AT&T: Parents text most often with their children

While children text most often with their friends, parents send the majority of their text messages to their children according to a new consumer survey commissioned by AT&T and conducted by marketing research solutions provider Synovate. The survey found 79 percent of parents text their kids to tell them to call or phone home, representing the most common type of parent-to-child message--conversely, 88 percent of children said they most commonly text their parents to notify them of when they're going to be home.

Other findings of the AT&T/Synovate study:

• Seventy-six percent of parents agree their children are more likely to keep them apprised their activities or whereabouts via text messaging.
  
• Seventy-three percent of parents believe their children are more likely to respond to a text message.
  
• Fifty percent of parents believe texting makes them a "cool" parent.
  
• Eighty-four percent of kids say texting is easier than calling friends, and 82 percent say SMS makes it easier to tell their parents where they are.
  
• Sixty-five percent of kids prefer the privacy of text messaging, 49 percent favor the cool/hip factor and 48 percent contend it's a better use of time than calling.
  

For more on the AT&T/Synovate study:
- read this release

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