i got my first cellphone when i was 8 it was beacause im a model and travel a lot plus my mom wants me to be safe so she wants me to bring my cellphone everywere and i do i love texting and i do it daily i text alot and my parents complain at the end of the month how big my texting bill is. ok i try not to text alot but its so much fun i cant help it! i cant live without my phone

When I was a teen I talked for hours on the family's only phone. Now the teens all have their own phones and this is how they communicate. I don't know why they can't just call someone but that's neither here nor there. Fact is, texting is here to stay so we had all better just deal with it. My 15 y.o. son can text, eat a meal and converse with us all the the same time. Truthfully, I don't even notice anymore. With him texting between 3000 and 4000 times a month, my $10 unlimited plan is the best money I've ever spent.

I'll be 16 in a week and I don't have or want a cell phone. I have no use for it until I have a car. Even when I do get it, I'll never be using the texting feature because it's an absolute waste of time. You have a small screen and smaller keys and that's supposed to be fun? Why not, perhaps, actually talk to somebody instead of sending them abbreviations of words. Not to mention that they are finding they're way into our vocabulary. I've been hearing way too many people actually saying lol, omg, wtf, etc. in they're actual conversations. It takes longer to type stuff than it takes to say it, often times even if you do use all of those abbreviations, and yet people spend all of their time doing it. Does it really excite you to press keys and see a white screen fill up with black letters? Does it really excite you to get a super-boring response from the sender? If so, why?

I'm 14 years old, and I like to text. It is a good way for teens to keep in touch when they don't like talking on the phone. Not everyone uses text language all the time. Some people, including me, know when it is appropriate, and when it isn't. I have sent 1,816 texts in 14 days. I get straight A's in school, and im also on the National Junior Honor Society. I have unlimited texts, that i pay for, which only costs me $15 a month, and provides a constant way for me to keep in touch with my friends. So texting isn't all bad.

i completley agree. i try to only send about 13 per day but sometimes i go over that and i have to skip the texting the next day. but yeah you do have a point

i got my first phone when i turned 10. just recently i got this thing called a block and i get 400 text messages that i can send and recieve. well the second month or so i had that it got out of control and i sent 1,000 within the first week. i felt really guilty after i got in trouble for it. my punishment was doing extra chores during the summer. im now keeping track of them. everytime i send or recieve a message i make a tally mark. i start over every month.

Well, I just got my first phone, and I rarely text, because I have to pay for my minutes, and trust me, they aren't cheap! So, forget about 77 texts a day, it's a big deal when I send ONE! There are kids at school that I have seen are texting while the teacher is either taking away someone else's phone for texting or giving the "I don't tolerate texting in my class" speech! This has gotten completely out of hand, in my opinion!

I'm 14 years old, and I usually do what I want when I want as long as I want without any limits or crap like that (TV, internet, phone, games...). I talk and make fun of everything, including serious issues, however I can tell difference between making fun of something and actually engaging in the activity (such as sex). Before you judge me, let me tell you giving your teenager freedom won't make them future drug addicts. You have to teach them a sense of morality, and give them freedom provided they use that morality.

So, on texting, I would say it's a matter of trust. If your child wants to talk about sex with a friend over the phone, do you think they understand how serious it is? Would they know when it's not an appropriate time to text? All based on one's maturity. I doubt many teens will sit on a railroad track with an incoming train and text.

I honestly don't see why parents worry so much about teens texting. I bet these parents spent hours talking on the landline when they were their teens' age.

Even if you forbid swearing and sexual discussion in text messages and diligently enforce it by snooping in your kids' texts, they will still talk about such things with their friends at school.

If cost is the problem, it's called unlimited texting. Get that and stop fighting a pointless battle.

I'm 20 and have had a pay-as-you-go phone since I was 15 or 16. Since I'm the one paying for new minutes and texts, I am more cautious about how many I send. Perhaps parents who are having issues with their kids texting too much could set them on something like Tmobile prepaid and barter more minutes for good grades, chores, and respectful attitudes. It's easy to do, just call the number and put in your credit card number when asked.

I have an auditory processing disorder (like dyslexia of the ears) and texting allows me to get in touch with people while out without wasting extra minutes asking my friends to repeat themselves until I understand them. Combine CAPD with lots of background noise and the stress of being separated and it can be impossible to understand my friends at times. I do use my phone to call people occasionally, and it's good for getting in touch with my doctors, but nearly everyone I'm in touch with either has CAPD also (especially my mom!) or else hates talking on the phone.

I think it's very judgemental for parents to say that teens should be talking on the phone rather than texting. I think most people prefer face-to-face contact, but many young people have physical, cognitive, and/or emotional limitations regarding talking on the phone. Your generation may have a preference for talking on the phone, but it's nice to respect our generation's preferences, especially when it's something as minute as texting vs. talking on the phone. Besides, I'd rather listen to quiet tapping then some teenage girl saying "OH EM GEE, THE JONAS BROTHERS TWILIGHT BOBBY FROM HOMEROOM MR. ANDREWS ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH..." =P

And for the record, I have never used anything but proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalisation in my research papers. It seems that the issue people SHOULD address (rather than attacking texting as some people here have) is teens texting at inappropriate times, running over limits, and using text language in inappropriate places like papers. I can definitely see how those things might be a real issue and wish parents and teachers the best of luck in dealing with those things.

lolololololoooooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllll

Personally I'm a kid and I'm 14(had a phone since age 12) and while some of the kids are making fools of themselves on this forum so are many of the adults.
For me I do talk on my phone whenever I can, my parents would probably tell you I text ALL the time though. The reason for this is because texting is a way to constantly stay connected, even at times were calling wouldn't work, or it's to personal to say out loud in front of everyone. Like: talking about your crush, venting about a stupid teacher, when you're in a crowded room, or even just when the conversation wouldn't be very long. And if there’s some rude kid using texting as a tool for bullying then well your son never has to even read them check the phone number and delete it, maybe sending a warning message to the bully that you're going to do this so they realize how stupid it was too. But, since I've never seen this happen before I can't offer too much help over that aohmes. I also think it's annoying when parents read texts, at least in certain ways. For instance I wouldn't mind too much as long as they don't talk about it with me so if you secretly read (and I really mean skim for BAD things like violence drugs and alcohol) it's fine that's protection, but anything beyond that or talking about it with them (unless one of the aforementioned BAD things) about it is just weird, and won't help anyone: the kid will be upset over the invasion of privacy, and the adult will now never get to see the BAD things listed because no kid with a brain is going to put something like that in a text if they know their parents will be reading it.

SO my message to you parents reading this is don't read the stuff to snoop read it to protect, and if telling your kid hampers that protection then don't tell. A phone is a privilege not a right. Taking a phone away won't stop the bad stuff, from being talked about or done however (so don’t take a phone a way for those reasons), but it will make it so that the kid will be upset and then have to look for other ways (behind your back, at school, etc.) to talk to friends, and that is a slippery slope once they realize how easy some things are. So wouldn't you rather know when your kid is talking with the option to easily read messages (only skimming for BAD things remember), as compared to them finding other ways where there’s no chance of you being able to skim for that BAD stuff, and help or protect them.
And a special note to aohmes:
Your son probably is deleting some of those messages, maybe not from the bully, but others. Try finding a less intrusive way to scan them. Many providers offer a list of messages to come with the bill.
A special note to one kid whose name I didn't catch.
Not all kids swear, I don't and never have. So please don't say crap like that, and moderate and reread your comments... you're not helping when you make us sound bad

I hate texting becasue if you have a bully in the class it is a great tool for the bully. Our son is not allowed to delete his texts so we read what is sent to him. I would like to forward these texts to their parents but do not want my son to suffer. If you cannot say something to a persons face then you have no business texting it. Texting has become a cowards way to deal with piers. What kind of society will we have in the future?

But I do hate it in the way that it's a slower form of communicating. Like, somthing that would take 20 seconds to say, would take like, 10 minutes when texting.

I don't HATE texting, but it's a waste of time! Just talk! It also anoys me whenever someone's to d**m lazy to write! Like, are they idiots?

As a younger teacher (25) I can see both sides of the issue. The major concern I have is that most students cannot decipher the difference between the correct time and place to use texts and text abbreviations in writing. Student research papers are progressively getting more and more frustrating to read with spellings like "neway" - it saves one letter! There are exceptions to the rule; IM, mySpace, Facebook, texting, video games, etc. did not corrupt me when I was younger nor do I expect that it happens to all kids. Unfortunately, many of the students on this posting only strenghten the adults' arguments by not recognizing how to conduct conversation without resorting to abbreviations, unwarranted attacks, and generally immature behavior.

Take a look at what it's doing to your grammar. Hardly any of this kids that have posted on this site can write properly. By the way, it should be "than" not "then" when you are comparing things.

Good luck with your resumes kids!

Ok seriously people, parents dont realize that their kids are SO different when they are just with their friend, then when with their parents. ALL teens cuss!! It doesnt matter if you keep them from texting it, they will still say it! Second of all, kids turn to their friends to talk about everything! This includes sex drugs and other things adults dont want kids to kno about! But look, kids DO kno about these things!!!! why stop them from texting them?? Oh and if they are calling instead, there gonna talk about it still!! The more over protective you are of your kid, the worse they will be, only you wont kno!! Believe me, I'm 14! I see it allllllll the time. Oh and just as a little fact on the side, i have unlimited texting and pay for it myself. I have since 6th grade. And its a good thing i have unlimited, i average about 6000 a month! ;) and i have all A's at school! So im a great example of how texting isn't bad!!!

all you paranoid people are weird i have unlimited texting for so long and i have a great relationship with my family. and i am 15 when you start preying in to ther text messages and reading them is rude its personal space and maybe your kids can text their friends something they cant talk to you about we depend on each other and when you check them and say o they were talking about sex well what do you think we dont also talk to our friends at school about it its natural cause who wants to talk to there parents about it its uncomfortable when they can talk to some one the same age and say what your feelings are and relate with someone it doesnt meen texting someone about it doesnt mean your going to do it and your going to do it you cant stop them they will find a way

i think that most of u parents r a little 2 strict with this if u have unlimited then its no problem. set rules like not at the dinner table or when they go to bed then theres no problem. as for the coversations there is nothing that kids dont hear in school. weather u like it or not, teens swear, threaten and talk about sex. u cant prevent it, so stop trying.

I'm a girl scout troop leader of girls 11-13yrs old. I have a no texting/no phones/no electronics rule for the group. Kids withdraw and get really disrespectful when they pull those things out. I even had one girl go into a depression and shut down on me during a campout because I limited (with her parents' approval) her phone usage to one call home a day!

It's really sad to see how deeply these things can affect kids and their social skills. I strongly urge parents to set AND enforce rules of use and limitations of minutes, etc. You may have to battle it as you would any other bad habit, but your kids are worth it.

My daughters have Tracfones, with a pay-as-you-go plan. THEY are the ones who pay. There is enough texting for them to feel "linked in," but they are very cautious in using their minutes.
Parents should remember that cell phones are not "rights," but privileges. If the phones are becoming a problem for the family, you need to figure out how to make it a problem for just your child. We haven't had a single fight about cell phones. It is all under their control, and it is their responsibility.

I have to tell you, my daughter was obsessed with her phone and texting. I noticed that her grades were starting to suffer, I think that she was more worried about texting then working on her homework, so we took the phone away, starting at 7:00 pm on Sunday until 4:00 on Friday afternoons. It was the best thing that I ever did, it was pretty difficult on her for about two weeks, but it has been over a month now and I can say that I have my daughter back! Actually about a week ago she said to me, "you know Mom, I don't even realize that I don't have my phone anymore"! We are spending time together, watching tv, running errands, cooking together, just hanging out and it is fantastic! Take my advice, take the phone away, or at least limit how much they have it in the evenings when they are home. Good Luck!

Parents need to have controll over texting. Set limets. If you give your kid a phone with texting and you say nothing about how much they are texting how are they supposed to know they are doing it too much. Parents if your kid is having this problom step in limit how much they can text. If it becomes out of hand with how much they still do it lower how many they get from the phone company or take away texting till they are muture enough to have it back!

well a girl i know sent 2,000 messages in a week , and its a lot easier then talk because you can do and not make a lot of noise

I'm 16, and I've had my phone since I was 12. When I got my phone, it was made clear that it was to be used ONLY for contacting my parents after drama club, choir rehearsals, play practice, etc., and that, if it was used for texting or talking to friends, it would be taken from me.
When I got into high school, I was given more freedom. I was allowed to use it for talking ON THE PHONE ONLY to my friends, with the knowledge that m parents had the right to take it whenever they thought it was no longer deserved.
At the beginning of my sophmore year, I got texting. I'm sad to say that, on my 250 message plan, I was out of messages in just two days, talking only to one person. So, my mom upped it to 1000, which was gone in five days. I actually went OVER that. So, they got me unlimited.
I have to say, I believe it IS a bad thing. I'm texting my out-of-state boyfriend from the moment I wake up until I go to bed, minus the time we're in school. However, I DO STILL TALK ON MY PHONE, every single night.
I'm getting better at not texting when it's inappropriate, like at dinner, but it's hard. With texting, it's like you're always connected to the people you're talking to, even when it's not possible to pick up the phone and call them. And, yes, sometimes the conversations are nothing interesting or important. But, sometimes, they're crucial. I can't even tell you how many times I've had to get a homework assignment from someone who wouldn't answer their phone when I called, but always answers their texts.
My point is, yes, it can be really destructive. It can also help, though.
My advice is to limit the texting. Give them 250, and then cut it off when they run out. I think if my parents would have done that in the first place, I wouldn't have to be constantly glued to my phone.

I don't have a problem with it. My family never texts that much because 1. one of them only have 250 messages a month. Most parents let them get unlimited texting! Put that to a stop. 2. they know when is and isn't the right time to be texting. Usually the ignore a text or just veiw it and don't respond unless necessary! Parents have to set regulations on when they can and can text...

This is ridiculous! People, phones are there so you can talk to people, not text them! Kids these days hardly even use there phones to talk, they just use them to text. And what surprises me most is that parents acctually let their kids do this all day? My parents never let me text. I only use my cell phone to call my sister and parents!

Wow, all this communicating with other people is so frustrating. What are we going to do to stop it? Why must our kids be in constant communication with there friends? When I was young I had to leave the house and be gone for hours at a time to talk to my friends.

Look people, kids have friends. Kids talk to their friends. Kids talk about things that make adults uncomfortable. That's the way it is.

Be a parent. Set rules and consequences. Talk to your kids. Parent your kids. Get involved with your kids.

It sounds to me that the parents who try to control their kids are the ones who are having the most problems while the ones who have a relationship with their kids are doing OK.

You should try texting yourself. You might like it. Don't say, "I don't know how". It's so easy, a kid can do it.

Our son is 17 and texts all the time. In fact, his phone is falling apart from it. We see the same negative behaviors as others here: he's distracted and disengaged from us, resentful of intrusions on his "texting time" when asked to do chores or spend time with his family, etc. His verbal skills are terrible and he would much rather text than, say, pick up the phone or talk in person. As someone else here noted, he never has any down time from his social circle and, now that we've got a full blown case of text-addiction on our hands, I see this as a huge problem.

New rules we've put in place to deal with it: No cell phone use during family time (5:30 - 9:00 pm), chore/homework time, church, and during family outings (e.g. dining out) unless we give permission. During all of those times the phone must be turned off (not just set on "vibrate" but completely. utterly. O.F.F.!!!) and left on a table in our hallway.

Also, all grades in all classes must be above a C or the phone stays at home.

We'll see how it works.

We just enabled texting on my daughters phone. She understands that I am going to view her text from time to time to make sure they are appropriate. So far her and her friends have made me proud. That being said I do find that her attitude and irritablity is higher when she is texting. She does not want to engage in conversation and if asked to do a chore we get attitude. Texting is on a trial basis and a priviledge which I will revoke if needed. As far as the monitoring of the phone there is a software that logs every text, phone number dialed, phone number received on your childs phone and also alerts you if someone you have not already approved to call your child calls. You are notified on your phone immediately and you can access the internet at anytime and read your childs text. The software is called mymobilewatchdog.com. Check it out.

We have a fabulous relationship and great open communication with our middle school daughter. That said, we weren't exactly jumping up and down about getting her a phone when I see so many kids her age completely absorbed by their phones and texting. In order for her phone to not intrude on our family life she knows it is a privilege, not a toy. As soon as she gets home the phone goes onto the charger until she leaves for school the next morning. If friends need to reach her, they call our home phone. We have a plan that allows a minimal amount of texting and so far she has never gone over the allotment. Having her more attached to a gadget then her own family would never be an option for us and she completely understands and respects this.

Yesterday, our family was walking up Fillmore Street in San Francisco, after having lunch together. When my 13 year-old daughter's friend walked by, we all said "hi" to him, but my daughter. When we gave her a hard time about it, and asked her why, she said, "That's o.k. I'll just text him hello." What is our world coming to?

My daughter sends and receives about 10,000 to 14,000 texts per month. (she's 16) I don't mind it as a way of communicating, in fact I find that we can often have a more civilized conversation by text as she is less "annoyed" in this format. I wish that weren't the case but... However, as others have mentioned,it can (and has) become too consuming. She ignores us, her sisters and her responsibilities to text unless we take the phone away. There is no "down time" from her social circle. She and her friends have very poor verbal communication skills. She would rather text than talk... even with her best friend. Also, on another note, your kids will just erase their sent and in boxes so you won't see what they've texted. In fact many phones prompt you do this as the memory of the phone can be filled up in just a few hours for a prolific texter. So you won't ever be able to see the majority of your childs texts. I am not aware of any system which saves or logs the texts so that you could retrieve them.

I agree with caratx above I have had issues with texting. It's a whole new arena for the parents and there are sometimes a difference in the way things are handled. For instance, when my son's friend's father passed away she texted him to let him know, I didn't know what he should do, do you text her back with your condolences? I let him do that (after a few moments of consideration) I felt that was obviously the most comfortable way for her to handle what had happened to her at that moment in time. I later explained my dilemma to her mother so she wouldn't think my son rude for texting her at the time of her husband's death. It is crazy that we have to decide on the spot at times what is the right etiquette for something we were not raised with and is not in our comfort zone!

I'm 19, and I have my own phone and bill. I have had a phone since I was 16, and have had texting enabled for a few months when I first got my phone, and again when I got my own plan. I have a package of 400 monthly, and I use about half that on average. I just don't have the need to always be on my phone, and I prefer to talk if I can. I mostly use it when my friends are at work or if I'm not sure if they can pick up. Occasionally if I am unable to answer a call I'll send a text off quick to see what is up. I get annoyed when I'm with someone and they text more than five times, its just rude. Overall, if your kid can respect the rules about it, its a great thing, and can teach responsibility (I know I hated explaining that I didn't have texts, and now I am careful about my usage) as well as save your minutes (I stopped going over my minutes when I got texts). But kids can deal with having it taken away, and it is an excellent way to set consequences without hindering life too much. Trust me, they will remember the time they got texts revoked.

Both my kids have phones with unlimited texting. With this freedom comes a few UNWAVERING rules. 1. phones are charged in the kitchen everynight and put there at 9pm. 2. I have 100% non-negiotiable rights to view any and all messages at any time I request. Also, if I ask "who are you texting to", I expect an answer! 3. Anything said via text message should be repeatable in person.

I have had occassion to send messages to friends and ask them not to forward certain "types" of messages to my kids. I have also had occassion to contact parents when the messages being sent to my child were not appropriate. This is not done to embarass my kids, but if I won't allow that type of language in my house, I shouldn't allow it on their phones either!

Manners are also a necessity, and this is a hard one when they are so often away from home at this age. My suggestion is that when visiting, put it away. Also, when we are having family time, they are to put away on silent.

And parents... want a good idea for punishing your "overtexter" for manner offenses? Let them have their phone, but not allow any texts to be sent. They can use the phone, but only to call. Mine got the luxury of "one last message" to tell all the regulars that she was out of commission for a week. I found that this was a real eye opener for her as to just how often she absorbed herself in this.

I have real issues with texting. The technology has happened so fast and now we see so many negatives. Why aren't parents teaching their children to have manors when texting. My daughter's friend came for a sleepover and most of the night that girl was texting instead of paying attention to my daughter. She texted during the movie they watched and while they were talking before sleep. I would have instructed my daughter to NOT text when she is a guest at another home. And how about those that text during movies at the theaters, plays, and other public venues. They can be so distracting. We just ended our texting package as my daughter couldn't keep to the # we paid for and now she will owe us for the overage. Also parent's need to be savvy and read their child's messages...there are some pretty inappropriate conversations. Texting won't be going away but I think parent's need to get educated and teach manors.

My daughter receives and sends texts all day long when not at school. When I was her age, I chatted on the phone for hours a day. I don't see this as being much different. Her friends are important to her, and I can understand that.

Strict much? What happens if she barely uses it, Just give her a week and see what happens with her.

I barely touch my phone. It isn't all that great. It's a phone... I just use it to call and text. But I don't over use it.

My daughter does not text. When we set up her phone, we had them disable texting. We had the benefit of seeing the problems that texting caused some of her friends when they got their phones. Also, the phone does not go into her room unless she has permission. The phone is turned off after 8:30.

My granddaughter texts an average of 15,000 messages per month. That is no exaggeration. I'm glad I have unlimited text messaging. She is on my plan and I don't see a problem with it. Its better than using up the minutes on the phone.

My kid is on their phone CONSTANTLY! It's actually becoming an issue -- he is so unengaged with my husband and I when we're all home together. And he probably exceeds that 2272 number mentioned above. After seeing some of what's mentioned here, I plan to take action. This really has gotten out of control. Thanks for the info!