Kids these days love to communicate with a mixture of abbreviations and emojis. However, this manner of speech is not appropriate for all settings, and it is very important that we teach children how to match their communication styles with the situation.

For example, I have spoken with a friend of mine who is in charge of hiring for a business. She mentioned to me that I would be shocked at how many cover letters or email introductions are informal and completely unprofessional. Our children need to understand that speaking to adults and speaking to their friends requires very different communication styles.

Texting or Messaging

The most common form of communication these days is through text or instant messaging. Make sure to teach your children that it is fine for them to use emojis and abbreviations and meme speak with their friends, but when communicating with adults, or with peers about work or school projects, they should use proper punctuation and grammar.

In the old days of texting, it was difficult to type out complete sentences when we had to press the #4 key three times just to get the right letter. Now with smartphones, it is very easy to use proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar. When I notice my daughter texting with an adult through my Boomerang text reports (whether it is about babysitting or a church activity) and using improper English or emojis, I use that as an opportunity to teach my daughter about elevating her speech for professional situations.

Kids need to understand that even though the platform they are using to communicate is the same they would use with their friends, they need to be aware of who they are talking to, and elevate their communication as appropriate.

Email

People are no longer sending letters through the postal service. As such, email has become one of the more formal forms of communication these days. Since email is the new formal letter, they should be formatted appropriately. Teach your children the proper format of a professional letter including a greeting and signature.

Make sure they understand that it is especially important to use proper speech in an email when applying for a job. Help them see that businesses will look at this email to help them know if they will be able to communicate professionally as they perform the duties of their job. If the email introducing themselves is unprofessional, they likely will not even be granted an interview.

Speech

Politeness is quickly becoming a lost art. The new generations are known as an entitled bunch of kids. With this entitlement attitude, a level of respect and reverence for adults or managers has been lost. Practice with your kids how to speak to someone in authority properly. When you are out in public, make sure they use proper speech, and correct them when they do not.

In every type of communication, there is an opportunity to be professional. Help them understand when they need to use proper communication skills, and when they can be more relaxed. If your kids understand how to elevate their level of communication to match the situation, they will already be ahead of the curve. This digital age has really stifled a lot of the formality of communication, and yet, most people still appreciate proper manners and grammar in professional situations.