OT: How many text messages do you send a day? - YouLookFab Forum

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OT: How many text messages do you send a day?

Debora

Veteran

This question was posed this morning on a television talk show, so I pulled out my latest cell phone bill to see how many, on average, that I send a day.

I was surprised to see that I either sent or received 150 last month, averaging about 5 a day. I was even more surprised when I saw that my 15 year old son sent 4547 text messages in the past month, averaging about 151 per day!!! A little excessive, don't you think?

Do you text message? If so, how heavily do you rely on texting?

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44 replies

Latest reply was from julijuli

Dusty

(website)

Um, zero. But, yes, I do think 151 a day is excessive (although not the worst I've heard, my DH's boss' daughter was sending 1000 a day or so.

Debora

Veteran

Oh my gosh, that is a lot! I have a feeling that many of DS's can be attributed to his little girlfriend of the moment and her unlimited texting plan. In all fairness, the total for the month before was drastically lower. Regardless, I'm still planning on having a little *talk* with him tonight.

anne

Veteran

Maybe 1 or 2 a week. I am not a keen texter and find it laborious. I was using an online version for awhile which was much better because I could type on a keyboard -but it was pricy. I hate ringing people though, so do text occasionally!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I probably average one or two, like Anne.

Queen Mum

Veteran

I pretty much only text my kids and hubby. I probably average a few a day.... and as I'm not an accomplished texter, they are usually very short texts ... where R U? I M here... that sort of thing

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

A big fat 0. If/when I get a smart phone I may add a text plan, but right now it's more trouble than it's worth.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

WOW. Agile texting fingers your son has, Debora.

Like Sarah, I don't text. So zero. But I make up for that via email.

Debora

Veteran

Kim, most of my texts are the same. I'll often text "I'm here" when picking my son up from his various activities.

Would you believe that my 79 year old mother occasionally texts the grandchildren? They love it, and especially get a kick out of it when she refers to herself as G-Ma in the text.

marianna

Veteran

Hmm... I don't know the exact number, but I might send 20-40 per day... that's probably a high day. There are days when I might only send one or two, and other days when it's a lot more. Depends on what's going on that day!

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

G-Ma! I love it! You're mom's the coolest ever!
I'm definitely a steady texter with an average of from five to 10 a day. I receive more than I send because I get various things sent to my phone, but incoming messages are free. I have a great text plan that allows me to send more than 2,000 in a month, and I've never even come to the half-way point.

rute

Veteran

I text only 4 or 5 a day.

151 a day! That a lot! But I know kids spend their time texting each other, so that normal these days..

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I don't text -- My mom texts me, and I call her back.

I do email like crazy though.

Debora, what you're saying about your son sounds typical.

The thing that scares me is that kids don't know how to be present anymore. They are constantly distracted by texting. I can't tell you how many DePaul students I could have run over the other day in Lincoln Park. At least 4 meandered across a major street in front of me at various intersections, texting and walking. Scary.

JennyK (NC)

I would love to text, but I have no one with whom to text.

Boy Toy hates it, so we just call each other. My boys text some, but they aren't as into it as some others their age. My mom keeps a cell phone in her car but I don't think she keeps it turned on. She definitely doesn't text.

I have a super budget phone that is inconvenient for texting (though my plan allows for unlimited texts), so I haven't pushed it.

Debora

Veteran

Excellent point, Laura! I was hoping someone would bring that up. It also makes me wonder if kids today will be lacking in valuable face-to-face communication skills.

Jenny, my DH hates to text, too.

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

Is it definitely texting? Because my (stoopid) phone plan charged me for "texting" when I was actually sending IMs. I was pretty irritated about that and have since found an IM app that will let me chat for free. (I tend to IM my sister a lot when I drop my oldest daughter off for art class.)

Mamapicklejuice

Veteran

(I re-read your message - it's possible your son is actually texting, but if you were surprised to see that you yourself had sent/rec'd texts, it's possible your phone company is charging you for something you are not actually doing!)

Srujana

Veteran

I text pretty much all the time. There only a handful of people that I routinely enjoy being on the phone with...everyone else gets a text. For me, its the easiest way to stay in touch and keep track of all my friends/family when everyone's so busy...and my phone makes it way easy to type out long messages.

Maya

Veteran

Debora, how does your son have time for anything else? Like sleep?

Some days I don't send any, other days I send maybe 10 max. I hate talking on the phone, so whenever possible I prefer email or texting. Calling is a last resort that I absolutely dread. I can't have an entire conversation via text though. Once it gets past about ten messages, I just stop replying. Texting is for "I'm here, where are you?" or "Want to grab lunch?" kind of questions...not "Let's discuss our policy in Guatemala" or whatever...

cciele

Veteran

0, for me too. Maybe once a month or so. I hate typing on the phone!

151 per day, I can see a teenager do. Seems like one of their primary methods of communication, unfortunately.

Kate

Veteran

Debora, that G-Ma thing had me laughing, I wish my G-Ma would text with me! However I am facebook friends with almost all of my extended family...

I've been sending about 40-50 texts per week. Most go to a friend/neighbor to coordinate the meals and errands we do together (we both live alone and I don't have a car). I also will text my boyfriend and brother before calling them to see if they're free; both have crazy schedules and getting a text while busy is a lot less annoying than getting a call. Beyond that, not much. I hate having conversations via text, so if we need to send more than a couple to get things sorted out I just call.

Laura, I have the same fear. There's also this sense that everyone wants to know and should know what you are doing ALL THE TIME. Rather than being in the moment, kids are texting and tweeting about what they're doing! It's also funny how quickly this happened. I'm 23, and my siblings are about to turn 20 and 18, and I feel like their peers obsessively text more than mine, and it gets worse the younger you go.

My favorite is the kids who text while riding their bike! and without helmets! I want to yell at them not to fall and die, but then I fear that trying to tell them would cause them to fall off their bike!

Rosie

Veteran

Kids these days! I used to text more, mostly with my mom, if you can believe it! I probably averaged 300-450/mo, but I have definitely cut back, partially because she got a smartphone and now emails instead. For a while I really liked texting, but recently I have become tired of it, preferring more "real" forms of communication!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

High 5 Maya- I feel the same way.
Oh Laura- is that DePaul University? My mom went there

Kristen

(website)

Veteran

I am hard-of-hearing, so texting has been a godsend to me. I only use my phone to talk to my sister or parents, and everyone else is via text or email. And if my family would get into texting more, my life would be even easier!

Natalie

I exchange at least 10 texts a day, most with my daughter away at college, the man I'm dating (calling him my "boyfriend" when we're both over 50 seems preposterous, but there seems no other good word), and girlfriends. I find texting a good way to communicate: I can choose my words more carefully than I'd be likely to over the telephone, and texting lets the recipient respond when it's convenient. I

Debora

Veteran

MPJ - good point, I just checked my in-box and I have quite a few in there. I think I actually did send or receive all those texts. Most of them are to and from my children.

Srujana, Maya, Kate, and Khris - I agree, sometimes it is a lot easier to just text rather than to get caught up in a long phone call.

Rosie, you have a very valid point!

Kate, i wonder the same thing about today's kids feeling the need to broadcast their every move. I see it on Facebook, too.

Kristen, I can see why texting works so well for you.

Natalie, good point about choosing your words and letting the respondent answer back at his or hers convenience.

shiny

Veteran

Probably about 10 a month. I hate to text, but my DD15 is a texting fiend, so that is the best way to get her to respond. "Can you pick me up" "Y" Or, "Where R U?" I keep it short and simple. She teases me because I use text-speak and only just figured out how to make a question mark...

Otherwise, my texts are to my girlfriend - just to confirm we are on our way to meet her. She has an iphone and she'll send me long detailed texts, which I respond to briefly, or I just call.

My preferred communication is by email, hands down. Email first, phone second, chat a very distant third, then - even more distantly - text.

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Yes, DePaul University. It's a great school but hello students, you are in a big city and need to have your wits about you!

It's actually surprising to me that more of us aren't way into texting. I feel better about my complete lameness in that area now thanks to you all.

Debora, you have to let us know how the conversation goes with your son. Because in about 4 years I am sure to be having the same conversation with my son!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I'm avoiding this issue with my kids by not getting them cellphones. They think it's cruel, but a phone isn't a toy and it isn't necessary for a kid who is literally almost always with a parent. I've told my kids that when they are old enough to get their own contract and pay for their own phone/bill- they can have a cellphone, but not before then.

taylor

Veteran

0...I can't see the keys well enough. My kids preferred communication and they know If they text me they will get a call from me instead, so they just call me:)

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