Dear Parent:
This has got to stop. Cell phones are already the biggest distractor to learning and education. When you are texting your teen during class time you are adding to that distraction! Just imagine their phone trying to get their attention while a teacher is talking, or a concept is being taught, or homework instructions explained. What are the chances they heard everything? If you are one of the people texting them during class time, that is easily remedied. Stop doing it. There are always lunch times or break times you can use if you just have to get a hold of your teen. Otherwise, leave them alone during school. Have real conversations when you see them at home. If this seems impossible for you to do then you seriously need to limit their texting ability to after school hours so you won’t be tempted. It will help both of you. If there is a true emergency, schools still have real phones you can call on. Many teens get over a hundred texts a day and that is already way too many. Don’t add to this craziness. Help your teen be as prepared as possible to do their best in school with as few distractions as possible. I know it can make a difference in their learning and success in school. I think it can also be a very positive thing for your relationship with your teen. You end up talking live and in person more than using the fallback and ease of a text. And face to face conversations are still the most effective, personal and real way to communicate.