10 Rules For Texting And Dating

Text messaging isn't necessarily a tool of Satan, but there can be quite a bit of misinterpretation and miscommunication if not used correctly! Texting is a great way to stay connected to someone you are madly in love with, and a convenient tool to touch base with casual or new dating partners. However, texting is not and never will be a replacement for a heart-felt telephone conversation full of whispers and giggles. Here are my top 10 guidelines for successfully combining texting with your relationship.

Use of texting as the primary method of communication is growing in popularity in every age group under 45, so said a study I recently came across. Not in my house though! Texting requires skills and patience that I just don't have.  I swear, my kid can text without looking, at a speed of at least 250 words per minute. Friggin' amazing... I don't know why her fingers haven't burst into flames! It's like she and her friends have studied texting at the Bruce Lee Flying Kung Fu Fingers School or something. Too bad texting isn't a job skill we can put on her resume.

What I don't get about texting is why people want to spend three minutes hunting, pecking and struggling to send a text when they could make a 30 second call and be done with it? Texting is generally seen as a nuisance for people over the age of 40. For one thing, most of us have fingers that are NOT bony. Those little tiny buttons on the cell phones are ridiculously small and I get tired of mashing 2 or three letters at the same time. Plus, many of us have to waste time trying to find our reading glasses so we can even SEE the damn keyboard anyway!

So then why is there so much hesitation when it comes to picking up the phone? Has texting become the newest addition to the list of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em?"

I believe the growing preference for texting has a lot to do with its impersonal nature.  It's much easier to launch a new relationship by exchanging texts than it is to talk. It's also very easy to say and do things over a screen that one would never have the nerve to do face to face (or say ear to ear). That would make things easier I suppose, but it also creates new problems.

A large part of communication is non-verbal. When texting, the other party cannot receive those fine nuances of communication such as tone of voice, held back giggles, excited breathing, or body language that demonstrates anxiety, happiness or growing irritation which indicates maybe you should shut up.  Texting it seems, is here to stay, but there needs to be some rules in place. Enter me, with my Super Ms. HeartBeat cape flying, to deliver my 10 Texting Rules For Dating Singles. Poll: Dating By Texting, Are You A Fan?