SMSing Under the Dinner Table
22 November 2006 by axxxr T-Mobile Survey Shows 67 Percent Find Mobile Phone Use at Holiday Gatherings Now Acceptable; 35 Percent of Young Adults Admit to Texting Under the Table During Holiday Dinners
A new T-Mobile survey on mobile communications during the holiday season shows that active use of cell phones, instant messaging and texting devices is creating new family dynamics at holiday dinners and family gatherings. In the survey:
Many young people also are sensitive to the importance of fully engaging with friends and family during holiday gatherings. In the survey, although young adults are clearly more active users of cell phones and texting devices than their parents during the holiday season, some admit to feeling concerned about using their device during these special gatherings. For example, of those young adults who thought it was not okay to use a mobile phone during a holiday gathering, 35 percent of them cite the need to be focused on spending time with family. Holiday Mobile Phone Etiquette Tips To successfully manage the balance between engaging with friends and family at holiday gatherings and maintaining connections with others who can’t be there, Laurie Puhn, relationship and communication expert and author of “Instant Persuasion: How to Change Your Words to Change Your Life," suggests the following do’s and don’ts: 1. Don’t isolate yourself at a holiday gathering to make private calls or text message under the table. Do include other people at the gathering by putting your cell phone on speaker to call your favorite faraway relatives or friends so everyone can share in the moment. 2. Don’t give in to the pressure to answer your cell phone every time it rings. Do allow your voicemail to be your “personal secretary" and take the message for you. 3. Don’t assume parents or grandparents aren’t interested in staying connected with people by wireless phone or text messaging. Do take the time to show others how to use the latest innovations on wireless phones and devices. 4. Don’t be a “conversation paratrooper" and suddenly bail out of a holiday chat just because a text message or mobile call has come in. Do make a positive impression by alerting your conversation partner in advance that you are expecting an important call or message and will need to excuse yourself when it happens. 5. Don’t assume kids are wasting time by chatting or texting via their mobile device. Do show an active interest in the friends your kids are connecting with. Better still, encourage your kids to invite these friends over in person for the next holiday gathering. To learn more, visit www.myFaves.com. The T-Mobile survey, conducted by Ipsos in September 2006, fielded responses from more than 1,000 mobile communications users and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percent.
Comments On 24 Nov 00:01 etaab wrote Another form of deterioration of society ? no dont be so cynical Residentevil. Last Christmas day, i was at home with family and didnt get to spend time with my girlfriend (now-ex). Without my phone, i would have had to wait until 2 days later to speak to her, but could keep in contact all day thanks to SMS. I think it should be acceptable. On 22 Nov 22:38 viper2k40 wrote if you've got my family, a text or call from a mate is a golden life preserver, especially during the holidays. On 22 Nov 19:18 Residentevil wrote Another form of deterioration of society. |
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