Cell Phone to the Rescue

I’m one of THOSE moms! You know the kind. The ones who get their 8 and 10 year old children cell phones. It’s true. In June Ashtyn got her pink phone and Chandler got his blue phone. What do they need a cell phone for? Nothing really. Do they NEED to text and call their grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends? Not really. When I’m not home do they NEED to tattle text? NO. “Chandler said he is a lot skinnier than me because he keeps on sneaking food…cookies and chocolate.” “Chandler said I’m a bad skier.” Do they NEED to text each other behind my back while they are in bed after I told them lights out. Definitely NOT.

Is it way nice to be able to get ahold of them anywhere at any time? Yessiree! I can call Ashtyn after school if plans have changed for her to walk home. I can call Chandler after school and tell him to walk to his grandma’s house to play with his cousin. I call them if I’m running late to pick them up from practices. They can call me when they are ready for me to pick them up from ice-skating. Ashtyn calls me during her lunch break to let me know how her ski lessons are going. It’s fabulously convenient and keeps communication open. And I LOVE communication!

Here are some priceless bits of communication through the wonderful world of texting:

(July 1st while I was in my room and he was in his):
Chandler: “I love you so much. Thanks for buying me and Ashtyn a cell phone. I was stunned (with a “stunned” face). Text me back. I’m so happy my eyes are watery (with a face with tears)."

(Nov 11th when I was not at home):
Ashtyn: “Dad said he will get rid of the dogs because they spilled the meatloaf and broke the glass. He also said he hates the dogs. Ethan took the dogs out of their crates. Can you please tell dad to not take the dogs away. You promised you would not take the dogs away.”

(Nov 5th I dropped Ashtyn off at school and noticed she only had ballet type shoes on. She assured me that “they don’t make us go out to recess when it’s snowing” 10:40 a.m. I got a text):
Ashtyn: “Can you come to school and bring me my boots?”

(Nov 23rd communication vs. miscommunication):
Ashtyn “I love you so much. I’m sorry I mess up on so many things a lot.”
Me: “Sorry I mess up on so many things a lot.”
Ashtyn: “It’s ok. You don’t mess up a lot.”
Me: “YOU DON’T EITHER”
Ashtyn: “Wait are you mad at me?”
Me: “No I was capitalizing it so you would know that you really don’t mess up a lot. I love you girl.”
Ashtyn: “Oh Good! For a second I thought you were mad at me. Love u too girl!”

(Dec 5th while out to dinner with friends):
Ashtyn: (7:29 p.m.) “Dad put me to bed without dinner. I’m starving. Please tell dad to give me at least one thing.”

I secretly talked to Jason on the phone and found out what was going on.

Me: Why is dad mad?
Ashtyn: I don’t know.
Me: Really?????
Ashtyn: Wait do you know?
Me: Yah! Do u?
Ashtyn: Well maybe because I did not eat dinner when I was suppose to.
Me: Yep! So work it out with dad…ok.
Ashtyn: I don’t think I can because maybe he is too tired.
Me: You need to work it out with dad.
Ashtyn: How?
Me: Talk to him.
Ashtyn: What do I say?
Me: Ashtyn …you can apologize all by yourself.
Ashtyn: I did, does that mean I worked it out with him?
Me: Did he feed you?
Ashtyn: Yes but does that mean I worked it out with him?
Me: If u r getting along.
(8:27 p.m.) Ashtyn: Yeah, we always get along.
(Then why did we just have an hour text conversation?)

If that's not dramatic enough...

There was the time during school when Ashtyn went to the bathroom and snuck in a phone call to me. She was very upset because Abby told Mrs. Schneggenburger that Ashtyn stole Abby’s Arctic Circle free ice-cream cone card. Ashtyn said she didn’t do it but Mrs. Schneggenburger didn’t believe Ashtyn and just thought she was lying. Even her friend Charley couldn’t convince Mrs. Schneggenburger that Ashtyn was innocent. During our secret phone call I comforted Ashtyn in her tears and distress and told her to walk proudly back in the room and not care what anyone else thinks. As long as both she and I knew the truth it didn’t matter if others thought she lied. Ashtyn was then able to carry on with her difficult day.

Now don’t think that Chandler doesn’t use his texting too…because he does. His very important texting happens mostly between his friends and cousin Ryland. He was texting Ryland during school giving each other important updates like, “I’m at recess”, “I’m in class.” I had to inform Chandler that the cell phone has to be in his bag and off during school. He looked at me as if that was a crazy rule.

His friends have text nicknames and they have named Chandler "Chick Magnet". As soon as I explained what a chick magnet was, not to be confused with the actual refrigerator magnet, he changed his text name to simply "Magnet". This is what texting with his friends sounds like:

Bulldog: Are you still up?
Magnet: Yeah (even though he told me he was going to sleep).
Bulldog: k- well what do you do on the last level of Indiana Jones Lego? I’m stuck on the cup part.
Magnet: First hit the knight so he gets knocked out then go all the way left to the room. There will be a pattern of pictures that only a person who has a book can solve. Then once you solved it change to Indiana and go across the thing.
Bulldog: Ya, but when you go across the thing all there is are cups.
Magnet: Yeah look for a brown cup then once you got the cup go and put the cup in the fountain.
Bulldog: Cool.

Another dramatic predicament solved!!!