You gave your 10 year old a cell phone? You’re a fool. And unfortunately…now, so am I.

Let me get this straight.  Your 10 year old kid, in elementary school “needs” a cell phone.  Let me humor you for a moment, let me guess - for “safety” so they can always get in touch with you or they might be on a soccer field?  Hip hop might be over and you’re not at pick up yet?

I suppose they are all alone wherever they are – your elementary school child is all alone.  There are no other adults on the soccer field – no coaches, no other parents or grown-ups (with phones).  There is not a main office at the dance studio (with a phone).  They are leaving school by themselves – and not being escorted by a grown up or a school bus to and from wherever they are coming from and going to. 

Yeah, right!  I’m going to guess that is most likely not the case.

But let’s just say you’ve actually convinced me that they really do need a phone - because they are all alone on a dark field or on public transportation by themselves (at 10 years old) – then wouldn’t that lend itself towards a phone that dials?  Maybe even a keyboard to text with too? Why in the world (remember – you’ve now convinced me the phone is for safety) would your arm your child with a phone with APPS so that when a child is alone they are less aware of their surroundings and distracted by something like apps or facetime or instagram? Isn’t that counterproductive to the “safety” argument? 

I’m quite confident that phones (of any sort) are not permitted in school, at least not any elementary school I know of.  So these kids now have a phone (an i-phone) that they can’t use until they leave school. When they are walking out, they are now looking at the phone rather than looking in front of them, talking to their friends or catching up with their parents.  They have now become completely introverted.  Don’t get me wrong - they do “talk” their friends – but only the ones who have phones, too.   

The kids with phones - who have play dates after school – have reverted back to parallel playing… the way they did when they were in pre-school.  Side by side. They Text. Or play games on their phones. Or text someone not with them wherever they are.  They need these phones.  And I ask you - where are they when using their phones?  Inside.  Most likely somewhere with wi-fi.  So I ask - why is it that they need a phone?

If the phones can only be used outside of school and that typically means inside a home… doesn’t that make a great argument for an i-touch or i-pad?  I’m sure you know this (but incase you don’t) once connected to wi-fi you can even get a phone number and text your friends.  So again I ask… why a phone? 

Perhaps it is so they can call their friends!  Did I miss something? Why can’t they either pick up a good old fashioned phone (the type plugged into the wall)?  Or use their parent’s phone if on the go?  

Is the purpose of the phone to have face time? Well, if they have an i-phone, I’d have to imagine they have mac books too (since one would think parents would place the importance on the electronic that can actually be used to do schoolwork over that of a phone).  I believe facetime can be enabled on that – can’t it? Or on an i-pad or i-touch?

But wait – I forgot.  They need the phone because they are by themselves on a field.  The phones serve a purpose.  Remember?!!  They aren’t just a toy.  Yeah, right!

To recap – they have phones… that they can’t use for most of the day while in school.  And the other part of the day – can we all agree that 10 year olds are with some sort of grown-up (armed with a phone) and most within footsteps of wi-fi?

A lot of bad decisions and zero thought process has gone into giving these phones to them – at this age.  Phones are not a BUTTER hoodie that “everyone has”. Nor are they a pair of Air Jordans. Or whatever the next “must have” item is.  It’s something that is actually changing the way our kids play and interact.  It’s changing the types of friends they are to each other.  And for the record - it is not safe for them to have them – it is a distraction.  Like they need another distraction!!?

Not to mention… the likelihood of an “i-something” being lost or stolen.  But I digress.

Having said all of that - it would’ve been my choice to wait till my child really is alone and needs a phone – when commuting to and from school solo, on public transportation, or in a taxi cab by themselves.  But because of poor decisions that have already been made many others – this is no longer my choice.  I am not allowed to have my own opinion because the 10 year olds that now have i-phones are making those who don’t have one feel like complete outcasts.  Yes, I know these are not true friends but hurtful nevertheless.   

The parents who have given them to their children haven’t thought it fully through.  Most kids didn’t even have to earn it or work for it – because they convinced their parents it was a necessity.   

So I say you are all fools. 

At the end of the day – with all of my heart – I am against giving a phone to a 10 year old; especially under the guise that they need it. You’re kidding yourself. You’re not kidding me. 

But also, with all of my heart, I love my child. And hearing how left out they are feeling by the "haves" just breaks my heart. So for that reason, I'm throwing all logic and good parenting out the door. 

And now I will be a fool too.