Txt Me Up, Sctty

Becky does not have a cell phone. Neither do the boys. And we have no current plans to fix this obvious faux pas on our part. The good thing is that since every other child in school (with the exception of maybe one, but he never counts for anything. Or so I'm told) our kids have ready access to one if they should need to get in touch with us in an emergency type situation.

I wouldn't mind getting a pre-paid for them to carry around so as to not bruise their tender social status, but I know for a fact that they'd text-eat their minutes by Day 3, and they'd whine to us the rest of the month about how they're out of minutes. Becky even said herself that she'd do it.

But the kids do have Facebook accounts and I'm told that everyone uses text-speak, or txt spk, there. I wouldn't know. I'm one of the only 27 people in the world that doesn't have an account on Facebook.

So Becky is telling me the other day that everyone uses texting type when they text (duh) and on FB, and how it's become so commonplace that when they're typing reports for school they type in txt spk.

She also was a little frustrated that the teachers get mad about this and make them do it over.


*blink*blink*


Well no kidding, Einstein.

26 comments:

Flea said...

LOL!!! I'm so glad I'm not alone. My teens are 15 and 14, with no plans for cell phones in the immediate future. And the text speak! Argh!!!

I have a FaceBook account, primarily so I can keep track of my daughter's account. I hate using it. I'm a technological dinosaur that way.

the planet of janet said...

roo-girl has had a cell phone since she was 10, but there was a specific reason for it (walking home from school alone -- call every 10 minutes or i call the cops).

and her spelling has deteriorated dramatically ever since.

i no how 2 spk txt tho. k bi.

Unknown said...

Well include me in that group of 27people that don't have a Face Book account. Just what I need is another internet realted addiction.

Karen said...

Just did the Facebook thing a week ago to keep in touch with family that are accross the country. It took a year of them bugging me to do it. Can't say I love it. I can hardly figure out how or why I use it.

txt spk......that is so funny to me. I'm sure one day it will not be as funny as it is right now.

AutoSysGene said...

Yikes, I must be old...I'm not even sure what qualifies at txt spk....

Cecily R said...

Even when I text I don't use text speak. I can't do it. I have already made the vow not to LOL anyone, anytime. Makes me shudder just typing it. :)

Pam said...

ha ha ha ha ha! Thanks for the giggle! (oh and I am SO glad first graders don't have cell phones) I don't have a facebok account either- I'm not even sure I really know what the heck it is all about.

The Sports Mama said...

Huh. I don't have a Facebook account, either. And Jock gave up using his Myspace, so I figure he can go without Facebook, too. And if he changes his mind? I'll just require that password like I do all the others. :)

He DOES have a cell phone, though, and the texting thing Drives.Me.Nuts. We went with an unlimited texting plan, just because it wasn't worth the argument. (and ssh.... his dad and I text him more often than call him, but we're not admitting that out loud.)

Leanne said...

I get it. My kid said to me the other day - TMI. Just the letters not the words. Uh, speak english children. Oh, and learn to write it too!!

Karen Deborah said...

that's funny. Wish I knew some of this text speak, I'm supposed to send test messages in my new job, talk about stress! I'm gonna wreck the stinkin car I can't multi task like that.

Aimee said...

OMGosh! sup w/ the tchAs? Y cnt they leave kids solo? craZ. w/e.
t2ul. bi.

Oh wait, translation:

Oh my gosh! What's up with the teachers? Why can't they leave the kids alone? Crazy. Whatever. Talk to you later. Bye.

My kids are becoming hermits, that's all there is to it.

Michelle said...

Yet another reason I'm not looking forward to the wee ones getting older. Luckily my husband teaches math so he doesn't have to deal with it so much, but how irritating for teachers. I think my rule would be: do it once, do it over. do it twice, do it over and lose a letter grade. Do it three times and F. They'd SO hate me, wouldn't they?

Congrats on holding out on the cell phones.

Oh and I ummm recently joined FB. I got beaten down by my friends. Luckily we old folks don't use textspeak on it! :)

My Two Army Brats said...

I get most of the txt spk too but I'm a texting fool. We are against texting and driving because DUH that's not safe so we have a new acronym of our own it's DYI (I'm Driving You Idiot)so we ddont cause one another to crash.

Kids are nuts but we were too. DOn't let them think they developed the BFF stuff because our generation had dibs on that way back when....just read the yearbook signings!

just jamie said...

Holy moly. I love this. The kids in my class think a "text" book is a book about cell phones. Yeah-huh.

Unknown said...

I get e-mails from adults that
look like this.

Hey, Cll me when u get 2 the mall so u can meet ...


Grr that irritates me. Why don't you just spell it out.
The other thing I get in e-mail and such Is WhEn ThE KiDs TyPe LiKe ThIs.
Honestly it takes like ten times as long to type like that. I understand texting.. but not e-mail or reports and such. Yuck.

Anonymous said...

I got my teenagers a At&t go phone..i put $25.00 on in per month and then we buy the unlimited text message package..it give them unlimited text for 30 days..can't beat it..

Cynthia said...

Well, I am number 28...no Facebook account. Truthfully, I can barely text:P

KG said...

I also have no Facebook account. I REFUSE to have one. Mainly because - HELLO - employers look at that stuff. So do, presumably, college admissions directors.

Though I admit I'm in love with my iphone and all of its hawtness.

Caution/Lisa said...

The first time I saw u instead of you in an essay, I laughed. All these years later, it is now a struggle for my students to spell things out. And upper case letters? They're just gone.

JennyH said...

That is funny. I am sure teachers love that!! I guess I'm another one of those 27 people who don't have a FB account.

Just think- I bet it gets worse before it gets better! FUN-FUN!

My 5 year old is already asking for a phone. Do you think I may be in trouble!?

Burgh Baby said...

I am PRAYING that proper grammar makes a comeback in time for Alexis' teen years. We just have to figure out a way to make it cool again . . .

caramama said...

Bwahaha! Like with any other language or medium, you just need to know when to use it and when it's not appropriate. You don't write english papers in slang either. You certainly don't write the way you talk (unless you blog like I do ;-)).

I am also not on Facebook, so have identified a chunk of the 27 right here! I just can't take on another new technology. That's also why I won't get on plurk (sorry, Karen!), but I do have twitter.

Danyele Easterhaus said...

this is why i don't teach kids...i would possibly laugh in their faces and give them f's. ok, not really, but seriously? so funny!

Andrea said...

LOL!! That is great! I am not sure I even understand half of what kids write. I am ont looking forward to those days. At least you have not given in to the cell phones.

Debbie @ Three Weddings said...

I'm one more of those moms who won't get my 12 year old a cell phone. In fact, her friend told her to tell me her friend said I need to get her a phone. I told her to tell her friend thanks for the advice!

When I was a kid we weren't allowed to use calculators in math. The injustice of it all!

Wineplz said...

We were just talking about this last weekend with a family friend. His 13-yr old wants a phone and has been belly-aching about it for a while (since they originally put her off at age-10 stating that she could get one at 13). So he tried the whole "I didn't get my first cell until age 22," and she didn't believe him...it was hilarious. :)
Hold firm, mama!