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This is sponsored content from BlogHer and LG Text Ed

Thanks to all of you who sent in such great questions for our Resident Teen Experts! I had toyed with the idea of videotaping their answers, but unfortunately there is some kind of Evil Virus from Hell floating around Chez Taff, and Madi Rose nixed the idea of going on camera with a red nose and circles under her eyes– so sadly, I’m gonna have to wait for another opportunity to commit those little darlins’ to film.

I sat the girls down and went over all the questions with them, and they gave me some further insights into the world of teens and texting. They kept it short and to the point (unlike their mother)– here’s what they said:

1. Do you enjoy texting rather than talking and hearing a voice talking back to you?

Madi: I prefer talking and hearing a voice speaking back to me because that’s what real communication is, but texting is just a lot more convenient.

Charlotte: I enjoy talking more than texting. The only reason I text is when I can’t see my friends in person.

2. What are the pros and cons of texting?

Madi: Pros—fast and easy.  Cons—you can’t really pick up on people’s tones… Sarcasm doesn’t transfer well on text!

Charlotte: The good news– it’s easy to keep up with friends you don’t get to see very often. The bad news is it can take over your life.

3. How did you learn text speak? When you first started texting did people have to tell you what things mean?

Madi: I learned it from the internet when I was a kid, like in kid’s chat rooms on AOL, because that’s what kids did then. But it’s kind of common knowledge now.

Charlotte: Sometimes you catch onto it after a few times, and sometimes you need to ask if you’re not sure.

4. Have you ever had any  embarrassing situations caused by confusion about what people were texting you?

Madi: Every day!

Charlotte: Yes, but I don’t want to talk about it.

5. At what age do you think it is best for a child to get their first phone?

Madi: I think that kids can handle cell phones at a pretty young age if they are basically just using them for safety’s sake, but they ought to wait to start texting until they are like, 12 or 13.

Charlotte: When their parents think they’re ready, because there are different levels of maturity in each person

6. Do you try to control who gets hold of your phone number?

Madi: Not really, because I have a lot of friends and my circle is really big so it gets passed around a lot; but if there ‘s some creepy guy trying to hit on me, he’s not getting my number! I think there’s a way to go to your phone service and block people, but I haven’t ever had to do that.

Charlotte:  Yeah, I do, you don’t want some stalker getting a hold of it. Technically if you don’t want someone to have your number just don’t give it to them in the first place– or maybe you could secretly steal their phone and then delete your number!

7. Have either of you had typing classes?

Madi: I had to take a computer typing course in 5^th or 6^th grade.

Charlotte: Yes, for 6 years but they didn’t really teach that much, I think. After I started playing computer games that involved typing I learned much faster.

8. Have you girls ever had an inappropriate text message?

Madi: Yes.

Charlotte: Not really, because I keep close tabs on my friends who are on my phone.

9. What did you do about it?

Madi: Ignored it.

10. Do you feel comfortable coming to your parents and letting them know?

Madi: If someone was harrassing me I’d come to them, but if it’s just someone being a brat I can take care of them myself.

Charlotte: Yes.

11. Someday when you have children of your own, what are YOUR rules going to be concerning their cellphones and texting?

Madi: They probably won’t have cellphones when I have kids, they’ll probably have something totally different!

Charlotte: I’ll probably base it on their maturity and take away privileges that I don’t think they’re ready for yet.

12. And what will you tell them when they whine that all the other kids they know don’t have such rules?

Charlotte: Too bad!

13. How many minutes a month do you feel is adequate for a teen your age?

Madi: We have unlimited texting on our plan, so it’s not an issue.

14. Do you pay your own phone bills?

Madi and Charlotte: No

15. Do you know kids that you think are on their phone way too much?

Madi: No, not really.

Charlotte: Yeah–Madi!

16. What do you girls think about the theory proported by some experts that cell phone use may contribute to brain cancer?

Madi: I think that may totally be true!

Charlotte: Well, with texting you don’t have to hold the phone up to your head, so that’s another advantage!

17. How old were you both when you first had your own cell phones?

Madi and Charlotte: Twelve.

18. When you’re away from home, do you feel safer having a cell phone with you?

Madi and Charlotte: Yes, absolutely.

19. Who do you spend the most time texting with?

Madi: My closest friends.

Charlotte: Mostly friends of mine that go to different schools that I don’t get to see very often.

20. If Charlotte got interested in a boy, would she start texting him to break the relationship ice, or expect him to?

Charlotte: Depends on how manly he is, because if he’s like, a shy guy he might want the girl to text first.

21.  How important is texting in a teen dating relationship?

Madi: Very important!  Back in the day, like in the 70’s or something, when people dated they’d see each other at school and then go home and call each other and talk for hours. This is kind of the same thing; it keeps you connected.

Charlotte: I don’t really know, but I thought the main thing about dating is that you’re supposed to be with him, not be on the phone with him! But I guess it would be a good idea to text sometimes, so you’d know what was going on in his world.

22. Do Christian teens try to ’spread the Gospel message’ through text messages?

Madi: Yes– I do. I have one friend that sends me random scriptures when she comes across a good one.

Charlotte: Sometimes.

23. Do you girls ever make up a code to use when you’re away from home and want to communicate with your parents but don’t want the kids around you to know you’re texting them?

Madi: We’ve kind of done a version of that before—it’s a good idea.

Charlotte: No, but we should probably try that.

24. Do you get nervous if you have to put your cell phone away for some time/reason?

Madi: Yes! Because I get a lot of texts all the time and I’m afraid I’m going to miss something, so I have it with me at all times.

Charlotte: I lose mine every day, so I’m used to going without it!  But if it gets dropped, then I worry about it.

25. Do you girls ever just want to get AWAY from the cell phone?

Madi: Yes. Sometimes I really miss the days when everything wasn’t on the computer, but these days it’s kind of impossible to get away from it.

Charlotte: I usually am away from it because I really don’t use my phone a whole lot, but I do try to keep it in one place so I can check it at least once a day and see if anybody texted me.

26. Are any teenage girls of today into cooking, or guys for that matter, and if so, would they ever swap a recipe or two via a text message?

Madi: Yes, I’ve texted people while cooking stuff before to get help with it!

Charlotte: Rarely, but it sounds like it would be a fun idea.

27.  How many texts a day do you think the average texter sends?

Madi: Well, everybody’s different, so I guess it varies.

Charlotte: Depends on how attached they are to their phone–Madi’s never leaves her hand!

Remember that BlogHer is matching LG’s  donation of .50 to dosomething.org for every comment on this post, so please feel free to weigh in!  I hope you’ve gotten some ideas on how we can all get the conversation going wit kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews about their texting habits. It’s important for all our families, AND dosomething.org will get a $1.00 for every comment, question or suggestion!