Folks often say they provide cell phones for their kids "in case of emergency". What,
precisely, defines
emergency for a 14 year old? (Especially, when they're safe at home?)
*They don't have drivers licenses so having car trouble shouldn't be an issue.
*They probably aren't running a business
.
*Schools (and HOMES) have phones that can be used to contact parents, police / fire dept., or health professionals.
*Hey... All their friends have one... so if there really is an emergency they could just borrow their friend's phone.
I see tremendous numbers of kids (well... not just kids) with cell phones growing out of their hands & ears whose concept of "emergency" is constant & boundless... all too frequently running along the lines of "o-mi-gaaawwww-i-just-got-like-the-biggest-zit". If this information must be shared, it can wait until later & doesn't even require a cell phone.
Are there really that many
emergencies that require so many under-driving-age kids to have cell phones?
Or is it really more about giving ourselves an inflated sense of being in control? or just perhaps making sure that they (and by extension: WE) "fit in with the crowd"?
I can still hear my mother in my head... calmly stating:
"I AM THE PARENT here. I am NOT favorably impressed by the fact that so & so's parents are unclear about being parents instead of friends. If you can't or won't conduct and control yourself like a responsible adult, then you will be dealt with like a child. Make no mistake... I could care less what your friends or their 'parents' think. Furthermore, I have no qualms about embarrassing you in front of your friends... and if THEY don't like YOU because of THAT, then TOUGH! they aren't really your friends anyway."
She meant it - she did it - she enforced it without fail & without apology.
and I did NOT die.
PS - I reserve my cell phone for emergencies. So don't contact me on MY cell phone from YOUR cell phone to share news of your new zit. (especially if you're driving a car or grocery cart!)
