When Parents Text: So Much Said...So Little Understood [Paperback]

Sophia Fraioli (Author), Lauren Kaelin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2011

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“An addictive and side-splitting read . . .  the underlying relationship between parent and teen is simultaneously touching and hysterical. This should be a best seller--it is a total moment-in-time classic. Enthusiastically recommended.”

 --Library Journal (starred review)

About the Author

Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli grew up in Montclair, N.J., and have been best friends since sixth grade. After graduating from Smith (Lauren) and the University of Vermont (Sophia), they moved back to Montclair and now run the hugely popular website, www.whenparentstext.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (September 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761166041
• ISBN-13: 978-0761166047
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I laughed out loud several times September 9, 2011

By Diane VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

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.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Fun Time September 1, 2011

By M. G. Gagliano VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

What I Can Tell You:
This was the perfect book for me this past month. It was perfect because my life was split in a million different directions and most of them involved something to do with work of some kind. I was either running my company, working for 1 of my 4 clients, running a community web page and Facebook page, writing, editing, tweeting, Facebooking, cleaning, shopping, cooking, parenting, etc. If I wasn't doing one of these things, I was taking the kids to the beach or sleeping. So needless to say, diving into a novel wasn't something I could fit into my life.

When Parents Text was perfect because it is little segments of texts people have received from their parents all broken down into categories like; Noobs (parents first attempts at texting) questions, pix, mealtimes, etc.

It was a funny read and often often left me laughing out loud or LOL (little old lady) as one mom thought in the book. My poor husband was interrupted often while watching TV so I could read him something that I just had to share.

Because the book made up of brief texts, this was the first summer I could read at the beach. I am a hover mom and keeping a trained eye on the kids is a priority. I took this book out each beach visit and read because you could read in snippets and for this nervous Nellie Mom, that means everything.

I have so many favorites but here are just a few:

Mom: I didn't know you had the twitter! Me too! I'm only friends with Elizabeth Hasselbeck and The Pioneer Woman. Want to be friends?

Mom: Just wondering as to your whereabouts..please check one of the following boxes.
Dead in a ditch
Alive in a ditch with broken fingers
Jail
Mars
Thanks, your roommates

Dad: :I)}
Me: What???
Dad: Me with a beard, I'm smiling.

Mom: Your dentist died. No appt next week. I'll find you a new one. I learned how to make bread.

Dad: I need you to text me
Me: ?
Dad: I'm bored. Sitting on the toilet waiting for the person next to me to leave so that I can release my bowels. What did you have for breakfast?

And, it goes on and on like that. There are 200 texts, nicely organized and ready to make you laugh.

Catch the authors at their first book signing in Montclair NU on September 6th.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars When Parents Text: So Much said...So Little Understood is a book that can be shared and enjoyed by all. August 20, 2011

By Cheryl Koch VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

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.