For One Eight Year-Old Texting’s Too Tempting
by Russell Shaw
I’m just back from a Thanksgiving weekend visit to my girlfriend’s parents in Palo Alto, California.
If you must know, that’s in the heart of Silicon Valley, just a short drive from Apple CEO Steve Jobs house.
While there, I participated in two conversations that focused on texting’s difficulties for young and old.
I asked my girlfriend’s eight year-old niece if she knew how to text. “Yes,” came the self-assured reply.
It was at that point that her mother cut in and said, “but we won’t let her.”
Given that the eight year-old’s parents are progressive, I knew the reason for texting prohibitions wasn’t because they were afraid that their daughter might text rather than keep her mind on more serious things.
It’s just that they know that she is at an age where she is quite talkative, and loves to participate (and in some cases) dominate conversations.
She also has lots of friends… know where I am going with this?
Not letting her text is her parent’s way of avoiding sticker shock and ensuring that their brilliant polymath/highly social being of a daughter stays focused.
And who could argue with that?
