After carefully debating the question about whether our eldest daughter Katianna should have her own mobile telephone, we considered the pros and cons as a family and decided with her part-time job and trips away, we would proceed.  

On the first day of school that our year 10 student had the device in her possession for the day, we girls headed off on the usual school run. 

But on arrival at the school gate, my 16-year-old realised that her psychology research results – which she would most definitely need to work on during period three – were inconveniently left sitting on the kitchen bench at home.  

Obviously, I was immediately dispatched for the 24-minute round trip to retrieve the forgotten paperwork.

I accomplished this task within the half hour – hand-delivering a sealed envelope to the needy teenager, who then suffered so much eye-rolling and sighing that I worried she might unbalance herself and incur an injury.  

I checked, and I seemed to be fully dressed and behaving in quite a sane manner.

But I must accept my repulsive condition and move on.  

Unbeknown to me – as I certainly do not and shall never strap my mobile telephone to my body at all times – the following series of rapid fire messages had been bouncing around my communication device at home on the kitchen bench, only metres from the very paperwork that I had been sent to collect.  

08:51 Is there any chance you could also bring all of my work experience forms

08:52  I have to give them to Jenny so don’t hand them in to the office ladies.  

08.53  I think there is a permission form, the blue note and I think a medical form.

08.53  Don’t hand the deb form in.

09.28  Look at your phone before you leave and read this.

09.29  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Does that make you laugh, Kym? 

Well, I intend to encourage Katianna to text her father much more often. 

Wait until you get 15 exclamation marks before 10 in the morning!  

Yolande Grosser