In a society that increasingly values working long hours and being involved, keeping in touch with loved ones becomes more and more difficult. Often families can only get together and spend quality time with one another around holidays or special events. Luckily, technology has made staying connected much easier than ever before.
Cell phones are everywhere and do many things
In the United States, approximately 95% of people have a cell phone. Cell phones aren’t just for adults, either. On average, kids receive their first cell phones around the age of 10. Cell phones have become one of the primary means of communicating with others for people of all ages.
The first cell phone was very basic: it made phone calls. Now, however, cell phones do much more! Text messaging and video calls are two major forms of communication, especially for younger generations. If you are looking to stay in touch with kids and grandkids, these methods of connecting are fantastic.
Stay connected with text messages and video calls
Text messaging
Text messaging makes communicating convenient for those with busy schedules. While long phone calls are becoming more rare, it is very possible to stay up to date on the lives of the ones we love. In fact, many Americans prefer texting to talking, particularly in younger generations. People often miss or ignore calls and make plans to call back when they have more time. Unfortunately, many people never quite find the time to get back to those calls. Text messages, however, make responding much less time consuming. Around 95% of texts are read within three minutes of being sent, and responding to those text messages can take even less time. Texting makes connecting with loved ones fast and efficient, and it can easily work around busy schedules.
Video calls
Video calls are another great way to stay connected with the people that you care about. They are the next best thing to seeing a loved one in person. Video calls allow you to experience important life moments that you otherwise may not be able to see. Watch a grandchild take their first steps or sing along to Happy Birthday as your friend blows out the candles. Seeing a loved one smile or watching their eyes light up when talking about something they love are things that regular phone calls can’t capture. To make video calls, your phone needs to be a smartphone and have internet capabilities.
Alternatively, you may be able to do a video call with a computer or a tablet. Some of the most common apps used to make video calls are Facetime and Skype, which can both be downloaded for free in the app store. Using an app to make a video call is very similar to making a regular phone call, and is a skill that can be learned with a little bit of patience and practice.
The pace of life may be getting faster, but staying in touch with loved ones does not have to be harder. Technology has opened the doors to faster and more convenient communication, particularly through the use of text messaging and video calls. Don’t miss out on the chance for meaningful conversations with the people you care about most.