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October 16, 2003
Cell phones, Schmell phones
Why is is that people think they have to be connected all the time, and that their kids have to be connected to them all the time?
I cannot believe how many parents buy their kids cell phones - all on the premise that the kid can call Mommy whenever he or she needs to.
My son is now a freshman in college. He managed to get all through elementary school, middle school and high school without a cell phone, a pager, a wireless palm pilot, etc.
If I was needed, the school would call me.
Or, he could wait until he walked home and call me from home after school.
Both John and I have cell phones, but we only use them when we travel for work - it is a lot cheaper to call home on a cell phone than from the hotel room using a calling card. Andy is actually going to college (trumpet noise here - ta da da) *without a cell phone*.
Now, he does have one kick ass computer that glows in the dark and has a plexiglass side panel so you can see all the guts, but no cell phone.
Now it looks like kids everywhere are using cell phones to irritate teachers and other students, cheat on tests, 'look cool', etc.
For Techies, School Bells Mean 'Let the Games Begin'
It is no wonder so many kids are do dumb these days. (Even many college graduates I have worked with are barely literate - many unable to write up an agenda for a client engagement).
"Nationally, close to a third of American teenagers now carry cellphones, according to the United States Department of Education"
One teacher states, ""I have heard that during the regents math exam, kids go to the bathroom and use their cellphones, which have calculators built in, to solve equations." said Anne Manwell, who teaches molecular biology and research methods at Stuyvesant."
Of course, since when are kids allowed to go to the bathroom during an exam?
Obviously, I could go on - this is one of my very pet peeves, but I have to bathe, dress and go out and try to make a living.
Posted by Beth at October 16, 2003 6:42 AM
Comments
Oooopps. Guilty on this one. Never thought I'd do it, but I got the Girl a cell phone on our family plan recently. One of the reason was free long distance because in the boondocks, even everyone she goes to school with is long distance.
But, my kids don't have TV's in their rooms, if that redeems me at all.........lol.
DC
Posted by: DC at October 16, 2003 4:41 PM
oh, damn, I would have to insult one of the 5 people who read this, eh?
We live out in the boonies, too, but we are able to have a metro line which allows us to call anyone in the entire metro area without a toll call.
I can see using cell phones for long distance, just can't see giving Andy one!
Posted by: Beth Donovan at October 16, 2003 6:15 PM