填空题 I've always known my kids use {{U}} {{U}} 21 {{/U}} {{/U}}gear a lot. But my cellphone bill last month really grabbed my {{U}} {{U}} 22 {{/U}} {{/U}}.
My son had racked up nearly {{U}} {{U}} 23 {{/U}} {{/U}}, and had sent nearly as many. That means he was having more than 60 {{U}} {{U}} 24 {{/U}} {{/U}}via text message every day. {{U}} {{U}} 25 {{/U}} {{/U}}, he was out of school for the summer and communicating more with friends {{U}} {{U}} 26 {{/U}} {{/U}}. Nevertheless, I had to wonder how he found time to hold down a summer job and complete a college course in between all that {{U}} {{U}} 27 {{/U}} {{/U}}with his thumb.
I was even {{U}} {{U}} 28 {{/U}} {{/U}}to learn that my son is normal. "Teenagers with cellphones each send and receive {{U}} {{U}} 29 {{/U}} {{/U}}a month on average", Nielsen Mobile says.
Some experts lament that all that keyboard jabber is making our kids stupid unable to read nonverbal cues such as {{U}} {{U}} 30 {{/U}} {{/U}}, gestures, posture and other silent signals of mood and attitude. Unlike phones, text messaging doesn't even allow transmission of tone of {{U}} {{U}} 31 {{/U}} {{/U}}.
States are cracking down on drivers who text, {{U}} {{U}} 32 {{/U}} {{/U}}. My son doesn't text while driving, and we have discussed the dangers.
Beyond that, though, I'm not sure I see {{U}} {{U}} 33 {{/U}} {{/U}}critics of this trend. I've posted before on how I initially tried to curb my kids' texting. But over time, I have seen my son suffer no apparent {{U}} {{U}} 34 {{/U}} {{/U}}, and he reaps a big benefit, of easy, continuing contact with many friends. Also, the time he spends texting replaces the hours teens used to spend on the phone: {{U}} {{U}} 35 {{/U}} {{/U}}dislike talking on the phone, and say they really don't need to do so to {{U}} {{U}} 36 {{/U}} {{/U}}and family.
Does texting make kids stupid? I don't think so. It may make them annoying, when they try to text and talk to you {{U}} {{U}} 37 {{/U}} {{/U}}. And it may make them distracted, when buzzing text messages interrupt efforts to noodle out a calculus problem or finish reading for school.
But I don't see texting {{U}} {{U}} 38 {{/U}} {{/U}}teens' ability to communicate. My son is as attuned to nonverbal cues as any older members of our family. If anything, I have found him {{U}} {{U}} 39 {{/U}} {{/U}}and easier to communicate with from afar, because he is constantly available via {{U}} {{U}} 40 {{/U}} {{/U}}and responds with a faithfulness and speed that any mother would find reassuring.