Kids and Cell Phones

Why do kids want cell phones? Why do parents think that children should have them??? I honestly don't think the logical reasons that some folks give for their children having cell phones is ... well, logical!! Do you not remember BEING a child... a kid, a teen, etc?? Did you ALWAYS tell the truth about where you were going, who you were with, etc?? (ok, I did... there wasn't an ounce of rebellion in me at all!!). So you give your child a cell phone, so you can know where they are at all times, who they are with, what they are doing, and when will they stop doing that and come home. So a cell phone... unless they are supposed to be playing in traffic, or on train tracks where it will be obvious from the background noise... who is to say your child is where s/he says they are!?

"Hello, Mom?"
"Yes, darling."
"Yeah, I'm just at Susie's house, and I wanted to let you know."
"Ok, thank you! Please be home by 9."
click.

HA... your sweet darling just outsmarted you, and she's not at Susie's, but she's walked to the Avondale by herself, well, WITH Susie... but def NOT at Susie's house. You believed her. She tricked you. Cell phones. Ugh.

I'm not saying YOUR child is like that, or will be, nor will mine. It's possible I suppose. It's a matter of trust. Trust between parents and their children. I'm trying to build that kind of trust NOW with my children, so that when they are just *dying* to have a cell phone, it won't be such a huge issue. Ok, so in 10 years, it might not be an issue at all, as it will all be by video, and this will be for naught.

So... I'm content to let my children be children for as long as possible... they grow up tooooooo fast as it is, why rush it?!