[Rebelbase]

IM is irreplaceable for me in keeping up with my kids when they are at their mom's house a couple of days a week. From the short, "Hows it going", "Did you finish your homework", "heading out,love you, talk later", check-in type messages to long drawn out conversations its a daily thing for us.....With 3 computers in different rooms of my house it saves on yelling too!

I've found that one of my sons is much more open and comfortable about sensitive issues in his personal life when talking through IM than when we're face to face....conversations that I never dreamed I could have had with my parents.

He even has text messageing on his mobile phone. I sent him the following message the other night: "If you want cereal tonight bring home some milk". He came strolling in the door at 11:00pm with a gallon and his first words to me were "You owe me $4"......Gotta love him!

[leadpencil1]

Same experience here with my two teens. There is also the benefit of getting some insight into your teen's friends with the message logging features of IM ;-)