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Does this mean I have become my mother?

Parent coach Jamie Mazza reflects on her parenting journey and gives her thoughts on leaving an emotional legacy for your children.

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Cell phones

Recently, I was asked to be the guest blogger for The Washington Post. My blog post was titled, Why my tween does not have a cell phone. and WOW-- did I get a reaction!

The comments ranged from:

In today's society of the "I want it now" parents are taking the value out of every stage of childhood.  There is something to be said about letting kids be kids. I think it is important for kids to play in the neighborhood instead of having everyone minute planned. At the age of 12 our kids should be playing kick the can, ghost in the graveyard, backyard baseball!! I know you don't need a cell phone for that!

and

Bravo! Kids do not need a cell phone. Billions of humans have survived just fine without them. Person to person communication is pretty darn important, and I'm afraid that it is suffering these days among the young.

Most adults don't need one either. Really. Unless it's for your work.

to

actually, i think I disagree with the writer. She doesn't want to give her kid a cell phone cause it will make him too grown up? I actually think having a cell phone - to check in every minute, as jhbva indicated - makes it seem as if they are being treated more like a small child.

and

Well Jamie, it's obvious that your son didn't hit the parent lottery. But to deny a 12 year old boy the ownership of a cell phone doesn't mean it's the end of the world for him. It's quite possible that he can overcome the lack of the most popular social tool known to the modern teenager in a few years.

Teenage daughters are different though. if a girl doesn't have one by the time she enters high school, the parents are asking for big problems. Ever see that Stephen King movie "Carrie"? That's what we're talking here. You may as well stamp the words "Nerd" in big, black letters on her forehead every morning before she goes to school. You can spew all kinds of responsibility and maturity garbage at her, but denying her a cell phone is on the same level as taking her social life away. She will hate you for ostracizing her from her peers. So, unless you are hell-bent on crushing your daughter's self esteem, please shell out the extra few bucks to get her a cell phone. It will save on the co-pay fees for her therapy and meds in the first year of independent living alone.

What do you think?

I would love to hear your comments and thoughts on this topic!!

 

 

Published Mar 18 2009, 05:07 PM by Coach Jamie

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Ask the leadership coach » Cell phones - Does this mean I have become my mother? said:

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March 18, 2009 8:09 PM
 

Cell phones - Does this mean I have become my mother? | GIT Fourm said:

Pingback from  Cell phones - Does this mean I have become my mother? | GIT Fourm

March 18, 2009 11:03 PM