The Evils of Technology? Not so much...

So you read a lot in the news these days about kids and cell phones. How they have them too young, how they don't talk any more, how they text their friend sitting next to them, how spelling is dead, how they blow the family budget on text messages, yada yada yada.

Let me tell you, as a parent, there is actually an upside.

Three times now, I've had a child on a field trip, and actually had some idea what they were doing all day. Really! Both kids (Rachel and JC) took their cell phones along (basic safety precaution, plus you never REALLY know when the bus is coming home). Both of them, unasked, sent me pictures and texts during the day. "I'm going to ride that roller coaster" "Look at the Liberty Bell" "Check out this funny t-shirt"

Ok, not a lot of messages, but some every now and then. And it makes me feel connected. So many times they're gone all day someplace cool (yes, I know they're gone all day at school, but I have a pretty good idea what happens there. I think.) and by the time they get home, they're too tired to tell me more than, "yeah, it was fun."

So I get to live vicariously through them, a little. I get to see what they're seeing (at least a bit). I get a talking point to ask questions about. It's just a really nice thing. I hope they keep updating me, at least a little, for a long time. Text messages, emails, phone calls, I'm not picky.

And yes, I have talked to my own mother this week.