Communicating in Text-Message Style

The (very popular) text-message style of communicating, is not ruining real communication - if anything, it is helping, and in many cases enhancing communication - particularly in regard to a large number of parent/child relationships.

There are often communication problems that occur in relationships between a parent/parents and their children - many battles, and power struggles, can result in a child resorting to speaking less to their parent/parents. Text-messaging can help in this type of situation, in terms of a child simply being able to send a quick message to mom/dad to let them know that they are ok, and/or information on their whereabouts - without having to actually have 'words' with said parent/s, which could potentially end in a yelling match/hanging up the phone while the parent is in mid-sentence!

Another way text messaging can help a child (or anyone for that matter) is if they are in a dangerous situation, perhaps where they have found themselves in a bank or gas station that is being robbed, they could send an 'SOS' message, and their phone could be traced (this would depend upon their cell phone being set to silent). Also, in the case of children, this could be instrumental if the unthinkable happened, and they were abducted.

Another way text messaging helps, is simply by providing one more way for people to check in and say 'hi', and basically to just stay connected. This method of 'keeping in touch' can be instrumental for children who may have to take an unforeseen trip with their parents, so as to keep them from feeling homesick or disconnected from their friends.

If anyone is concerned about text messaging replacing spending actual 'time' together - then one should make a conscious effort to schedule in a reasonable amount of 'face time', so that our relationships are not completely facilitated by technology - which can happen if you're not paying attention, and simply let everything just 'go with the flow'!