Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
Things I’m Doing: Being a Jerk (but the good kinda jerk)
I don’t mind that my daughter is texting me at work while she’s home sick. In fact, I kinda enjoy it. It’s nice to text back and forth with her and she’s getting to be such a big girl. It’s been a nice nine-and-a-half years of actual verbal dialog, but I know those days are numbered. Eventually, all I’ll get from her is eye-rolling, sighs, one- and two-word answers, and text messages …if I’m lucky.
Recently, against my better judgement, someone (way too) generously got her an iTouch and her life as a text messager has begun.
However, when I handed her the iTouch I said I don’t mind text messaging but I expect perfect grammar, spelling, and syntax (and I wasn’t really sure what I meant by “syntax”). I don’t think that’s too much to ask. I read too many articles about the erosion of these skills among our teens and collegians, and my Mom was a stickler for writing properly. I’m not perfect, mind you, but I enjoy a well written piece of literature and I’ve been known to write some ‘OK’ stuff from time to time …and I know how to use an adverb quite deftly.
So, I told my daughter that if I see that she can communicate properly with me, I’ll feel okay about her heading off into middle school and high school and will look the other way when she’s LOLing and WTFing and telling her “frnz” she’ll “C U L8r.”
Here was our exchange this morning. I’m proud to report she fixed it and resent me a message that was properly written. So proud. Oh, and she’s feeling much better.
Don Kowalewski 