Things That Annoy Me Thursday: Children With Phones

“Any questions?”

“Yes! If I get an alert during class, can I check my phone?” a blond girl asked. And she was being serious.

I almost fell over.

The man smiled and said, “Phones will have to be turned off during class or they will be confiscated.”

“Who has phones?” I whispered to no one. At that same moment, a boy pulled out a phone from his pocket and started poking at it. And it wasn’t a crappy phone either. It was an iPhone. The newest model, from the looks of it.

Why would an 11-year-old have an iPhone 5? We were at my son’s 6th grade orientation on the school tour and I was baffled.

“Can I text during lunch?” the same girl asked hopefully.

“Yes, but again, it has to be turned off before class,” the man explained.

I didn’t realize I was gaping until the girl’s mother frowned at me. Oh. Oops. Look away, Amber. Don’t be creepy.

But really.

These were 11 year olds. Why were they so concerned about phones? When I was 11, I was concerned about the newest Barbie doll and what was going on in the world of Full House and Growing Pains. I get that times have changed but honestly. Phones. For sixth graders. I couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

I mean, yes, I get it when people have them for emergency purposes. But some children seem to be addicted to them. See: blond 11 year old. That just seems all sorts of wrong to me. Who is she talking to? What is she talking about?

Maybe I don’t get it because my son is somewhat anti-social. He’s asked for a phone, but only because the kids around him have one, I’m sure. When he asked for a phone, I laughed and told him I was fine without a phone and if he any issues, he could go to the main office and ask to call me from there. It’s what I did and I don’t feel scarred.

Phones. For kids.

It’s an odd world we live in.