Quick Tips: Text Rage - Library

exting is instantaneous, convenient, and fun, allowing us immediate access to others. It also, however, lacks the physical element of face-to-face interactions, which can be especially dangerous for teens.
Without face-to-face contact, they may be unaware that they are hurting a person or enraging them to the point of violence. When texts get emotional or cross the line and become personal and hurtful, our children must understand how to take a step back and diffuse the tension.
The obvious dilemma is that most adolescents and teens don't possess the emotional maturity to maintain composure and slow down in order to understand the consequences of their actions. We have to be fair and cannot expect them to act like Zen masters, displaying respect and compassion continuously, at the mere age of 15.
What we can do, however, is give them specific strategies for staying poised and not allowing text rage to escalate. Here are some suggestions you can share with your children:
If you're in the middle of a heated text exchange:
1. Stop before sending the next reply
2. Put the phone down
3. Take five deep breaths.

Breathe in, breathe out, and after you have calmed down, wait at least 10 minutes and then respond. This simple exercise can diffuse strong emotions, put things in perspective, and help prevent ill-advised reactions.
Similarly, before sending an emotional text, simply put the phone away and do another activity for 10 to 30 minutes. Go for a walk, listen to some relaxing music, or clean your room. When you revisit the situation, you'll find yourself thinking more clearly.
Before letting an emotional text conversation get out of hand, ask the person if you can meet face-to-face to calmly resolve the issue. Make sure this is done in an effort to make peace, not to pursue a physical altercation. Usually, if you can actually see a person and their reactions, the direct human contact can overcome the impersonal nature of texting.
Never text what you wouldn't say directly to someone's face.
Give respect, get respect. All children want the same basic things: love, understanding, and respect. If you send disrespectful texts, you really can't expect to receive anything else in return. To stop your children from sending anything hurtful or cruel, tell them to remember this saying, "Give respect, get respect."