<p>Why not just set up an AIM account? Then you can see when he’s online and IM him in real time. It works.</p>
<p>Sometimes when something is taken away it becomes more highly prized and cherished. If any of you get the chance or are curious the service academy forums have posts of parents waiting for a THREE minute phone call. During summer BCT (8 weeks) three phone calls are permitted for 3 minutes only (set window of time in which access to a telephone is granted).</p>
<p>No email, no AIM, no texting. 3 phone calls and snail mail. But all mail is inspected and distributed when time has been allocated to do so and time set aside to read mail received.</p>
<p>It seems to be the consensus that most/all cadets, mids wait and wait and wait to make those 3 minute calls. Some do not if they have duty/watch and wait 2-3 more weeks.</p>
<p>And most of us have received snail mail from our children. Lengthy letters and short ones. Depends on how tired they are and what else they need to accomplish before lights out.</p>
<p>Again, sometimes they don’t miss something til its gone. </p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>Like Weenie, when I was in school, we only talked to our parents when there was an emergency–too expensive otherwise. But today with the ease of communication, I talk or communicate with the kids very frequently.</p>
<p>When oldest went to school, we only talked about once a week and sporadically sent emails. I have become more computer literate since then and use AIM with my younger two. We instant message most days and I do use that more than email unless I need to send an attachment. However, my kids also are ones with cell phones permanently attached to their bodies (and I am guilty of it too now), so we talk almost every day.</p>
<p>Granted most phone calls are short. Usually d. calls while waiting somewhere or while commuting to work and s. always called while walking between classes or perhaps late at night. Most times they initiate the calls as their schedules are more complicated than mine.</p>
<p>If mine weren’t reading my emails, I would either stop sending them or use AIM so that it is instant and I knew whether they were reading it or not.</p>
<p>Wow. DS1 emails me whenever he gets something college-related he thinks I should see (and remind him to take care of…;)) Also emails me with trivial info and replies to my emails. </p>
<p>When he travels, he is fabulous about calling to let us know his status. But once he’s there…it’s a black hole. Last summer it upset me greatly; this summer, I know he’s having a great, intense time with people he really cares about and all is OK.</p>
<p>DS2 is the one who never writes. But I suspect he’ll call more often…</p>
<p>When I was in college, I roomed with a German exchange student from Gottinheim (sp?) Her family would invariably call when she wasn’t in the room (usually early in the morning), and they didn’t speak a word of English!
I, having lived in Florida all my life, had only learned Espanol, so my roomie wrote out a line or two of what I should say…“Zie ist neict here” (something like that anyway- hey, it was over 25 years ago).</p>
<p>So armed with my new tool, I anxiously awaited the late night/early morning phone call. It arrived soon enough, and after hearing the “sldaf;laljf;lkja?” I said, “Zie ist neit here!” Which proceeded to invite another 30 seconds of animated response!!! UHHMMMM…</p>
<p>Thank you God for the internet and cell phones!</p>
<p>“Sie ist nicht hier” - I think!</p>
<p>NYMOM-
Thanks!! After all these years, I had it sort of right…</p>
<p>The STUFF WE LEARN in college!!!</p>
<p>Some friends are about to have a German exchange student move in with them – they are getting Skype so she can contact her frerinds and family back home. The host family knows kein Deutsch. I took four semesters of it in college and we will be there when she arrives – I think I’d better bring a dictionary!</p>
<p>I, also, took German in college but I certainly don’t remember anything I learned then. My husband is German and we’ve spent a lot of time there with his family. So I know a little.</p>
<p>Ein bi</p>
<p>All I remember from 4 years of high school German is how to say that I have forgotten it all… on the other hand, when in Mexico, I picked up a bunch of those great little red bananas and asked “Vie fiel …oh, wait… um, how much for these?”</p>
<p>I have a 16 year old son. A few years ago I told him about importance of replying emails and phone calls promptly. I helped him along the way with proper email letters and leaving messages on the phone. It is important for them to learn to respond to people through emails or phone calls. It has worked well so far. Hopefully it stays that way.</p>
<p>My friend is currently in Germany on a Sister-Cities trip. He’ll be there for a month total. Meanwhile, there are two German girls in town staying with a few different host families.</p>