Yesterday was a bit of a strange one for me. I had just got off of nights and was feeling a little out of sorts. After taking some time to try and understand how I was feeling, I realized that yesterday would have been my mother's 81st Bday. It will be two years this September that she pasted away. Growing up I could always remember looking forward to my mom's birthday because once it was mom's bday mine was only 8 days later. I don't think of it that way anymore. I just think, wow it would have been her birthday....my sister's and I had a tradition for mom's bday. We would take mom out for a fun lunch or dinner.....the wine would flow and boy would we have many giggles. I think we subliminally used her as a decoy. You see we would be having so much fun when we were out that it would attract people....men in particular...of course they would ask what we were celebrating, that would lead to them buying my mom or the group a drink or a bottle of wine...and then of course and invitation to sit at our table....oh yes it was fun....she was a great party lady. I think it is she who put the capital "B" in birthday. So here's to you "Mum" I raise a glass and toast you and wish you happiness where ever you are!

Do you think technology has gone to far? I ask myself that question a lot. I was talking with my sister the one who just retired from being an Elementary school Principle. For example, we talked about the use of cell phones and has their use just gotten out of control. I notice now the ads for going back to school and of course there are many about the parents getting their children cell phones as part of their back to school supplies. My how times have changed. Has our world gotten so out of control that we feel our children need to take a cell phone to school? My sister says she banned their use in school...if the student used it, it was confiscated. They could take it out of their backpacks after school and that was it. But even then I wonder,why is that so necessary. I mean I am not that old ok I will be 46 next week, but really, we managed to survive without them. To me they are being used by parents as babysitters. I don't buy into the whole safety thing. Not for being used at school anyhow. Before we would leave for school we always knew the plan for after school. If plans changed we would ask permission from the school secretary to use the phone of save a quarter to call our parents. But how often did that happen? Rarely in my case. My parents always knew when I had a team practise after school or a program. It was also a given that if you participated in any extra curricular activity that you got yourself to and from that activity. Yes there might have been times when I wished my parents had picked me up from practise or from Brownies but they didn't and I survived. So what has changed. We make plans with our children before they leave, we trust that they will follow those plans...if we thought about deviating from those plans you could rest assure that their were consequences for disobeying. So why the need for the cell phone. Who is changing plans. Is it the parents. Are they changing their minds about picking up the kids? Did they get stuck in traffic and want to let their children know. It was just a given that if you made plans with our parents that you stood by them, even if it meant waiting an extra 45 mins at the school because they were stuck. We would just go inside and tell the office we were waiting for our parents and then either help out in the school or get permission to go to the school play ground. I know that opens up another topic all together....liability issues...yes yes...maybe if we weren't so quick to point the finger and try to blame someone else and take responsibility for our actions. So cell phones...why...what are these young children doing with them, besides calling their friends and making plans for Friday night or after school activities.....didn't we do that when we use to get home. Why all of a sudden is there such an urgency to have to make all these calls. Safety....hmmm.....we must teach and teach again our children about safety. Does a cell phone keep them safe? Don't know....not in school it doesn't...that is what the teachers are there for...that is what administration is there for. After school....hmmmm.....as a parent if I have made arrangements with my child....it should be my responsibility to follow through on those plans, if I am asked to work overtime...I let my employer that I can't do it today as I made plans with my children...if they would like me to stay tomorrow I would be more than happy and would arranged with my children. What ever happened to planning? Whatever happened to be accountable to our families? Cell phones are a cheap and easy way for us to relinquish our responsibilities as parents. If we make a commitment to our child we must endeavour to keep that commitment. Cell phones make it to darn easy to break that commitment.

I would love to hear from those parents out there that feel it is imperative that their school aged child needs a cell phone and what is their rationale.

Ok I will get off of my soap box now....have a grand day all!