So in this vein I have been reading several news items lately about cell phone service providers supposedly gouging parents for the thousands of dollars worth of fees their teenagers and tweens have been racking up. And I mean thousands. No where in these articles is there even a hint at poor parenting - which there ought to be. Nowhere is it addressed the subject of holding youngsters accountable and responsible for their phone related behaviour. First off, with a $5000+ bill how could the parents have not known? Their child would have been constantly on the phone. How on earth can these people claim to be unaware their child was racking up a sizeable phone bill. But more importantly, why are these parents not holding their children accountable or instilling responsibility.

First off, a cell phone is not a god given right. It is a luxury. We survived without phones attached to the hip so can today's youngsters. Need to reach them at school? There's a landline in the office for that. A cell phone ought to be given when a youngster shows they are deserving of such and has demonstrated responsibility for such. The parent ought to be making themselves aware of the usage - for goodness sakes the activity that would encure a $5000 phone bill ought to have been a tip-off.

Better yet, make these youngsters earn that phone of theirs. Make them get a part-time job to pay for it - that'll teach them to be responsible for it.

I can't stand this sense of entitlement youngsters have; this idea that such things are a right to have without having earned them. This is where it starts. It dumbfounds me that parents give into this.