Kids and Phones

[Migration Michelle]

Cell phones...tough subject!

My 12 year old son was the LAST one in his class to get a phone because I was very anti-phone!

He barely uses it now...the rule is that he has to plug it into the kitchen counter when he returns home. He may not take it around the house and text and talk at random.

I have always felt that if a child is too young to be left by themselves and that there is a parent, a teacher, or a coach nearby then they do not need a phone.

My 10 year old daughter just recently started having swim practice with high schoolers after school hours and I thought it might be time for her to have a phone.

I think the circumstances for each child are different...especially between girls and boys.

If you get your child a phone, set limits. It works. Hold fast to your rules!

Good luck!

[buffettbride]

Well, Christmas was good to the little lady this year. Buried deep in her stocking this morning was her very own Samsung Juke in navy blue. Not even I knew she was getting it, hubby snuck it in under the radar and it started ringing just as she started digging in to her stocking. Quite the look of shock from Victoria and her mum.

According to Victoria, this rivals the year of the 3' My Size Butterfly Barbie doll for the "Best Christmas of All Time" prize.

[Lightning Bolt]

Oh yeah, Victoria's first phone will be whatever is free and I will sleep with her phone, not her.

..and now, the tests of wills begins Merry Christmas and good luck!!

[Dezdmona]

According to Victoria, this rivals the year of the 3' My Size Butterfly Barbie doll for the "Best Christmas of All Time" prize.

Love it.

[buffettbride]

Oh yeah, Victoria's first phone will be whatever is free and I will sleep with her phone, not her.

..and now, the tests of wills begins Merry Christmas and good luck!!

Oh it's no test. I'm mom and I rule.

[buffettbride]

Just to give an idea of how clueless I was, when I was writing my "letter from Santa" to Victoria, knowing that a cell phone wasn't to be in her future, I (Santa) wrote, "I know you really wanted a cell phone, but after the 'ol Farmer Fred incident in Kansas (something about rubber chickens and ring tones, don't ask), I leave those things up to moms and dads.

Talk about the right hand not knowing what the left hand was doing (but that's a whole other thread about my new 32' flat screen and his/her lube).

[lime rickie]

It's not so much the age (number) as it is the child's maturity level. My 13 y.o. son has had one since he was 11, mostly so we could let each other know when we are running late or change of plans. He's very responsible with it. Doesn't text all that much and doesn't really talk to his friends at length. He keeps it in the kitchen when he's at home.

I do scan the bill every month to look for unusual numbers (unknown or outside our area code) or odd call/text times....definitely red flags if you see those.

[jimolliemom]

Man I missed this whole thread!
Mollie also got one this year and I caught Mom hell for it! But...she's my kid and she's having a ball. HER friends call HER phone. She texts me at work. She LOVES the camera and over all, she is being very responsible. I got her an LG Shine (very heavy metal, no plastic to break)
Mal, you know Victoria better than everyone else and it looks like Hubby knew you both best!

[AmerigoJoe]

As a parent of two teenagers, here are my viewpoints:

1) As stated by many: set limits and guidelines. If they are tested come
down firmly.
2) Look at the reasons your child wants a phone. My kids only got theirs
when they became so active after school that it was a necessity as plans changed, locations for practices changed, etc. Don't get one because everyone else has one.
3) Review the bill. Even after my oldest new we were monitoring the bill, he would still try to stretch his limits.

Good luck

[I'm an Altered Boy]

Well, Christmas was good to the little lady this year. Buried deep in her stocking this morning was her very own Samsung Juke in navy blue.

Tori has a Juke and it went through the wash, rinse and spin cycle in the washing machine and after three days sitting opened up with the battery off in front of the heat vent it still works.

[krusin1]

So the schools your kids attend allow students to carry cell phones?

Our school district bans student cell phones K-12. Too many opportunities for camera-phones to be used inappropriately...

(Of course everybody knows there are some in the building - but they're sure not seeing a lot of use during school hours...)

[Salukulady]

In our high school district, they allow phones, but they can not use them during class.

With four kids, my husband and I had to set the ground rules years ago; we make them wait until high school to get a cell phone, (9th grade here). We buy their first phone, our choice. If they break or lose the first one, they have to replace it. If they go over their minutes, (and we always have tons of minutes on our family plan) they lose the phone until they pay the over charges. We always remind them a cell phone is a privilege, not a necessity.

[caly]

I would say.....if they pay for it they can have it. I personally don't think any child under 18 needs a phone. I was 25 when I got mine.....guess I am living in the dark ages.
I think kids get too much stuff too early in life.
IMHO

[buffettbride]

They can carry them, but not use them in class. I'd rather err on the side of my daughter being able to make an emergency call if needed in a desperate situation than having no way to communicate. (One of the school shootings that happened here a few years ago, the girl was able to send an "I love you guys" text to her parents and that's the last they ever heard from her before the gunman shot her in the head). I'd want to have that to hold on to.

They don't have payphones in her school and her after-school activities often last longer than the school office is open. Her school is grades 6-12, so it's both middle school and HS combined. Plus, it's not a school in our district so she's clear across town from me and our house. If she wants to make plans with a friend or something changes with one of her activities, it's important she can reach her parents. The phone is more for me than it is for her. She's not allowed to call anyone but her parents and grandparents for the first few months anyway.

It still feels a little young for her to have one, but I guess we'll see how this probationary period goes. If she was just at her normal district school or where she went to school last year, there wouldn't really be a need for one until high school or when she was driving.

[buffettbride]

Well, Christmas was good to the little lady this year. Buried deep in her stocking this morning was her very own Samsung Juke in navy blue.

Tori has a Juke and it went through the wash, rinse and spin cycle in the washing machine and after three days sitting opened up with the battery off in front of the heat vent it still works.

That's good to know. I'm sure my Tori's will make it into the wash at least once.