Phones, almost everyone has one or knows someone who owns one. Through the use of phones we are able to communicate and keep in touch with family, friends and new acquaintances. However, with the popularity of social medias and mobile games, phones are also a distraction from necessary work, daily interactions and general safety.

Of all age groups, adults seem to have a fixation on their phones. Even though they are the ones who are supposed to set examples for children and teens: they are also the ones reprimanding them for their usage of phones. Senior Tatiana Garcia said she has felt, “…annoyed because they’re being hypocritical.”

There have even been accounts of teachers using their phones during class. Senior Faith Allen said that teachers, “…will tell us to put our phones away but quickly pull them out while we are giving speeches and stuff like that.”

Senior Juan Molina has also felt frustration towards teachers using their phones in class saying, “I need to learn,” and that their usage of phones is disruptive when “trying to learn.”

Parents are also known to have a fixation on their phones. When asked about her parents’ usage of phones Allen said, “I tried to point out to my mom whenever she’s texting and driving or using the phone when she’s not supposed to.” Garcia said that if she has pointed out her parents’ phone usage at unnecessary times, “…they’ll get mad at me because they’ll say I’m a hypocrite and that I’m on my phone constantly.”

Teens, though stereotyped as avid phone users, are frustrated that adult phone usage is contradicting the instructions they are told to follow. Garcia questioned this, saying, “Why do you have different privileges than I do? Is it because you’re an adult and I’m a teenager?”

This recent trend leads some teens to question whether or not their parents truly do know best. The only solution to this issue is mutual respect and trust between adults and teens. As Allen said, “We try to pay attention to when we pull out our phones, so we expect the same from you. So if you don’t respect what you just told us then don’t expect us to respect what you just said.”