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<p>:D 
I loved this - she sounds like quite a kid!!! :D</p>
<p>Is it the gap between generation ?</p>
<p>I work for a high tech company. We design new hardware and software. I always had latest, new devices from different company to integrate all devices together. However, those all stayed in my lab. My personal cell phone is still 4 years old big thick flip which served me well.</p>
<p>My son always laugh at me that like this. Why your company try to sell people new technology but you are not using it at all. My answer is always like this. We are trying to sell hi-tech to whoever can afford it.</p>
<p>It’s hard to explain to kids that my wife and I are willing to pay music private lesson but we won’t get fancy phone and plan. We are willing to buy kids oversee tickets to visit their grandparents for just 2 weeks instead of buying a fancy LCD TV and HD cable plan. </p>
<p>My son is a 9th grader. I think he kind of understand but still think we can afford $40 extra bill for his phone plan. </p>
<p>I might able to pay for that but the question is data and texting plan necessary ? For me, I don’t texting. For my kids. they love texting to stay connected with their friends and they said that is part of their social life.</p>
<p>bluegene-
I found texting in particular to be nearly essential once my son hit BS. Not so necessary for the rest of the family but it seems that a lot of kids use it instead of actually talking to each other on the phone.
I find myself texting him rather than calling because I know he will answer me quickly and it doesn’t disrupt his day as much.</p>
<p>My daughter in her second year at Exeter does not have a cel phone. Her grandpa actually provided one for her at the beginning of the school year this year (no texting though) and it became such a distraction for her that we had her send it back.</p>
<p>My daughter has found a way to live without. She tells me that she is the only one without a cel phone. The only time I miss the cell hpone is while she is traveling as it is very hepful during airline delays. Otherwise she gets by with a phone card - which she has to use a LOT because with all her friends, and teachers, on cel phones, each with a different area code, just about every phone call she makes from her dorm room is long distance.</p>
<p>We were never able to get cell service at Hotchkiss (verizon-regular cell phone) so it depends on the school. They have a landline in their dorm room there and that worked fine for her friends calling her and inter-dorm calls and of course for us calling her. I think Skype is a really good alternative for the cell phone. She always had a cell phone with her for traveling and I would not have had her flying without it. Over the years there were a few snafus with flights and the cell phone was reassuring and extremely helpful in those instances. We did buy her phone cards so she could make long-distance calls when necessary from her dorm phone. These are a lot less expensive than getting the long-distance package offered at school for the landline.</p>