Cell Phones, the never ending dilemma

My daughter is turning 10 tomorrow and she wants a cell phone.  Obviously, all of her friends already have cell phones and she is the only outcast without one, those are the facts according to her.  I am not so sure that these facts are really facts or even really relevant, but my husband does not want to give her the phone, claiming she is not mature enough to handle a phone responsibly.  I cannot go against what he believes, but I really want to get her a phone.....First of all, it will make my life easier, with all of her activities and all, I will always feel safe, well, at least when she will actually pick up her phone.  Also, that resolves the gift issues and I don't have to spend the next 24 hours running around in search of a birthday gift for her, which will be more difficult then convincing my husband that we should get her a phone.  Ok, so I guess it is resolved, will have to exercise all of my womanly powers on my husband for the next 24 hours and Becki might be in luck!

Sick kid, to be or not to be, or should I send her to school?

What is the correct degree of sickness, where it is appropriate to keep your child at home?  I have no idea.  I always thought, well, it is all about the way they feel, but today I sent my daughter to school with a stomach ache, I am sure she wasn't feeling that great.  Should I feel guilty???  Is she going to be alright?  I am sure she will be fine.  She did not have a fever, nor was she throwing up, although she did spent most of her day in the bathroom, yesterday.  This is what I figure, if it does get bad, she will go to the nurse and they will send her home, I mean, its school, not a labor camp, right?

Field Trips

My daughter's class is going on a field trip to Chicago for some culinary class, which, I think, is awesome. However, they school, in order to safe money for parents, asks parents to drive the kids, so you can end up with 3-4 kids in your car, driving 1 hour each way. I absolutely dread these kind of field trips. I cannot explain it, I love my kids and I know that they love when I chaperoning their field trips, but I don't love other people's kids, is that so wrong??? Honestly, if it was up to me, I would never, ever, shaparone another field trip, but the guilt drives me insane, so I end up voluntareering..... and dreading the day.... More on this field trip to follow :)

seriously, why do i care????

my 6 year old insisted to share a room with her 3 year old sister. the 3 year old, slept perfectly fine alone, without the whole: leave the door open, leave the light in the closet on, lay down with me for a minute bs. i refused my 6 year old's request, however, my husband decided that it might not be such a bad idea, since our 6 year old is terrified to sleep at night by herself. in any event, they are sleeping together now. i keep thinking that this was a bad, bad idea, i guess we will have to wait and see.