Dear Chums – Cell ‘Phone Etiquette

“Dear Chums,

I have friends who sit with the phone on the table when we are out to lunch and if it buzzes or beeps to indicate an email or a text, they can’t help but take a look.”

“It is totally rude in my book!  To me, in a social gathering of any kind, the cell phone should be silenced and out of sight!  It just signals that the one you are with might not be as important as the one you might be hearing from. And isn’t that nice?  }:

I also think that parents need to be teaching their children both by their own behavior but also by confiscating phones of their kids who bring them to social situations like dinner with company. Kids who are with company at the dinner table texting under the table (better than on top of it but still not okay with me!) are just simply rude to me.  And I am generally very liberal about most things and very forgiving of behavior of kids.  But this has become an epidemic.

 Then there are cell phone in waiting rooms or small places where everyone has to listen in on conversations of the ones on the phone.  In the OLD days, there were phone booths so that phone calls did not need to be shared by all around the phone. People should create their own phone booth by removing themselves to someplace private before intruding their conversations into the thoughts of all around them.

A Two Chums Supporter”

Dear Two Chums Supporter,

Yes, we totally know what you mean and agree with you!

Cell phones are amazingly wonderful and convenient and give us a super way to stay connected BUT (and there is a big but!), like everything wonderful, we have to be careful that we do not abuse the use of them and forget about being gracious!

Being thoughtful of the people you are with, whether you know them or not,  has to be the first and last rule of thumb.

Thanks so much for writing in.  We really appreciate hearing from you.