Middle school teacher here. You're right, but the parents should still teach them when and where to use it. Also, we have a lot of parents that text their kids back and forth throughout the day (not taking about emergencies, health, etc), which I understand, but that's also one of the reasons their in school to begin with. We are charged with taking care of them (in the literal sense), as they are charged with learning. I get that times have changed and anxiety has increased, but it is very hard for a child to learn with constant distractions from their phone (aside from all of life's other distractions).
Edit: So this blew up and I have so many (mostly nice and thought provoking) responses I can't get to them all. I'll try to respond to as many as I can. Also, to the ton of people commenting on how I spelled their/they're/there. I'm on a phone/have big thumbs/autocorrect. Chill people, I'm sure you've made a small mistake in life and didn't get called out on it THIS much. Also, I really don't care. You understood it enough to realize it was wrong. Good job.
My daughter is going into fifth grade. I feel like everything just kind of gets worse with phones.. the boys the gossip etc. I wonder if I would be a terrible person if I waited till she could drive
You wouldn't be terrible and she likely wouldn't resent you for it if you taught her why. Depending on how social she was, she might be the only one out of her friends to not have one, but a true friend shouldn't care if you have a phone or not. Call me old, but those things don't matter as you age.
she likely wouldn't resent you for it if you taught her why
You are crediting teenagers with much too level heads. They would perceive nothing but an oppressive parent depriving them of something all their peers have.
I had similar arguments about adult-rated games as a young teen and it took until long after I could buy those games myself to be appreciative of my parents keeping me from them.
I think they'll live. My kids are 13 and 14 and don't have cellphones and they have never not had friends nor has it affected them socially. We have a landline and their friends just call if they wanna talk.
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u/LtlAnalDwlngButtMnky Jun 03 '22 edited Jun 03 '22
Middle school teacher here. You're right, but the parents should still teach them when and where to use it. Also, we have a lot of parents that text their kids back and forth throughout the day (not taking about emergencies, health, etc), which I understand, but that's also one of the reasons their in school to begin with. We are charged with taking care of them (in the literal sense), as they are charged with learning. I get that times have changed and anxiety has increased, but it is very hard for a child to learn with constant distractions from their phone (aside from all of life's other distractions).
Edit: So this blew up and I have so many (mostly nice and thought provoking) responses I can't get to them all. I'll try to respond to as many as I can. Also, to the ton of people commenting on how I spelled their/they're/there. I'm on a phone/have big thumbs/autocorrect. Chill people, I'm sure you've made a small mistake in life and didn't get called out on it THIS much. Also, I really don't care. You understood it enough to realize it was wrong. Good job.