Last night I opened my mailbox to find a hand-written letter that my 10 year old wrote.

Dear Mom and Dad,

As you know, Christmas is coming up. The present I want is a cell phone. As you read this you are coming up with ideas why I shouldn’t have a cell phone. One of those reasons might be responsibility. You are worried that I might break it or lose it. Well, I have been thinking long and hard about this and I came up with this. If I take my $40 and put it towards he cell phone, it will be 1/2 mine. Therefore, I would take care of it more. Questions?

Now, If we got rid of our home phone, our bill goes down. If I don’t use the home phone and I use the cell phone, I can contact you anywhere you go. If I am at dance/gymnastics and you can’t pick me up or you are going to be really late, you can just call or text me. Now, you don’t have to call the dance owner, Roxy, to tell me. Are you starting to see the benefits?

Yes, like you pointed out, if I can afford a cell phone, I can afford rent. Here is the problem with that. How am I supposed to come up with a few THOUSAND dollars every month? Maybe get a job? I am ten years old, (almost 11) and I do not know one person at age 11 who has a job. I would be more than happy to do extra chores around the house for a while to help cover rent if I can afford a cell. Will that work?

True as it is, Brock, my brother, do not always get along. BUT, I have been noticing that we are starting to grow out of it. I think as we are aging, we are maturing. This has taken a lot of effort and time as I have talked to him a few times on how we need to get along. I know we are not perfect, and let things slip a little, (okay, I will be honest, a lot) but we are trying. As we age and possible as you read, we are growing closer and closer. Brothers and sisters have fights when young and grow out of it as they age. I think this proves that I am mature enough for a cell phone.

I am very aware that you pay for dance and gymnastics and that you are NOT a bank. I understand that. I am willing to DOUBLE the chores, do them right, and not complain. (This means a lot knowing that I am willingly doing chores even though I dislike them very much.) I am very thankful that you already pay for what you do. I thank you for that. Thank you for taking the time to look at this letter and at least consider it. I hope you look at my side of things and at least consider it.

Love,
Sam

After about 12 months of saying NO WAY to her getting a cell phone, I am almost at my breaking point.

I told her “You want a cell phone? Fine. Go type that letter to me (she did it this morning) and I am going to teach you a new term: CROWDSOURCE.  We are going to find out what everyone thinks about whether or not a 10 year old in 5th grade should get a cell phone.”

And no, I don’t care if “half of the 5th graders and all of the 6th graders” have cell phones.

What say ye?