NY Times: That Parent-Child Conversation Is Becoming Instant, and Online

[La_Serpiente]

That Parent-Child Conversation Is Becoming Instant, and Online

Nina Gordon types out an instant message and sends it. The data travels some 500 miles, from the computer in her living room in Queens to America Online's servers in Northern Virginia, and then to her son Schuyler's computer, which just happens to be in the next room — about 20 feet away from where she is sitting.

you hungry for dinner?

After a little online banter over dining options, her son, a 17-year-old with a wicked sense of humor and no shortage of attitude, sends his request:

an insty pizza and a beer

don't push your luck, comes the reply.

Instant messaging, long a part of teenagers' lives, is working its way into the broader fabric of the American family. The technology "has really grown up in the last 18 months," said Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at Jupiter Research. "It's certainly not just for kids anymore."

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That Parent-Child Conversation Is Becoming Instant, and Online

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[moz4prez]

1. God damn it

we're witnessing the degradation of the boundary between the once-sacred relationship between parent and child, and the market economy

it's sick

[blondeatlast]

2. Newest technological advance for parents:

Legs and a voice! Amazingly effective, too.

I've had mine since 1997, the year my son was born.

[Skittles]

3. on-line chatting/instant messaging are not bad tools

they are just new forms of communication. But they should NOT be substitutes for one-on-one conversation.

[seaglass]

4. My daughter and I IM sometimes and we live in the

same house, she likes it. We also talk to each other face to face. Last night she went over a friend's house while I was out, I had an IM from her when I got home that said "I love you poopsie", it brought a smile to my face. She also sometimes leaves notes for me on my desk telling me she loves me, I save them.

I welcome all forms of communication from my daughter.

[aQuArius]

5. I even IM with my grandpa, too

IM is one of the best tools! I can get my entire family (including my deaf sister) into a conversation and so we can plan get-togethers and communitcate together so no one is left out of the loop. My (deaf) sister used to always feel we weren't consulting her and my long distance bills were huge. We now normally have one family e-gathering on the 1st Sunday night of each month. Even my 83 year-old grandpa is in on the conversation. We are even adding aunts, uncles and cousing to the mix at times. I would be lost without it.

[Ellen Forradalom]

6. Good for you

I'm glad IM solved such a big problem for your family!

Our home is so long and thin that we often resort to shouting to communicate. Perhaps IM would preserve the peace in our home!