AT&T to host "TXT Bee" events

Atlanta (GA) - AT&T wants you to go back to school and learn the (texting) language of your children. The company today announced that it will be hosting a series of "interactive TXT Bees" at "select high schools throughout the country." The first event is taking place today at the West Orange High School in West Orange, New Jersey.

AT&T and is slowly disappearing Cingular Wireless subsidiary hope that the texting bees will educate parents on text messaging and allow them to "communicate in the language of teens." Despite some people may think that this is another sign for the English language going down the drain, AT&T claims that 63% of parents "who use text messaging believe that it improves their communication with their children." 65% of parents who text message say they communicate more frequently with their children when they are away from home and 64% believe that texting made their kids easier to reach, according to AT&T.

The company claims to have scientific backup for the value of communicating via text messages. Clinical psychologist and parenting expert Dr. Ruth Peters, who has developed the TXT Bees with AT&T said that texting allows parents get a quick answer to their questions, kids are more apt to respond to text messages when they are with their friends and no one has to worry about tone of voice.

Also, Peters said that texting allows parents to "enter a child's world", enables parents to compose and edit a message before pressing send, gives kids more space but allows parents to keep in touch as often as necessary and, according to Peters, can also be used to strengthen parent-child bonds and let kids know that their parents are thinking of them.