Teens, Texts and Telephones
Okay, I know that no self respecting teen would ever say call my “telephone” instead of “cell” but “cell” just did not ring (no pun intended – well maybe a little pun) when I posted teens and texts. Teens and cell phones have become synonymous with current statistics stating that 75% of all teens 12-17 own one. One 14-year-old recently told me that he was embarrassed to go to school before he got his cell phone because he was the only kid in the class who did not have one.
Teens use their cell phones for multiple purposes. Surveys reveal that taking pictures, sharing pictures, playing music or games, social networking, watching videos and buying “stuff” are all part of the teen cell phone world. Let’s face it, most cell phones have much faster processors and more storage space than my first laptop, which weighed over 25 lbs. (but I thought I was cool carrying it through airports getting a hernia).
The greatest use of the teen’s cell phone is not to actually make phone calls…that would be way too predictable. Besides, the actual “calling mechanism” of cell phones only exists so teens can reach their parents, not so parents can reach their teens. No… the number one use of the cell phone for teens is… “texting.”
I know I did not surprise anyone with that revelation, not unless you have been living in a cave. But what if I told you that 35% use it for texting? Sounds like a low percentage until you realize that this number refers to 12-year-olds. If you move the age scale up to 17, the number increases to 77%.
So here are a few quick facts from the links posted at the bottom of this blog. It is very interesting information about students and the ways they use their cell phones. Like…
- 33% of students send more than 100 texts per day.
- Girls send an average of 50 more texts per day than boys.
- Only 46% of parents limit the amount of time their children may spend on the phone.
Is there anything on this list that surprises you?
So how are you using the cell phone to minister to your students?
