Parents need to take control of their children and be parents, not best friends.

This is in reference to the recent story about yet another teen losing her life via cell phone usage while driving. My sympathy goes out to the teen’s family.

I didn’t grow up in the “cell phone era” and I’m glad I didn’t. What I don’t understand is why parents reading of or hearing of these teen deaths don’t stop providing cell phones to their children.

If children don’t own a cell phone, that stops the chances of any kind of accident involving one. No matter how much a parent thinks he can trust his child with these phones, these kids still have peer pressure to engage in constant texting and calls from a cell phone while driving. Peer pressure wins out every time.

As hard as it is for parents to say “no” to their kids in this day and age, I think it comes down to saving their lives with tough love. I see no reason for anyone living under their parents’ roof to own a cell phone. Many generations have survived quite well without them. Parents need to take control of their children and be parents, not best friends.

As I typed this, a school bus passed by with all the children’s heads out the windows screaming at the top of their lungs. All I can think of is how distracting this must be to the driver and, most importantly, why he is not in control of these kids. I’m sure it won’t be long before those kids, too, are driving while texting.

Amy Baker

New Kensington

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