They Have An App For That

(Our son is 13, and has been complaining that he doesn’t have a cell phone while other people in his class have one.)

Son: “We started the new nine-week block at school, and there’s an extra class that I signed up for. It’s called the application class. Everyone I know has been signing up for it, so I did too. I thought it was a chance to play with computer applications, and to learn how to use them and such, but they require that you have a cell phone, and I don’t have one. I can’t pass without one.”

Me: “Well, you don’t have a cell phone; that’s for certain. Sounds like you’re going to have to change your extra class because you’re not going to get one.”

(He gets frustrated and starts throwing the classic routine.)

Son: “It’s just not fair. Other kids have them and I don’t. Now I’ve finally got into the best class ever, and I can’t take it because I don’t have a cell phone. You guys only want me to fail.”

Wife: “What other courses are there to have during this time?”

Son: “The only thing left is free-reading period, and that’s lame.”

Me: “Well, it seems that you don’t have much choice, huh? You aren’t getting a cell phone.”

Son: “It’s not fair!”

Wife: “Tell me, who teaches this course?”

Son: “I don’t know her name.”

Wife: “Let your father and I talk about this.”

(The next day, my wife calls me at work.)

Wife: “Well, you’ll like this. I called the school and found the details on the application class.”

Me: “He’s not getting a cell phone.”

Wife: “Yes, we agree on that. But the class isn’t about computer applications. It’s called, ‘life applications.’ It’s where they learn tools on how to deal with things in life, like setting priorities and scheduling your time.”

(I start laughing loudly.)

Wife: “I thought you’d like that.”

Me: “He tried to sucker us.”

Wife: “So now we need to come up with something for tonight to help with his app class. Tonight we’re going to have some application of fun for ourselves…”