-113 People see kids that have things like Ipads, Blackberrys and other electronics and call them spoiled. But if you think about it, having things like a tablet or a smartphone are becoming less and less toys and more actual tools. I'm sure when someone first invented paper and the pencil people regarded it as nothing more than a toy, and young people who had one were probably called spoiled. The same is happening now with smart phones and tablets. amirite?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Paper was never considered a toy...

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Maybe it was. Were you there in ancient China or Egypt when they invented it?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Maybe it wasn't. Were you there in ancient China or Egypt when they invented it? You can't make these assumptions about ancient creations. They had different norms, beliefs, and morals than we have today. Way different.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

ono

by Anonymous 13 years ago

How can you even compare Blackberrys and iPods to paper and pencils?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

What the hell does a kid in middle school need a smart phone for?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Why doesn't he need a smartphone?

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I agree that 6 year olds and 10 year olds don't need smart phones, but when someone's fucking 13 they're mature enough to own a smart phone. I'm sure if you were 13 now, you would get pissed about everyone treating you like you're still a kid and can't own a smartphone, and I'm sure you wouldn't go ahead thinking: "oh I'm only 13 I don't need a phone, I should just go vintage and watch some old cartoons cause that's what '90s kids' used to do my age". No just NO. And before you start accusing me of being 13 myself, I'm actually 17.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I could see the benefit of a kid having a smartphone though. Install a hidden GPS tracker this way you always know where your kid is. God forbid something happens, you can find him or her.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I think that tablets are the most useless things in the world. But I like the premise of the post :)

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Right, using them as a tool to help them play angry birds

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Wait...so because these things are less like toys and more like tools, it's okay for little kids to have them? This post is rather backwards.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

tl;dr

by Anonymous 13 years ago

I agree with this post, just not the paper and pen part. I think a child should have a cellphone when they start going out without their parents. Something could happen to them, and if all their friends' parents agreed with this rule of "not letting your 10-13 year old having a phone" then it would take a heck of a lot longer trying to reach their parents when they needed them. And, if they paid for it themselves, or if they really earned it, then i think they'd deserve a higher quality phone/smartphone.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

You started off going somewhere I disagreed with, but could respect. Then you brought out the pencil and paper thing and that's just stupid.

by Anonymous 13 years ago

Having a smartphone in middle school can be very helpful. For one thing, everyone at my school was given Google accounts associated with our school. They often use E-mail as a way of communicating with the students. Also, Google Docs is accessible on a smartphone, which can be really helpful if you can't get to a computer but need something typed. Heck, even note-taking is easier on a smartphone. It's much faster. I'm not saying its necessary for a middle schooler to have a smartphone, but it can definitely be helpful.

by Anonymous 13 years ago