Do our kids know how to carry on a conversation? Do we know how to work all the facets of tech that they do? Is there yet another “Generation Gap” evolving that has to do with communication? That’s our topic at this week’s #DadChat, on Thursday January 15 at 6:00 p.m. PT/9:00 p.m. ET.
My boys and I have a habit of telling tall tales. Naturally, I was the one who started this “tradition” and it’s been fun ever since to try and keep a straight face when pulling each other’s leg. Last night I pulled off perhaps the best one ever, aided by the ease of doing it via texting.
Radio Show: Social Media, Our Kids and Us
First air date:
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Featured guests:
Wayne Levine (BetterMen.Org) for “The Men’s Room”
Pastor Drew Sams for “Teen Rap”
Rachel Sarah (SingleMomSeeking) for “Single Parenting Dating”
The two blogs referenced are “There’s NO heart in texting!” and “Just a Guy Wondering If He Can Trust His Teens with Social Media”.
While walking with a friend, we were talking about how our kids use modern communication and social media in their lives He friend relayed the story of his 18-year-old high school senior asking a girl to be his prom date, via a text message! Fortunately for his son, she liked him a lot, and texted back “Yes.” In my opinion, there was no heart in this.
Later, when his son and date were making their plans, they discussed a good friend of his that was nervous about asking a particular girl as his date to the prom. He asked should he text her? The response was an immediate and emphatic, “NO!” Because there is NO heart in texting!
Screens, screens, screens. No, not the ones that keep out the flies, but the ones that are ubiquitous in our lives everywhere else. We’ve got video, cell-phone, computer, game, movie theatre, and MP3 player screens (I refuse to call them iPods as I can’t stand iTunes and their monopoly and totalitarian way in which they force you to organize your music…I have no heat on this issue – HA!).
My boys are addicted to them, as with most of their generation. And, my family would argue, I am addicted to my computer and phone screen (for e-mail), to which we finally instituted a limited after dinner policy. One half-hour is all I’m allowed, after dinner, to check and respond to e-mails. Writing and such must be done during “work hours,” whatever those are.
Fair enough, but my boys don’t have these limits other than no TV on school nights. That doesn’t mean no computer time, so really what is the difference? With YouTube, they can watch most anything anyway. With video chat and other options on the web, they’re as addicted to their screens as I may be to mine.
