The Attention Age

My 2nd grader's friends already have cell phones. I refuse to get her one yet, but this year seemed like the right time to get my 6th grader one. It wasn't even a week before she needed a lesson on texting etiquette. She was constantly texting at places like the dinner table.

It was amazing how quickly this obsession took hold of her but I also use my phone like a mad woman so at least I "get it". With a couple exceptions, most of my friends just a few years older don't use theirs nearly as much as I do. Most of the older generations in my family still have no idea how to even send a text and hate how the younger generation constantly has phones going off during family gatherings. The "generation y" line has been drawn. I can't wait for stories of how people had to walk uphill barefoot both ways in the snow to get to a library for a book report.

A quick search turns up endless articles blaming the constant texting, tweeting, facebook, and easily accessible information for creating a generation of self-absorbed kids with poor work ethic and no attention span now entering the work place, though they are undeniably more connected, more knowledgeable about technology, and better able to balance work and play. A previous post hit on the fact that the younger ones are apparently unable to spell because of all the txtspeak, but few of them seem to think this skill is even important anymore.

Are you part of this obsession? Are your parents or does it annoy them? What age is "too young" for a cell phone and do you enforce any rules like not using cell phones at dinner or during movies? Any other thoughts or pet peeves about this txting/pic messaging/tweeting/facebooking/cellphone obsessed generation?