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From the Mouths of Babes
Pencils? Check. Notebook? Right on. Cell phone with GPS? Got it.
That last little school supply is going into more and more backpacks this fall as parents concerned about keeping track of their kids want to be able to reach them at a moment's notice.
The Center on Media and Child Health's web site says that 54% of kids 8-12 will have a cell phone in the next three years. Sure, it's peace of mind for moms and dads, but what benefit is there to the child? Most educators probably perceive cell phones as a distraction, as kids can run up phone bills and spend more time on games and ringtones than schoolwork.
CNN provides some excellent thoughts on the matter, including whether or not cell phones actually make kids safer or just provide feelings of safety. Read up and then chime in—will there be a cell phone in your kid's backpack this fall?
Considering how often my children call me from the next room I can't imagine how much they'd call me from school! :) I don't plan on getting them cell phones anytime soon. Although I would seriously consider a tracking chip implant so I know what they're up to. :)
This seems a bit extreme. The majority of kids are perfectly safe at school—and in the article on CNN referenced and expert that said cell phones can do more harm than good in certain situations. I don't think I'd give my child a phone until they were a teen, at least.