I remember when I was a kid the big thing was to get a stereo in your room and -- if you were really lucky -- your own phone. Now, by “your own phone,” I mean a telephone that was then called an extension phone – it had the same number as your parents’ number. (Forget about getting your own phone number …)

Today, my kids have enough communications devices that getting their own phone in their rooms doesn’t make any sense – they’ve got cell phones, text messaging, email, instant messaging on multiple devices. (Did I miss anything? Yes, I did; they can also make calls on that old “landline” telephone). Why would they want an extension phone? (Anybody remember how hot Princess phones were? Check out www.bellsystemmemorial.com for what phones used to look like -- wow!

The only benefit (maybe there is more than one) is that the home phone line is not tied up all night – remember all of those classic ‘60s family comedies like “The Patty Duke Show” and others where the teenage daughter never gets off of the phone all night and the parents go nuts because no one else can make or receive a call? (Is that a stereotype or what?)

What do you get a girl who has everything ...