Anyone with a child old enough to have a cell phone knows about the power of text messaging. Maybe you've been hit with an astronomical monthly bill and wondered how anyone had enough time to send THAT many texts. Or perhaps you've had to deal with the incessant bells and other indicators that a text message has been received - during dinner, at the movies, and even at church! Yes, parents everywhere share a resounding sigh of irritation with the world of text. But is it really more than an irritation? Could it be hurting your child's ability to communicate effectively or to interact with others face-to-face? Some experts say yes.   According to a recent article published in the Decatur Daily.com, classroom teachers are reporting a decline in social skills and grammar for their students which they believe to be a result of the popularity of texting. Common text-speak acronyms such as brb (be right back), CU L8er (see you later) and IDK (I don't know) are making their way to the classroom, on written homework and other class assignments. And students are forgetting things like proper capitalization, correct use of grammar and other punctuation thought to be mastered early in their academic lives.   More worrisome yet, some are arguing that students are lost without the ability to text. Janet Sternberg, Ph.D., assistant professor of Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University in New York believes that the shift in communication will result in the loss of "the art of communication."  "One of the most complicated things humans do is look someone in the eye. The fact that so many people are communicating by screens and through screens, they are not learning the skill of face-to-face communication," added Sternberg.   What can we do as parents? Encourage kids to put the phone down. Remind them that, contrary to what they might think, their friends will survive one night without texting with them. Engage your kids in active discussions - about world events, or maybe even just that night's TV line up. Bottom line, we have to communicate with our children frequently and in meaningful ways if we're to expect them to develop proper communication skills. Using proper grammar and punctuation in your texts to your kids can't hurt either.   Article courtesy of: http://www.decaturdaily.com/stories/Lost-art-of-conversation,118798?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id