Dear So and So

[maillotpois]

Does every member of the family get one? I am just astounded that 5th graders "need" cell phones.


Veronica

I think Em got hers in 4th or 5th grade. That's right when she transitioned from fulltime/after school day care to walking home, and we wanted to be able to call her.

[Veronica]

I...and we wanted to be able to call her.

What, not so she could text her friends? Surf the web while she was walking?


Veronica

[maillotpois]

Call her parents if she got abducted.

[Crankin]

I believe that if you get benefits, you get a phone. There might be age limits, though. Here, if you get Mass Health, you get a phone.

[limewave]

Dear Teacher Friends,

I just took one on the chin for you. I'm expecting my inbox to begin filling with hate-mail at any minute . . .

~Limewave

[Crankin]

What did you do???? Now I am interested.

[Veronica]

What did you do???? Now I am interested.

Me too!

So what do you think of parents who text their children during school? And the child reads it and responds, also during school?

Veronica

[limewave]

What did you do???? Now I am interested.

I was with a group of parents discussing new policies at our elementary school. The conversation started down a Parent vs. Teacher path (I hate that!!!). One parent said "I know my kid better than anyone else, they don't know what's best for my child."

Granted, as parents, we do know our kids best. But we also love them fiercely which can cause us to see things with rose-colored glasses occasionally. Furthermore, we interact with our children in an entirely different way than what is required in a classroom setting.

I merely suggested that teachers have a lot of training and years of experience working with children. That teachers work with many kids at different levels. After working with our kids and observing them, they would have valuable input as to what needs/path/education really is best for our children. We should consider our teachers great assets and respect their training, experience, and value their advice.

There was complete silence and I saw a lot of steam rising from some very red faces . . .