When Parents Text: So Much Said...So Little Understood

by Sophia Fraioli, Lauren Kaelin

A collection of insanely funny texts between parents and kids, When Parents Text is a surprisingly affecting window into the complicated time when parents aren’t ready to let go, and kids aren’t ready to be let go. The parents are well-meaning but hopeless, silly and a little corny, and befuddled by the technology. The kids are bewildered yet patient: the perfect straight man. And the authors, two recent college graduates, Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli, have an unerring editorial instinct to select the funniest, sweetest, quirkiest, most-telling exchanges.

There’s the revelatory: Mom: My fingers are saying words. This is amazing.

The virtual scolding: Dad: I will deal with your sassy behavior when I get home. Meanwhile have some fiber.

The autofill-challenged: Mom: dig up some tadpoles on ur way homo. Me: ummm, what? Mom: It autocorrected me. I mean to say dig up some tadpoles on ur way homo. (4 minutes later) Mom: PICK UP SOME TAMPONS ON YOUR WAY HOME.

The manically inappropriate: Mom: Woo Hoo—Ruth died, you know Uncle Lyman’s wife, BUT I have your Braves tickets and check on the table!!

And the downright inexplicable: Dad: You could poop your pants in the yankee candle store and no one would know.

Launched as a website just last year, www.whenparentstext.com is a phenomenon. It receives 300,000 to 500,000 page views a day, with features in The Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, College Humor, and more. When Parents Text includes the best of texts from the website, plus more than 50 percent all-new material never before published.

Includes an emoticon glossary and 16-page color insert of MMS texts— multimedia messaging service, aka, bizarre photos from mom and dad. It’s the perfect gift for every text-savvy kid to give to his or her parents.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Parenting, Adult, Family, Comedy, Technology

261 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this when you need a laugh, you won't be disappointed. You'll also realize you are not alone in your state of bewilderment as you try to interpret mom's latest text. A fun and heartwarming read.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't a hugely funny one for me... there were some amusing texts here:

"Bloodwork"

Mom: I've been farting all day because I have to get bloodwork done tomorrow.

Me: Did you mean fasting??

Mom: Oops. I meant to hit the button four times."

---
"Hamburger House"

Dad: I'm going to drop off your dorm application, It's hamburger house right?

Dad: Hamburger

Dad: Hamburger

Dad: I don't know how this phone gets "hamburger" from H-a-r-d-i-n.

(one hour later)

Dad: don't get your hopes up. They said Hamburger house is basically already filled up.

Dad: Hamburger

Dad: not again
----
"Twenty-First

Dad: mom says she told you to be careful, i say get drunk and puke. love you"
---
"Family"

Mom: You will add the dog as your facebook friend RIGHT NOW!

Me: mom he's a dog...

Mom: He is FAMILY, add him or you are grounded!!!!
----

Just a few that I liked, most of them I was just 'heh'... It's a cute book and I did like it at first but after awhile lost it's spark for me.

It felt over-long about halfway through...probly would have been better if it was shorter. The little introductions between each section felt unnecessary to me... I read one and skipped the rest.

It's not all bad with this, (my sense of humor doesn't always line up well with this genre of books).. who knows? You may read this and find it funnier than me.

The Harry Potter section was corny with a few but wonderful... wish that one had been longer.

I didn't know this was a website when I first came upon this, and I may check it out in the future... as for would I recommend this? Hmm.. maybe. Perhaps read a sample of the book first.

Happy reading!

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Всички знаем, че когато става дума за родители и смс-и, най-вероятно ви се е случвало поне едно от изброените:
1) НЕ ВИКАМ, ПРОСТО ТАКА СЕ ЧЕТЕ ПО-ЛЕСНО
2) не знам как, но промених езика си на испански – можеш ли да ми го оправиш?
3) 1 new message: dj@#1 #)*&r?
4) 1 new message: (empty)
5) десет еднакви съобщения тип –донеси ми нещо-си като идваш или обади ми се
6) случайни мъдрости и странни съвети
Е, книгата изобилства от такива забавни примери, както и много, много други, така че защо да не се разтовари човек от сериозната литература. ;) На мен например, за последните 2 дни ми се случиха 2 от изброените неща. Не, не го казвам осъдително и не, не се подигравам. Оценявам загрижеността на родителите и желанието им да с в крак с „модата”, естествено, това не ми пречи да се усмихвам на гафовете им и да споделя един дочут разговор, между майка и син, в Costa:
Майката: И за какво ми е да ти пращам смс? Не обичам да пиша с копчета.
Синът: Защото е по-лесно и по-бързо…
Майката: Не обичам техника.
Синът: Така каза и за миалната машина.

От полза ще ви е да знаете, че родителите също имат изобретения:
(о)(о) § milk означава donuts & milk;
z8) означава Harry Potter
:/) означава щастлив пингвин
:)= означава вампир

И някои от моите любими попадения:
MOM: My fingers are saying words. This is amazing.

MOM: How are you :( or :)

ME: Hey dad, when are you going to be home?
DAD: Let’s meet up!
ME: Are you sending random quick texts again?
DAD: Let’s meet up!

MOM: How do I turn my phone off?
ME: Hold the red power button down. It’s usually the end call button
MOM: I don’t understand. I am getting on a plane. I don’t want to cause a plane crash.
MOM: Hi this is Steve, your mom wanted to let you know she found help turning off her phone, she’ll talk to you in 14 hours. Love you! (this is mom)

MOM: You hurted my feelings {:>(.
ME: Why do you have such a large nose? and a unibrow?
MOM: The sadness has distorted my facial features.

DAD: Eleganté, eleganté!
ME: What the hell is that?
DAD: You know! That girl. Lady Gaga!
ME: . . . ALEJANDRO.

MOM: Can you bring my sweater from the car? Xx
ME: How cold is it? Should I bring mine too?
MOM: ( o Y o ) —> ( . Y . )

DAD: I’m not sure but I think I just accidentally divorced your mom on facebook… I’ll keep you updated.
ME: (silence)
MOM: why is your father married to his sister on facebook?

DAD: on her FP
ME: FP?
DAD: Face Page
ME: You mean facebook?
DAD: same

DAD: twitter? thats the same thing as quidditch right?

ME: Having dinner before we set off, we’re all starving. You ok to grab something?
DAD: Yes. I’ll find some scraps in the kitchen or eat with the cats. (or eat the cats)
ME: You’re weird.
DAD: That’s what hunger and loneliness does to you.

MOM: Is dildodorf dead
ME: ROFL dumbledore is dead, yes
MOM: And snake man is dead also

MOM: Here’s a poster they have against texting and driving: LOL, OMG, RIP. love ya

DAD: Gooood morning. Love you. Use your time wisely. Remember what Gandalf said. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

[Rossy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! A really fun book, I chuckled with every page, laughed out SO loud at some.
Quick read, you won't be able to put it down, and you will definitely remember a situation when you received (or sent) a similar text!

I especially enjoyed the smiley faces interpretations, and most of the texts from Dads!

[Bibliovoracious · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpectedly v. funny.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have kids, chances are you have texted them. My kids got cell phones when they were in high school, and it became so easy to stay in touch with them via text. They didn't have to interrupt what they were doing or act like their parents mattered to them in front of their friends.

Two twenty-something women, Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli, started talking about the goofy (dorky?) text messages their parents would send them, and so they started a website- When Parents Text. They encouraged other people to submit texts from their own parents, and the site became so popular, they now have compiled a book When Parents Text- So Much Said...So Little Understood.

This book had me laughing all the way through it; it reminded me of S@#* My Dad Says. They organize the texts by categories, like "N00bs", which are texts that make no sense (usually done by parents just learning to text and unable to clearly see what they are texting), "Master Class", which consists of texts done by expert texters, complete with fancy emoticons, and "Pets", which the authors have determined have become very important to parents who suffer from "empty nest syndrome".

The emoticons really floored me. I had no idea that there were so many parents out there who spent so much time creating elaborate emoticons, which do nothing more than exasperate their children.
)8( is an angel sent to watch over one mom's adult child.
Bow tie man :-)8 is big one too.

My favorite though is Booty Shake- (_/_) (_\_) (_/_) (_\_) (_/_). Thank goodness there is handy glossary at the end to guide newbies through the new language.

This one, titled I.Found.u., hit home for me.
MOM: It's 3am where r you?
(20 minutes later)
MOM: Please let me know what's going on. R u OK?
(5 minutes later)
MOM: I. Found.u. You r in bed. I didn't hear u come home. I was so worried! Glad we R all safe and sound. Love u.
This is funny to me because when my son was a senior in high school, I sent this same text. I received a reply that he was sound asleep in his bed and had been home for HOURS. Oops, my bad.

I'm telling you, I LMAO reading this book. (Look it up if you don't know). This book will appeal to parents and grandparents, (there is chapter on grandparents texting too), as well as the kids they text. You will know who is reading this book in your house because you will hear bursts of laughter coming from whomever has the book.

I have to admit that I am afraid to check out the website in case any of my texts are there. I have sent some really crazy ones while walking around NYC without my glasses on.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lauren and Sophia both graduated from college and then moved back home when the world didn’t exactly welcome them with open arms and instant success. While they were at home, adjusting to their new relationships with their parents, they got the idea for “When Parents Text,” which started out as a website, where they (and eventually others) shared some of the funny things their parents texted them. The website is still going strong, so if you want to preview some of the content before reading/borrowing/purchasing the book, you can check it out here: http://whenparentstext.com.

This makes me wish *my* parents texted, so that I could add to the hilarity, but they won’t even turn on their cell phones. Oh well. Some of the texts are hysterical, some are bizarre, and some are just sweet. With this kind of collection there’s the dangerous potential of becoming repetitive, but included texts seem to have been carefully chosen to avoid this.  Fun and funny read – “kids” in their 20s and 30s will appreciate this. Actual kids (and teens) will probably have more text-savvy folks (though, I’m sure there’s still potential for amusement in their exchanges).

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I was reading this book I laughed so loudly and so often that people were staring. The last time that happened, I was reading "Sh*t My dad Said" I loved it! If you are looking for a healthy dose of laughter, this might be right up your alley. Brought to you by the authors of the site whenparentstext.com. The best part is not all of the texts make the parents out to be bumbling idiots. A fun, quick read.

Some faves:

Bow Tie Man :)8


ME: There's no bacon in the dining hall.
DAD: Burn the place down.

ME: Guess what I'm wearing.
DAD: This is dad.
ME:...yes, I'm wearing your sweater from the 80's.


DAD: My life is over. They took ESPN sports radio off the air and replaced it with RADIO DISNEY. Feels like hannah montana stabbed me through the heart with a mickey mouse pearl-handled dagger

[Kirsti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, man. I really needed this after reading two harrowing memoirs. My sides hurt from laughing. I liked that not all of the texts were of the "my parents are clueless n00bs" variety--in many cases, the parents are better at technology than their kids.

Mom: You will add the dog as your facebook friend RIGHT NOW!
Me: mom he's a dog...
Mom: He is FAMILY, add him or you are grounded!!!!

ME: There's no bacon in the dining hall.
DAD: Burn the place down.

Dad: I'm not sure but I think that I accidentally divorced your mom on facebook. ... I'll keep you posted.
Me: (silence)
Mom: Why is your father married to his sister on facebook?

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was awesome. No, I did not belly laugh on EVERY page, but I sure did chuckle. And the texts from the dads were the best, like the dad who insists on signing "Dad" after every text he sends.

I think I mostly liked it because I've had a good percentage of these text convos with my parents at some point, so I just super related to it. The grandparent section, however? No. My grandparents can hardly work their television much less text on a cell phone... (but they are adorable, just for the record.)

Anyways, super fun. :)

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book based on the website where people can submit favorite text exchanges with their parents. They're not all making fun (as in "aw, they're so cute with their naïveté about technology"). There are some sweet ones too.
It's a nice easy read to make you smile.

[Dimity · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally don’t buy a lot of novelty type books like this but I love to get them as presents and was thrilled to win a copy from the Goodreads First Reads program. I had never heard of the blog that spawned this collection of humorous texts from parents and grandparents, but it is in the same genre of other humor blogs out there today with short reader submitted entries (think Shit My Kids Ruined, Lamebook, White Whine, that one about auto corrections everyone but me seems to love, etc.). The main difference between When Parents Text and the other blogs I’ve mentioned is that WPT is good humored at its very core, a rarity in internet world where anonymous bloggers often post scathing commentary about the people they’re lampooning. The underlying theme of WPT is that although parents can be nosey, annoying, and frustratingly technologically inept, they are still parents and share a deep love with their children, albeit a poorly expressed deep love through the texts compiled in this book.

The texts themselves were all funny and some were downright hilarious. I feel so happy that not one but two WPT fathers managed to mention using egg salad to cover up fart stench. At 27, I’m probably on the upper stretch of people with personal experience of parents texting them and too young to be texting my kids embarrassing attempts at emoticons. Some of my friends with cooler parents and more money than mine have texting parents, but my parents had a rotary phone until 1996, no internet at home, and the only text message exchanges they have ever participated are the racy pictures and chain texts my dad receives thanks to his recycled phone number. So the point is I have and probably never will have any personal experience with my parents sending me weirdly hilarious texts but I still enjoyed this light-hearted look at parent-child relations in the digital age. It would be a cute gift to a texting parent of a high school or college age kid.

[Jose Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

If it hadn't been for Oyster books, I woudn't have read, let alone, come across this book. I think it is based off of a blog, and that seems like the perfect format for it. I don't see myself buying this book if it is for free online. I can see it being sold at Urban Outfitters, but that's about it. I am grateful that it was on Oyster, because then it felt like I was just reading through a blog on my phone, which made my reading experience more enjoyable.

If you can come across it in any format, go ahead and read it. It's a quick, fun read about the miscommunication that occurs with people of the technological generation and the people who gave life to us.

We have all had those moments when we have had to explain technology to the old folk, and this is primarilly that. Funny little stories you would tell among friends. "Oh my god, guess what my mom/dad texted me earlier!" If that sentence has ever escaped from your mouth, look into this book. It's funny and some are just plain ridiculous, but it's still a funny quick read. Here is the blog for those who don't want to read. But if you find the blog funny, show some support!

[Pr Latta · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always sobering when you find yourself a cliche - but I kept following my kids asking, "did I ever say this to you?" Culled from their website, this hilarious book illuminates the generation gap in all too real a manner. As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy and he is Us." Laughed until I cried.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any book that can make me laugh out loud on the bus and look like a complete idiot gets at least 4 stars in my rating system.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book funny, and heart warming at the same time.

[Cathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute. Many LOL's and :)'s

[Nina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some texts were funny, esp the Harry Potter thing. but the rest is mediocre.

[KL · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad although not what I was expecting either. Although I won't consider this a funny book, it has its moments that makes you smile.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Parents Text is a funny compilation of text messages from parents to their children and there are some from grandparents. Some of the texts are hilarious like for example:

Subject: Referral
Mom: I just picked up a reefer. All there. Is lots of traffic. Call the doctor to see if you can reschedule for another day.

Subject: Hardin House
Dad: I’m going to drop off your dorm application, It’s hamburger house right?
Dad: Hamburger
Dad: Hamburger
Dad: I don’t know how this phone gets “hamburger” from H-a-r-d-i-n.
(one hour later)
Dad: Don’t get your hopes up. They said hamburger house is basically already filled up.
Dad: Hamburger
Dad: Not again.

Subject: Bowtie Man (He rocks. Follow Bowtie Man on Twitter)
Mom: Can you please call me when you need to be picked up! Don’t do anything stupid! :-)8

Me: What is that emoticon?
Mom: bowtie man! He doesn’t do anything stupid.

Subject: Facebook Chat
Mom: One of ypor friends facebook chatted me. Do I respond. If yes, what do I say? Pleaz help. Come home NOW.
(five minutes later)
Mom: Do you think this is funny??? COME HOME NOW, I am really feeling thr pressure! Help your mother!

Subject: Divorce
Dad: I’m not sure but I think that I accidentally divorced your mom on facebook. ..I’ll keep you posted.
Me: (silence)
Mom: Why is your father married to his sister on facebook?

Subject: Rowdy Grandma
Grandma: Have you tried that whipped cream wiyj alcohol?

Subject: Disgusted
Me: Going to see the Justin Bieber movie!!
Mom: (:&)
Mw: What?
Mom: That’s my disgusted face, I hate the Beeb.

Subject: Dildodorf
Mom: Is dildodorf dead.
Me: ROFL dumbledore is dead, yes.
Mom: And snake man

Subject: Wanna Take a Ride
Mom: Listening to Lady Gaga’s nw song
Mom: What’s s disco stick?
Mw: Google It

So I could go on and on about some of my other favorite text messages but if you like the ones you read here than you have got to check out this book and the website. When Parents Text: So Much said…So Little Understood is a book that can be shared and enjoyed by all. I am going to give my copy of this book to my mom to read for laughs.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! I received this as a Goodreads First Read book and to sum up the entire book....ROTFL!!

I am at that age where some of my friends are the parents...totally clueless on what they are writing or so excited that their fingers can talk. Some of my friends share with me their parent's texts and I would think that those people were supposedly intelligent.

This is a compilation of texts received at the website whenparentstext.com. This is actually a book for even the "parents" since they offer a glossary at the back of the book to help explain some of the lingo and emoticons.

I think this book simply shows me why I should never go down that road to texting. There were several times that I would just burst out laughing, and the people around me would just stare. Let that be a warning, to read this in extremely public places :-)

[Holly Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this through First Reads, and was really just delighted while reading through the book. I laughed out loud so many times that my roommate probably thought something was wrong with me. And they were BIG laughs.

I am one of the least tech savvy people in my age bracket (no facebook, smartphone or twitter for Holly!). I'm cool with it. But I really felt like I know people this book applies to. And what I love best is that the tone is never mean spirited. The parents come off cute and loving. There were a few exchanges where I thought the kid was actually the stupid one. And of course a few weren't funny to me at all. But overall, this was way more entertaining than I had anticipated. It's a perfect book to leave out when people are over so they can skim through it.

[Monica Albright · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite funny. There is a learning curve that goes along with learning to text. And it does seem that those of us who embrace traditional writing and grammar need more time to adjust to the texting shorthand. The one down side to this book, believe it or not, was that I read it electronically. Yes, you read that correctly. I read this book on my phone, and due to the size of the font and the size of my screen I often had to toggle between screens to get the entire text-humor. I would like to re-read some of them, this time on my ipad.

[D.G. · Rating 1 out of 5]

After this book gave me a HUGE Harry Potter spoiler without any warning, I'm definitely not in the mood to continue reading it so I'm dnfing it and giving it a one star rating.

As I didn't think that I should give my money to "authors" who are this callous, I contacted Amazon for a refund and they were kind enough to give me one, even though the time frame for refunds had already passed.

Thanks to Amazon and good riddance to this book (and I'll be never stop on that website if they have a habit of spoiling books.)

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends Sophia and Lauren began a website chronicling the odd and sometimes incoherent texts from their parents, a generation far removed from this type of communication. The site grew and began to include texts from other people’s parents. This book is a retelling of their journey, beginning with the first texts and including a collection of their “greatest hits.” This book kept me thoroughly entertained on a plane--and I'm sure my fellow passengers were entertained (puzzled?) by the crazy lady who couldn't stop laughing at her Kindle.
• Swearing
• Sexual humor

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny book with actuals text from parents sent to their kids. Written by two recently college graduated young women who started collecting crazy texts from their parents and then decided to create a web site. Several of the entries had me laughing out loud. The best part is not all of the texts make the parents out to be bumbling idiots. A fun, quick read.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think my main issue with this book is that my age puts me closer to the parents in the book than the authors. I did see some of myself in both the parent and the child interactions. And I saw a lot of my dad in the dad stuff. But I was hoping for funny -- and I think that was the intention -- but it was not funny for me. Just more slice of life.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these left me confused, some took a couple reads for me to get, and some had me crying I was laughing so hard. If you need something that you can pick up and put down that will lighten your mood, this is for you.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had this library book sitting around the house when I had house guests. They were cracking up. It was really fun to read aloud and the texts were clean, so that was good, I guess. I think it would make a good Christmas gift.

[Jeanne Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is NOT great literature. If you are a parent or have a parent, or can imagine that scenario, this book is laughing-so-hard-I'm-gonna'-pee-myself funny. At least it was to me, and sometimes a good laugh is the best medicine.