What is up with the youth of day? I have a 14 year old daughter that just does not listen to me anymore. Whenever I speak to her I just get that ‘watching tv’ blank star and not so much as a hint of any cognitive action. In fact I find it more effective if I just sent her a TXT message, IM them, or send them a Facebook update. I was under the impression that buying her a phone would be a safe guard in case she needed to contact me directly for any reason, but it has totally back fired – ironically her brain only kicks into gear if I threaten to take the phone off her. The phone bill last month was a whopping $150 so in effect I am paying this huge amount for her indifference which pangs me no end. The other night, and it is not a once off as it has happened many times before, I prepared dinner and walked up to my daughters room, banged on her door and said dinner was ready – no response – did it again – no response. It was only when I sent her a TXT message she came out of her room. I also tried updating her Facebook and her friends just egged her on and made a joke about it. Believe me it is NO joke! Why has our relationship ended up this way? When did our mother/daughter chats descend into binary?