From the enormously popular website comes the highly anticipated compilation of the funniest texts from parents to their kids, plus tons of new material!
WHEN PARENTS TEXT
So Much Said . . . So Little Understood
It probably started generations ago with little notes in the lunch box, a way for parents to let their kids know they were thinking of them. Then e-mail was the preferred way to keep in touch, and parents became notorious for forwarding “funny” e-mail chains to engage with their children. Today, cell phones are rarely used for direct conversation—they’re used for text messaging—and parents are again connecting with their kids through new technology, battling with T9 and autocorrect, and learning appropriate acronyms and emoticons. (No, LOL isn’t “lots of love” and ({}) is most definitely not a hug.)The generational divide in communication appears to have gotten wider. But the creators of the wildly successful and hilarious website, WhenParentsText.com, beg to differ. The thousands of texts submitted to them monthly proves that small keypads are bridging the gap, allowing parents to share news and dinner menus, ask questions, reference pop culture, and send lots of love!
WHEN PARENTS TEXT: So Much Said . . . So Little Understood by Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli isn’t out to make fun of technologically confused adults, but rather is an endearing ode from the kids who love them. Underneath the humor is a surprisingly sweet and affecting glimpse of that time when parents aren’t ready to let go, and kids aren’t ready to be let go. The new generation has written the rulebook on texting and parents are now trying to learn the basics, conducting an ongoing conversation that was never possible before.
WhenParentsText.com was born after Lauren and Sophia, best friends from childhood—both among the thousands of jobless college graduates living back home with their parents—laughed over a text exchange between Lauren and her mother. “When parents text, it’s hilarious” Sophia said, and Lauren responded, “That should be a website.” Now, a year later, the website boasts an average of 5 million hits per month, has been praised by Entertainment Weekly as “A daily dose of hilarity,” and has kids across America bragging when mom or dad is featured on the site.
WHEN PARENTS TEXT is a compilation of the funniest texts from the website, plus never before published content comprising more than 50 percent of the book. It is arranged thematically, with chapters such as Mealtime, Pix, Holidays, Parental Wisdom, and there is even a chapter dedicated to Harry Potter. It concludes with a very useful glossary of acronyms and emoticons (e.g., *$$$ is “Starbucks” and GGMM is “Good golly, Miss Molly”).
Readers of any age will relate to, and even hear themselves, or their own parents, in these priceless text conversations. An uproarious read as well as a commentary on our current culture, WHEN PARENTS TEXT is sure to become an instant classic!
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
LAUREN KAELIN and SOPHIA FRAIOLI grew up in Montclair, N.J., and have been best friends since the sixth grade. After graduating from Smith (Lauren) and the University of Vermont (Sophia), they moved back to Montclair and created the hugely popular website, whenparentstext.com. The two have since moved out of their childhood homes, but still text their parents. Lauren currently lives in Brooklyn and Sophia lives in Manhattan. They make their own tacos.
ABOUT THE BOOK
WHEN PARENTS TEXT: So Much Said . . . So Little Understood
By Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli
Workman Publishing • September 2011 • ISBN: 9780761166047 • $10.95
For more information or to schedule an interview with Lauren Kaelin and Sophia Fraioli, please contact:
Courtney Greenhalgh/Associate Director of Publicity/courtney@workman.com/212.614.5604
Visit them on the Web at WWW.WHENPARENTSTEXT.COM