Buying your child a cell phone is a major step for parents, and one that can come with a lot of worry about online safety. With the Bark Phone, you get a fully customizable starter phone that puts parents in control via features like location tracking and settings to limit who they can add as a contact, call, and text. You can even add more functionality as your kid gets older, so their relationship to technology can mature with them. Plans start at $49/month, and you can cancel anytime.

Recently, Samm Davidson got an email with the subject line, “4th Grade End Of Year Planning!” and a chill ran down her spine. She writes: “Being on the PTO board, I know just how wild and over-the-top this 4th grade planning committee is going to get. I watched last year as they hung balloon arches, curated talent show headshots, and created and installed individualized lawn signs for each student. And I get it: it’s a super fun, exciting, transitional time for these kids and it should be celebrated! But I fear for my calendar and my emotions, both.” What follows is a helpful insider warning for the rest of us!