Am I a poor communicator or a texting genius?
Face to face, phone and even email communication may be dead. Case in point, this text conversation I had yesterday with our babysitter:
Me: I know it's late notice but any chance you could babysit tonight (tues)?
Babysitter: Yes i can babysit. What time do you need me??
Me: awesome. let me check what time [my wife] will be home and get back to you in a few
Babysitter: Okay.
Me: can u b at our house around 5:50 tonight? will probably be back around or just before 10pm. is that ok?
Babysitter: Yes. Thats fine.
Me: thank you!!
Babysitter: No problem!!!
This entire conversation took place over about 5 minutes. I never talked face to face with our babysitter. Never picked up the phone. Never sent an email. And yet she showed up at my front door at exactly 5:50 pm.
Is it wrong that I made babysitter arrangements using only text messages? Or am I brilliant for using the preferred communication method of teenagers? You decide.
7 comments for this blog post so far...
July 29, 2010 at 8:13 am
Michelle
Quick, simple, and effective: I think it’s brilliant.
Personally, I’m anti phone. By sending a message (text or email), I’m not bothering a person or interrupting something they’re engaged in, and I can reply to them at my own leisure.
July 29, 2010 at 8:39 am
Patric Welch
Michelle, I love your phrase, “anti phone”. Although it’s probably more accurate to say “anti talking” LOL! Since you still use your phone to text right? Or maybe we are both “anti landline?”
July 29, 2010 at 8:43 am
Michelle
lol! Good point. Yes, anti-landline is probably a better phrase. “anti talking” isn’t quite right, I’m not one of those people that will text someone across the room.
July 29, 2010 at 8:59 am
Patric Welch
Michelle, unless it’s to say “You’ve got ketchup on your face.” :)
August 03, 2010 at 6:39 am
Andrew
Texting your babysitter is probably one of the best ways to arrange the schedule. I have seen from personal experience that leaving a voice message vs. texting for our babysitter can mean the difference between her getting back to in in the next week, or getting back to us in the next few minutes. I used to be quite averse to using text messaging thinking it silly, a waste of time and rather impersonal, I still believe it impersonal, but not so much silly and, in the case of babysitters these days, quite necessary.
August 03, 2010 at 7:04 am
Doug
I am still one that likes the more immediate communication “talking” but as long as the communication is good, as in your example, then it doesn’t hurt. I have seen mu daughter take 15 min to try and set up plans to go to the movies...what are we going to see, what time, who’s parents will take/pickup...most of the time was wasted on waiting for the other person to reply....as you may be able to tell, I am not a very patient person. But like I said good communication is a thing that still needs to be taught to our young ones...Looks like you had a good one there Patric.
August 03, 2010 at 7:38 am
Colleen Kelly
Texting is a great communication method for short interactions but not for real conversations (imo). My real question is how do I get my text messages in email form? Once I clear my queue they are gone forever and sometimes they contain info I want to keep.
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