Does Your Schools Have Bring an Electronic to Class Day?

Oh my! No my son's school doesn't do that! It sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. The school is putting you in an unfair position and if I were you I'd would even consider keeping my child home that day.

The more upper crust the school, the more this type of stuff is an issue. If the school banned them, the whiny-type mamas would have hissy fits! I am against it as it impedes socialization opportunity for students.

No, I wouldn't allow it, and I'd call the school or the teacher and protest this ridiculous "special day". There are plenty of other ways to reward kids for being good. This policy also penalizes kids whose families cannot afford electronics. Perhaps if you call the school system's business manager and ask if the school's insurance policy covers loss, theft or damage to all these electronics, someone in the school will come to their senses and cancel this policy!

I've never heard of this; it sounds terrible! My son does not have an iAnything. Nor does he have any kind of handheld gaming device. What he does have is two bookshelves full of chapter books, which he reads constantly. I also buy these huge Costco-sized bottles of vinegar because we're always doing hands-on, kid-friendly science experiments. He has a face full of freckles and scrapes on both knees because we're outside as much as we can be, learning about nature hands-on. And guess what? His reading and math are off the charts, as far as his age is concerned, because I've shielded him from the world of electronica.

I am not normally the type to raise a big stink about things, but I would be on the phone with the principal, the superintendent, etc., if the school played any role in making my son feel ashamed of his low-tech, high-literacy life. I recommend you do the same.

Why can't she read on a bus?

A possible solution - head to the mall or the phone store and get one of the "shock proof" cases. They sell them for construction dudes so they won't break their phone, I would assume it would also be tough enough for the elementary school set.

My 4th grader gets this every now and then for 'fun friday'. They have to earn it, can't participate if they've had a bad defining character mark that week. I let him take his electronics (kindle fire & ds) once the teacher assured me the classroom would be locked when they weren't in it. I figure it's up to the teacher to deal with 'exclusion' issues; but we live in an area where most of the 4th graders have iphones so my kid with his Fire and touch is considered the unlucky kid, lol. I agree with Jo, if we don't give them opportunities to be responsible with their stuff they never will.

I wouldn't trust my elementary school aged kid to bring something so expensive and risk dropping it and breaking it or loosing it.

That's ridiculous!!!! How about board games or a movie at the good behavior party!!!!! This would really irritate me. My kids each have a DS but I would not let them take it to school. And it creates a divide between the haves and have nots like you said. Sounds like teachers being lazy to me.

this recently just happened with my 3rd grader. He came home on a thursday and said he could take his DS in on Friday. I was like, "noooo, the school doesn't allow electronics to go to school". I ended up emailing the teacher and she said yes, they were awarded an "electronic fun day" for being good or something. I freaked out. I didn't want him taking it, its expensive and my kids don't have cells or Ipad or Ipods or anything besides their DS's. Anyway, I finally let him take it but told him to guard it with his life and if he lost it, broke it or it was stolen, it would NOT be replaced. Luckily he came home with it but I did want to email the principal and comment that if its an official school rule of no electronics, then it should be like that every day with no exceptions. Why can't fun day be a movie and popcorn or board games?????

You have to trust your kids to take care of their stuff at some point. If they lose, break or get it stolen then they do without. That is a pretty good punishment.

My kids bring theirs to school all the time and have never lost them.

While I'm all for show and tell, I think having little kids transport expensive electronics is problematic. My sks, as teens, lost or broke DSs, phones, iPods...I think that there are other rewards the teacher can offer, like bringing something special to class if the kids comply. I realize this is a digital age, but having had to deal with lost or stolen or broken electronics...most kids can't handle keeping track of them when they are young. I would be one of those rotten parents who would send DD with a book or something else, but not an iPod. SD couldn't even keep track of her own shoes half the time (they changed for gym). At a friend's birthday party with only a few girls at the sleepover, two of her DS games "went missing" and we think another girl stole them but the mom didn't want to confront anybody (even though her own daughter thought the girl stole them). That was the last time SD took her DS to a party.

I'm all for giving them responsibility, but I also draw the line at certain items leaving the house.

My daughter's teacher has let the kids bring electronics maybe twice this year for parties. The kids all share them and let others play games on them so there is not a "haves and have-nots" attitude; the kids are all very good about sharing the items duriing the allotted time and then putting them away.

My daughter refuses to take her Nook to these because she adores it and does not want to risk losing it! I would not allow her to take it if she wanted to, because of the risk of something happening to it. But she says she doesn't want it at school anyway.

I'm not really in favor of these electronics days anyway. It seems to me like it would be a much better use of time to have the kids play group games or do something cooperative together or be outside rather than focused on one- or maybe two-person games as a reward.

The schools near me only do this with older kids. I'm not sure if it's middle school or just high school, but they only let them bring the electronics to class once a year.

What about getting a really cheap MP3 player for music or audio books? You wouldn't worry as much about it getting lost.

My son's class earns "electronic" parties for filling their behavior jar. So far this year they've had two parties. My son is in 3rd grade. I had some reservation about him taking his iPod touch, but he did fine. Our district starts middle school in 5th grade, so he needs to show responsibility now! (Plus, there's always the "Locate my iPod" app!)

Oh--yes--the exclusionary part crossed my mind as well...but the kids are allowed to bring ANY games, toys, etc. that they want--not JUST electronics. PLUS--they all huddle around O. anyway!

Our school also has this, well, it's actually the after-school program that allows this occasionally. We don't let our daughter bring any electronics, however. First of all, they are too expensive to bring to school. Second of all, I'd like her to interact with her peers instead of vegging out by herself w/ her video games.

Why can't your child read on the bus?

My DD is only in first grade so we haven't faced this sort of thing yet, but I am not a fan for many of the reasons people have stated: the haves/haves not issue; the potential to break/lose/or have stolen an expensive item; and the lack of socialization.

Seriously, it's school. Why do they need time wasting electronics? Ugh.

Nope, I wouldnt.
My daughter lovvvves books and would pick that anyways.
She always reads in the car. Does she have problems reading in a vehicle?
We do it all the time. :)

We did have this at our school. It made me crazy nervous, but yes, I let dd bring it to school. I got a tiny purse that she could keep strapped to her body. I absolutely think she would have lost it if it was just 'loose'. Take extreme precautions about where she should keep it, and go through various scenarios (like where do the kids put them while they go into the capitol? Put a sticker with her name on the touch. Maybe even ask the teacher what they do as staff to prevent loss.

My boys are 9 and 10. They have had their iPod Touches since Christmas and they've taken great care with them.

I've allowed my 9 year old to bring his iPod with him to school for a reward day. I remind him to keep it in his bag until he gets there and to keep it in his bag on the way back, so he doesn't become a target for some big bully while he's walking. It's in an Otterbox Defender case, so no worries about it breaking.

No, and I'm surprised they encourage bringing them. We have enough trouble keeping track of our electronics when there are 2 parents and only 2 kids. What happened to the days of singing bus ride songs and chatting with your friends on the ride. The kids will be fine without one, but it will require that the teachers and chaperones give them a little attention along the way. Isn't that part of the adventure?