No one can argue with a parent's decision to enforce a cell phone policy on their kids, but what about when they extend those rules to any of their children's friends who come to their house for a visit?
Turns out, parents are very divided.
Bestselling author and activist Glennon Doyle posted about the strict policy she and her wife, Olympic soccer player Abby Wombach, have in place when their children's friends come over for a visit.
"I love my kids' friends so much that I want them to talk to each other at our house," she wrote in a Facebook post. "So Abby and I have them check their phones at the door. Which we can do cause we're the bosses of this house."
Watch This!
Pop Quiz
Watch the Cast of Fear Street Play a Creepy Game of Horror Movie "Would You Rather"
She explained how it's actually done everyone some serious good: "They all act exasperated but seem interestingly relieved," she wrote. "Then, after a minute, they look at each other. And talk. And dance and laugh and stuff. And they remember that they are with their friends so there is no need to be anywhere else."
The post, which has more than 60,000 likes, spurred an almost-immediate debate. To the surprise of many parents who agreed with Glennon's perspective that screens inhibit the fostering of real relationships, countless people took issue with her mandate.
"The thought of my daughter having any barriers to reach me when she's at someone else's house scares me," wrote one commentor. Another added: "Just a reminder, some kids find comfort in their phone. For some kids with anxiety, it takes courage to hang out at friends' houses and having their phones is a source of comfort."
Still another believed it was a bad example to set for others:
To that, several people defended the idea, adding that the cell phones weren't "locked in a vault" but left in a basket by the door, easily accessible if a particular need arose.
In fact, one parent noted that her seventh grader doesn't yet have a cell phone and does just fine without one, period:
So, where do you stand on the issue? Would you be OK with another parent asking your child to check her phone at the door?