# Teacher Critiques Parent Phone Habits > Teacher says parents' phone use during meetings harms kids' behavior. - Title: Teacher Critiques Parent Phone Habits · Chicago Sun-Times - Summary: Teacher says parents' phone use during meetings harms kids' behavior. A teacher reports parents texting during school meetings affects children's behavior… - Keywords: teacher, parent, phone habits, school meeting, child behavior, school conference, news, local, Critiques, Phone, Habits, Chicago Sun-Times - Source: Chicago Sun-Times — https://chicago.suntimes.com/dear-abby/2026/09/21/dearabby-today-dear-abby-teacher-suspects-parents-phone-habits-affect-kids - Published: 2026-09-21T11:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: teacher, parent, phone habits, school meeting, child behavior, school conference, news, local ## Parent Phone Use A public school teacher shares concerns about parents using phones during school meetings. > Put down those cellphones and pay attention to your kids ## Texting During Meeting A mother texted during a school conference with her children arguing at home. > Abby, the woman texted on her phone throughout the meeting ## Teacher's Advice The teacher suggests parents silence phones during face-to-face meetings with school staff. > If you are asking me for permission to inform parents that cellphones must be silenced and out of sight during conferences with you, you have it ## Parent's Response The teacher recommends telling parents to follow classroom rules during meetings. > You can frame it as parents following the same rules as students in your space ## Landlord Issue A landlord discusses rent differences between family and non-family tenants. > Charles, with his wife and three elementary-school-aged children, rents the house next door to me for about $1,200 a month less than I might charge a nonfamily renter ## Inheritance Concerns The landlord's younger son claims unfair inheritance due to rent arrangement. > James thinks I’m being unfair to him and his sister because I’m not charging the maximum rent the house might get ## Landlord's Solution The landlord suggests deducting $1,200 from the younger son's inheritance share. > Tell your grasping younger son that every time he brings this up in the future, you’ll deduct $1,200 from his share of the estate ## Family Vacation Parents ask children to help pay for family vacation expenses. > My husband and I would like them to help pay for a family vacation because they expect expensive experiences ## Children's Contribution The advice is to explain budget constraints to children before vacation planning. > If their expectations will uncomfortably strain your budget, explain that you will need them to chip in ## Dear Abby Column Abigail Van Buren writes Dear Abby column for over 40 years. > For nearly four decades, Jeanne Phillips penned this column ## Next Steps The teacher will enforce phone silence during school conferences. > The next time I encounter a parent who does it, I will ask the person if he or she would like to suspend the conference ## Key takeaway A teacher reports parents texting during school meetings affects children's behavior and suggests phone silence during conferences.