s out of mind,” said Hahn.
Finally, be a good role model. If you’re always texting and on the phone, chances are your child is too.
(Source: WCBSTV)
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10 Responses
Why only 4 kids? I think adults need these limitations too!!
I certainly can use these limits.
I personally prefer texting to talking on the phone. Of course everything has its limitations but its not much different than using email for business which everyone who works in an office will agree that email is a huge convenience over having to call leave a message wait for a call back etc etc. Same with texting.
As far as teens are concerned the only concern I have is WHO they’re texting which is the same concern as to who they might be talking.
I agree with ani oymer ,
I like texting and emailing better then talking. YOu can just say what you want to the other person and move on – why do we have to make a problem of everything? People text alot because its good – why does that become a issue?
“Out of site”? What is this, a tabloid? An overworked tech journalist?
Why not.
“People text alot because its good”
Is it? Isnt it easier to have a conversation with someone? People must learn communications skills. For example (and this is only one such example), When a boy and girl meet for a shidduch, its bad enough they are being thrust into a situation that they have been told to avoid their whole life and communication with the opposite gender will be hard enough. Add to the fact that they have no social skills because they dont know how ot talk to ANYONE it makes matters worse. Are they supposed to text each other instead of talk, because thats all they know how to do?
Sure, a quick, “dont forget the milk”, is convenient and is easier than making a phone call, but once the skill of conversing with another human being is lost, we lose a big part of the advantage that humans have over animals.
Someone recently mentioned in the coffee room something about a chosson and kallah texting their friends during their own sheva brachos. If that is normal, then texting has gone way too far.
Kosher Phone is the answer
# 9 Yiddishemama. please forgive me if this sounds harsh but please GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SAND!Kids now days have a very easy time getting a hold of a regular Cell if they want it. Just because you give them a “Kosher Cell” doesn’t mean that’s the only one they will have on them. I know for a FACT that many teens take the Kosher Cell from their parents, and keep a regular cell (text internet etc.) in the other pocket. The Kosher Cell is not the answer. I know of a case where a teen couldn’t figure out why it was ok for his menahel in yeshiva to text people on his phone, go into his office and use the internet, and then come out of the office and mussar out the bochurim telling them that cell texting and internet is Assur. Rav Mattisyahu Solomon Shlita said something and the Lakewood Internet Asifa that says it all… The Schools need to teach MORE YIHADUS. Those who text have not been given a solid reason why not to, even their rebbeim and Rosh Yeshivas use cell phones. Maybe it’s time to lead by example.