Cell Phones and the Foster Mother

Confession:  I disable all sound alerts on my phone and keep my ringer off 99% of the time.  

I am one of those reluctant cell phone users.  Honestly, I could happily live with a flip phone from 2005 as long as I could call and text, but between the mocking from Tiernen and my students, I don't think I could handle it.  

If I get a text, I will answer it... the next time I happen to get to my phone.  During the school day, my phone stays in my backpack until lunch (and sometimes until the end of the day).  This is much to the annoyance of my department chair who might text me with something he needs from me ASAP... and I don't get it until 4:30 PM afterward.  

It isn't that I hate my phone.  I don't.  It's just that rarely does anything come across that is THAT important that it warrants IMMEDIATE action and/or response.

I have had way too many students text me at the wee hours in the morning asking about assignments (via the Remind app; teachers, if you don't use this, you are crazy) to be woken up by the chime of my phone... nope, no sounds for me.

(Note:  if students do  text me and I'm already asleep, I will answer them when I get them which is usually around 5:30 AM, and I KNOW they are asleep then and ABSOLUTELY have their text notifications chiming away in their ears...)

This alllllll changes when you are a foster mother waiting for a damn placement call.

The Agency knows to both call AND email me on my school email.  Suddenly, I tell my students I am waiting for a call from The Agency and I keep my phone on my desk, ringer ON.  I check my email 9,000 times a day.  I check to make sure my ringer is ON repeatedly, switching it from on to off to on obsessively making sure there is not a glitch.   I refresh my email, again and again, hoping something will pop up.

Really, it is a sickness.