In The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, Thomas L. Friedman suggested that children and adolescents can best prepare for an increasing competitive world by developing four skill sets: self-learning, passion and curiosity, interpersonal skills, and creative thinking.
One of these skill sets—interpersonal skills—is not being fully developed by many of today’s youth because they are choosing text messaging over verbal communication. Parents can help by encouraging their children to engage in verbal communication instead of text messaging.