[dpark]

You can't call an "emergency contact phone number" from a payphone without the right change unless that number is 911 (or the local equivalent). My kid[1] can't call me from a payphone in an emergency. Not only does my kid not carry change, but won't know my number. I don't even know my own mom's number.

And yes, the secretary/front desk/whatever can call me on behalf of my child, but that seems pretty ridiculous, too when everyone already owns a cell phone.

[1] My kid is two years old, so this is obviously academic for me at this point.

[aninhumer]

>You can't call an "emergency contact phone number" from a payphone

Of course, and you probably couldn't even find one in the first place.

But you could borrow a friend's phone, or ask a teacher to use a school phone, or even just ask someone in a random store if you're desperate. Just having access to that number without a charged mobile takes you from helpless to having many options, and it takes minimal effort. (Hell, write it down if you have to.)

[dpark]

Sure, but you could also just call on your cellphone like everyone else does all the time. What is the point of complicating it? It's totally reasonable to ask your kid to memorize your number in case of an emergency (or their cellphone actually breaks). That's entirely different from saying it's reasonable that kids can't use their cellphones and need to rely on pay phones.

[aninhumer]

Yes? That's exactly what I said.

[dpark]

This whole thread was about banning/blocking cellphones. Your initial reply made it sound like you agreed that this was fine because kids should memorize an emergency number anyway. I see now that wasn't your intent.