I am sitting out on my deck, trying to quit smoking and puffing away, and it is late here.  Kids are walking by and talking on cell phones.  I realize the importance of cell phones.  I have one.  I don't remember to keep it charged, but I have one.  I drive a long way to school and it can be a dangerous route.  I have had one for safety reasons for many years.  What bothers me are the ages of the kids who have them.  What are parents thinking?  Why do 9 and 10 year olds need to be calling friends on cells.  They walk around the neighborhood chatting away.  For that matter, why are they out on the streets after dark?  Shouldn't they be in bed for school tomorrow?

What makes parents bow down to the demands of their kids and give them cells?  Do kids need to be "in touch" like that?  What happened to the old fashioned way of parenting by saying "No"?  Even the kids in my class have cells.  I tell them if I catch them with them in school, they will be confiscated and their parents will have to come to school and get them.  One little girl had hers out and was showing the others.  I took it and she started to cry.  She came to me later and told me that she goes home alone and her parents gave it to her to call them after school and keep her safe.  Why isn't she at a sitters?  They probably can't afford one or something like that.  After school, I gave her the phone back and told her to keep it in her backpack or I would have to take it to the office.  I haven't seen it since.

Are we such a paranoid society that we use cell phones instead of hiring babysitters or childcare?  It is really scarey to think that parents think cells are safer that sitters.  What is this world coming to?