The article discusses the complexities of parenting teens with smartphones. While the author enjoys easy communication with her children, she expresses frustration when they send vague texts like "MOM". These messages trigger anxiety as she imagines worst-case scenarios. The author reflects on simpler times when parents received handwritten notes from teachers and empathy towards her children's challenges, suggesting that they learn to cope with minor issues independently. Overall, the piece conveys a blend of humor and genuine parental concern.
Every parent knows: the moment you see a text from your kid that says "MOM" and nothing else, your soul leaves your body.
I love your confidence. I love your spirit. I even love that you think I can fix things. But also, this stuff? It's called just being a person in the world.
When I was in kindergarten in 1980, teachers didn't email parents. They wrote notes by hand and safety-pinned them to us. That was the communication system.
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