Dear Ty,
Do you remember that hilarious conversation our family had during dinner last night? You probably don’t—because you had your headphones on. I know how much you enjoy listening to music, but it’s not healthy to cut yourself off from the real world all the time. It makes you miss some pretty special moments.
Wearing headphones also sends a message to the people around you. For example, when Grandma came over to visit the other day, you didn’t even notice she was there until I tapped you on the shoulder. Then you put your headphones back on immediately after saying hello. Honestly, your behavior was rude, and Grandma and I both felt like you didn’t care about us.
But I’m not just concerned about your manners. Headphones can also damage your hearing. Recent studies found that one in five teens today have some form of hearing loss, and experts say that’s probably because of headphones.
So what do you say—will you stop wearing your headphones at home? I’d ask you in person, but you probably wouldn’t be able to hear me.
Love,
Dad
Dear Dad,
I think I’d better explain why my headphones are so important to me.
I was trying to study for an important test last week, but you and Mom were making a lot of noise. Headphones to the rescue! Research shows that music helps people focus on their work, and that’s definitely true for me.
But I’m not always listening to music—I also listen to audiobooks. Sometimes I can understand my reading assignments better this way—in fact, I think that’s why my English grade has improved this year.
And one last thing: How big of a Drake fan are you? Without my headphones, you’d hear a lot of him! Is that really what you want?
I can promise to go without my headphones at dinnertime, but I can’t agree to keep them off all the time—they’re just too useful to me.
Love,
Ty