Trends & Tudes

I am at this crossroads in my life when it comes to teens and cell phones.  On one hand, I always thought that cell phones were really unnecessary for teens who were not driving or not heavily involved in extra-curricular activities.  I have stated that my daughter will have no need for a cell phone until either she starts driving or gets involved in sports, theater, etc.

But I think I miss the social impact cell phones may have on teens.  Regularly I get the the Harris Interactive Newsletter so that I (as a person rapidly approaching middle age- ok, not really, but 30 is so close I can taste it) can learn and stay connected to the youth I try so hard to reach.

Well, this newsletter was all about cell phones and technology.  Let me share with you some of the interesting tidbits from teens about cell phones- (You can read the entire newsletter here- 4 pages long)

Things teens say about cell phones and technology:

- Cell phones are becoming a social necessity- 40% of teens surveyed say they would die without their phone and 45% agree that having a cell phone is the key to their social lives
- Owning a cell phone is more essential to a teen’s life than having an Ipod, TV, video games system, or portable gaming device
- 52% of teens say cell phones are the new form of entertainment- talk, txt, video, web, etc.
- The amount of texting and talking on a cell for teens is split 50-50
- 42% of teens say they could text blindfolded (we may have to test this one!!!)
- 57% of teens say that having a cell phone has improved their quality of life- most prominently through providing a sense of security while on the go
- 67% of teens still say that having the internet is valuable compared to just over half (54%) who say the same about their cell phones

But no matter how you view those numbers (good or bad), this is Good News: Teens surveyed still place much higher value on having good health, good friends and freedom.

Gee, I wonder where school grades rank on the list?

I can read! And now, we are choosing to…

According to a study released by the National Endowment for the Arts, for the first time in 25 years the percentage of people who read for fun has increased!

For years, those who spent free time reading – and when I say reading, I mean literature, poems, etc., not cosmopolitan magazine- has increased 7% over the last few years

In fact, there were 16.6 million new literature readers in 2008. 

So way to go parents!  Keep encouraging your kids to read.  May I suggest a great piece of literature – The Bible.  It’s history, it’s drama, it’s life.

You can read the entire article here from the National Endowment for the Arts