Cell Phones and Kids

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Cell Phones and Kids
(YouTube, 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLVenrGBI9w&feature=em-share_video_user
Nothing very imaginative, or unique or new about this question today, but here we go, and that is, what is
the appropriate age to get your child a cell phone? I must be losing it. Am I that old? A fellow just tells
me recently that he knows of a school not far from here, in which in the eighth grade every single child
has a cell phone – the eighth grade!
Now, maybe eighth graders are being left back. So maybe they’re sixteen or seventeen years old. I don’t
think so. Eighth graders, every single one has a cell phone. And then I read a lot of different articles, and
different opinions about how even children should have cell phones. Does this make sense to you?
Somehow I think something’s wrong here. Certainly there’s an opinion that there’s such a thing that’s
called helicopter parenting, in which you kind of just hover over your child all the time and protect them
from every possible evil or injustice that could ever befall them in history.
That’s not what I’m talking about here. Those are the people who have the opinion that you can protect
your children. (They say that) your children can’t live in a bubble, so therefore might as well let them
have the cell phone now, put your trust in them, make sure that they understand what the potential
pratfalls and pitfalls are (by) having a cell phone and then let them have it.
But I just don’t come from that place! I come from a place that I know that certainly phones with Internet
access and even phones with texting capability in the wrong hands, in the hands of youngsters that are too
young is simply asking for trouble.
Should we let our young children – eleven and twelve years old drive if you’re tall enough, just because
they’re able to physically do it, or do we say “no”. They have to make the right decisions, and they have
to be mature enough to make the right decisions, and I think just putting a cell phone in their hands, of
youngsters who are just so young, is just the wrong thing to do because they’re not equipped, they’re not
capable of making the right decisions, whether it be through Internet access or through text messaging,
etc.
I know, call me an old fogey like you usually do. I just feel that as long as you can, as long as you can
keep away from cell phones in general, and, of course, I have and all my kids have (cell phones), and
they’re adults mostly, etc., but as long as you can, keep them away from it, and realize that they’re not
going to seem strange without it. I’m talking about, you know, well into their teens, certainly, I just don’t
think it’s a good idea. I know I’m gonna get a lot of disagreement and I know there are a lot of different
opinions about this. I wanna hear them all; I want to hear all your opinions, I wanna hear why I’m wrong
also and why I’m right, and I wanna hear what is the appropriate age for a child to have a cell phone
Use the comment section below and I’m sure you agree that it is something truly to think about.
Vocabulary
01. here we go
02. to get your child a cell phone
03. I must be losing it
04. a fellow
05. in the eighth grade
06. every single child
allons-y! on y va!
procurer
je dois perdre contact avec la réalité
un gars, un type
en 4ème
chaque enfant sans exception
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07. are being left back
08. Does this make sense to you?
09. there’s such a thing
10.in which you kind of
11.to hover over your child
12. evil
13. to befall them
14. might as well let them have the cell phone
15. put your trust in them
16. pratfalls
17. pitfalls
18. let … drive
19. whether it be through Internet access
20. call me an old fogey
21. as long as you can
22. keep away from cell phones
23. adults mostly
24. as long as you can keep them away from it
25. well into their teens
26. I’m gonna (going to) get a lot of disagreement
27. I wanna (want to) hear them all
ont redoublé
Est-ce que cela vous semble logique?
il existe
selon lequel
planer au dessus de votre enfant = surveiller
le mal
leur arriver
autant les laisser avoir
faites-leur confiance
une chute sur les fesses
obstacles, embûches
laisser conduire (une voiture)
que ça soit par l’accès à internet
traitez-moi de vieux jeu
aussi longtemps que vous pouvez
éloignez-vous = ne pas posséder
des adultes pour la plupart
tant que vous pouvez les y éloigner
qu’ils soit des grands adolescents
je vais avoir beaucoup d’avis contraires
je veux les entendre tous
Cell Phones and Kids
(YouTube, 2015)
Exercise: fill in the blanks with the correct words
Nothing very imaginative, or unique or new about this question today, but h_______, and that is, what is
(on y va)
the appropriate age to g___ your child a cell phone? I must be losing it. Am I that old? A f____ just tells
(procurer)
(un gars)
me recently that he knows of a school not far from here, in which in the eighth grade every single child
has a cell phone – the eighth grade!
Now, maybe eighth graders are being left back. So maybe they’re sixteen or seventee years old. I don’t
think so. Eighth graders, every single one has a cell phone. And then I read a lot of different articles, and
different opinions about how even children should have cell phones. Does this make sense to you?
Somehow I think something’s wrong here. Certainly there’s an opinion that there’s s
a thing that’s
(il existe)
called helicopter parenting, in kind of which you just h____ o
your child all the time and protect them
(planer)
from every possible e____ or injustice that could ever b________ them in history.
(mal)
(arrive)
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That’s not what I’m talking about here. Those are the people who have the opinion that you can protect
your children. (They say that) your children can’t live in a bubble, so therefore m____ a w___ l__ them
(autant les laisser avoir)
have the cell phone now, p
your t
in them, make sure that they understand what the potential
(faites leur confiance)
pratfalls and p_______ are (by) having a cell phone and then let them have it.
(embûches)
But I just don’t come from that place! I come from a place that I know that certainly phones with Internet
access and even phones with texting capability in the wrong hands, in the hands of youngsters that are too
young is simply asking for trouble.
Should we let our young children – eleven and twelve years old drive if you’re tall enough, just because
they’re able to physically do it, or do we say “no”. They have to make the right decisions, and they have
to be mature enough to make the right decisions, and I think just putting a cell phone in their hands, of
youngsters who are just so young, is just the wrong thing to do because they’re not equipped, they’re not
capable of making the right decisions, wh______ it be t_______ Internet access or text messaging, etc.
(que ça soit par moyen de)
I know, c___ me an old f____ like you usually do. I just feel that as long as you can, as long as you can
(traitez-moi de vieux jeu)
k
a __ from cell phones in general, and, of course, I have and all my kids have (cell phones), and
(restez éloigné, ne possédez pas)
they’re adults mostly, etc., but as long as you can, keep them away from it, and realize that they’re not
going to seem strange without it. I’m talking about, you know, well into their teens, certainly, I just don’t
think it’s a good idea. I know I’m gonna get a lot of disagreement and I know there are a lot of different
opinions about this. I wanna hear them all; I want to hear all your opinions, I wanna hear why I’m wrong
also and why I’m right, I wanna hear what and is the appropriate age for a child to have a cell phone.
Use the comment section below and I’m sure you agree it is something to think about.