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Please Put Cellphones on Vibrate During Naptime

Disney has announced they are teaming up with Sprint to market cell phones for 8-12 year old children.  Models will be simple and have only 5 buttons, so the kids can't text message...

New cell phones are extra-small to fit children's hands, with "mommy" and "daddy" buttons for one-touch dialing. They come in colors called X-Ray and Bubblegum. Still others are set to feature animated characters on the display screen and have educational software built right in.

Future models will include a tracking device, so parents can low-jack their delinquents. Creepy you say?  Once we get used to 8 year olds carrying cell phones, what will come next?

Commercial Alert has a more critical vision than Disney and a campaign to get Congress to investigate and hold hearings on the impact of mobile phones on children's privacy, education, safety and health. (I'm not sure, but you may be able to send the letter to your congressman from your cell phone's web browser.)

Cell phones are enough of a distraction in high schools - ringing in class, kids sneaking calls in the back, text messaging under the desks.  When I was a teacher, I took one phone from a student that rang nearly every 5 minutes while I had it.  Another one I confiscated was a picture phone.  (Of course I looked at the pictures and I'll just say I wish I hadn't). 

But grade school and middle school?  Here's a scene. Jenni stands on the sidewalk outside of the elementary school behind Pluto sunglasses. "Mom, third grade has been over for like 5 whole minutes.  Where are you?"  Later, on the ride home, Mom has the DVD of the Lion King playing in the headrests of the Chrysler Town & Country DE (Disneyland Edition) while little Jenni talks to Megan on her Minnie Mouse Fun-Fone about recess and trading lunches tomorrow. Eeek.