Cell phone ownership quickly rose from status symbol to social norm for adolescents in the United States. Eightyfive percent of 15–18-year-olds owned a cell phone in 2009, a 50 percent increase from just 5 years earlier. The percentage of 11–14-year-olds who own a cell phone nearly doubled from 36 percent to 69 percent during that same period of time. Many parents do not wait until children are in their teens to buy them a cell phone—nearly one-third of all 8–10-year-olds already own a cell phone (Rideout et al. 2010). The typical teen who owns a phone talks on it for about 33 minutes per day. But, of course, cell phones are not just for talking anymore. Teens who use text messaging average 118 messages per day. Black teens spend about twice as much time as White teens both talking and texting on the cell phone. Hispanics fall about midway between Whites and Blacks on cell phone usage. Girls talk and text about 33 percent more than boys (Rideout et al. 2010). So, what is the impact on all of this cell phone usage on parent–teen relationships? One study found that cell phones have both positive and negative effects on parenting relationships depending upon who initiates the call and the type of message that is conveyed (Weisskirch 2011). When adolescents initiate the call to ask a question or seek guidance, then both parent and child say it boosts their self-esteem and enhances their relationship. The adolescent feels supported by their parent and the parent fells affirmed and valued by their child. But when parents initiate the call to monitor the adolescent activities or track schoolwork, the result is just the opposite. These type of calls often end in conflict. “Parents may think they are doing their jobs as parents, but this finding may indicate that, although the technology affords the ability to easily call, parents may create greater conflict by calling for these typical parenting activities” (Weisskirch 2011)