Cell Phones for kids--UGH

[tlanning]

I was informed (officially) last week that I was expected to provide my 7th grade young lady with a cell phone for school this year. I was shocked and opposed to the idea at first untill friend after friend was paraded past me producing, you guessed it their cell phone! I guess I'm really getting old. Well it arrived in the mail today, and I just can't embrace the idea of entering into a 2 year or even a 1 year contract. The 1 year wasn't even an available option untill I brow beat the person in the activation department for about 20 minutes telling them I had bought the phone, (from them) on line and had not gotten it free. All I wanted was a phone # and a bill, month to month for it. No go, contract or no number due to my plan. Its a family plan, currently with 3 phones, unlimited minutes and texting, (which is good considering my Granddaughter lives on the phone). Shes a good kid and lost her Dad first and then her Mom we've had her 6 years. But we're all out of our contract. I guess its not that bad, ya need a cell phone for your pocket, don't ya? Hmmm maybe I'll give her mine. Ha theres an idea the only person that calls me on it is my wife!!! naaa, that won't work. Well as soon as I post this, I'm gonna get it over with.

Anyone else out there experienced this?

 

[mretzloff]

Just get her a new phone. You'll wish you had once she starts yapping for hours on end on your home phone.

To put things in perspective, I got a cell phone when I was in 9th grade.

 

[kwk285]

I got both my daughters phones when they got in the 6th grade. I think it is nice to have easy access to them. Since our phones are on the same plan, we can talk all we want. Also, my oldest daughter's friends are on the same plan so they don't use air minutes.

The one thing I won't put on their phones is texting. I see no need for it.

 

[Jethro1984]

My first phone came when I was willing to pay for it. I thought schools were trying to keep kids AWAY from phones in school.....all they do is txt in class anyway instead of paying attention. I'm blown away that a school would "officially" require you to provide your daughter a cell phone. That doesn't seem like a necessary school supply.

 

[tlanning]

Opps sorry, not the school, my wife and daughter, (Madison's Grandma and Aunt) were the ones officially informing me. And I hope your wrong about the texting, It does have a slide out keyboard.

My first phone came when I was willing to pay for it. I thought schools were trying to keep kids AWAY from phones in school.....all they do is txt in class anyway instead of paying attention. I'm blown away that a school would "officially" require you to provide your daughter a cell phone. That doesn't seem like a necessary school supply.

 

[Barbarian]

Just wait till she loses it! Guaranteed to happen. Speaking from experience.

 

[scottydoint]

Just get her a new phone. You'll wish you had once she starts yapping for hours on end on your home phone.

To put things in perspective, I got a cell phone when I was in 9th grade.

Same here.

 

[tlanning]

The only thing I could control in this matter was adding the insurance!

Just wait till she loses it! Guaranteed to happen. Speaking from experience.

 

[DanOK]

I got my 7 year old grandson a phone this summer. His parents are divorced and him and his little sister are back and forth a lot. It was a prepay phone I purchased at target for under $30 and then had t-mobile register the sim card to one of my existing accounts. Took a couple hours on the phone to find someone who could make it happen at t-mobile but they finally got it working. I had to commit to one year but the charge was only $9.95 a month.

I can control the numbers he can call, on-line, with their family program so I've got a lot of control over his phone. Most of the numbers are t-mobile anyway, the others I have set up in his circle. I set him up to only be able to call 10 numbers, in addition to 911, and no texting. So all his calling is free. Both parents understand the phone is not to be used as punishment as its my phone and when I call I expect little man to answer.

The parents aren't to happy, or overly thrilled, with the idea, but he can call me or his Grammy when ever he feels like he needs to talk. He also can call his Mom or Dad with out having to use their respective phones. They can't be civil to each other anyway so it helps minimize their interaction just so the kids can talk to one parent or the other.

He's had about two months now and it seems to have settled into everyone's routine. Most everyone I know (included Grammy) didn't think this was one of my better ideas, but he's being pretty responsible with his phone and it has empowered him a little bit, which I believe is a good thing.

 

[Jethro1984]

Opps sorry, not the school, my wife and daughter, (Madison's Grandma and Aunt) were the ones officially informing me. And I hope your wrong about the texting, It does have a slide out keyboard.

If the school does not require it, I can almost guarantee they will not allow it. If she's caught with it, it'll be confiscated. Probably until the end of the school year. All they want them for is to basically pass notes in class all day. It's absurd. That's just my opinion, but kids need to pay attention in school, that's why we make them go.

 

[Jethro1984]

For Dan's application....not a bad idea I suppose. We do live in a digital world. But the phones should not be taken to school or if they are....they should be left turned off.

 

[tlanning]

Your right about the school policy on confiscating the phone if on/used during class. However, just untill the legal guardian, (in this case me) comes to the school with student to retrieve. We've actually discussed this and she knows whats at stake. Students are allowed to have phones but they are not allowed to be turned on during class or on the bus to and from school.

If the school does not require it, I can almost guarantee they will not allow it. If she's caught with it, it'll be confiscated. Probably until the end of the school year. All they want them for is to basically pass notes in class all day. It's absurd. That's just my opinion, but kids need to pay attention in school, that's why we make them go.

 

[krissy]

Our 12 year old daughter has had her phone for 2 years now this October. It as a birthday gift to her way back when. But it's just an added phone onto our plan.

Even though we live in a very small town, I, as a mom feel better knowing she has it on her when she's out with her friends playing. If she's at the park and is going to go to a friends house, she doens't need to run home to ask, she can just call. If there is a problem I'm just a phone call away. Plus several of her friends from class moved away so it's nice she can keep in touch with them as well. And her 1/2 sister lives in another town so I like the fact the girls can talk when they feel like it or text back and forth since they are so close in age. I'm glad to pay her cell phone bill even though I cringe when it's paid. LOL

However the school has a strict policy that there are no cell phones in school. But if i'm going to be out of town taking my son to medical appointments and I know she will be walking home from school, I do have her hide it in the bottom of her school bag turned off with a note from me in a sealed bag. Against school policy yes, but me being 140 miles away and her dad at work 30 miles away from school, and her walking home from school. Priceless. I know she has a way to get ahold of someone if she needs to. Not that trouble is expected, but I just feel better.

 

[Topgumby]

No phone for my kids until they can foot the bill.

 

[Stubblefield]

If the school does not require it, I can almost guarantee they will not allow it. If she's caught with it, it'll be confiscated. Probably until the end of the school year. All they want them for is to basically pass notes in class all day. It's absurd. That's just my opinion, but kids need to pay attention in school, that's why we make them go.

Depends. Some schools have a policy of allowing kids to carry a phone, as long as it is turned off and kept in a backpack. Most school administrators are aware that parents used cel phones as a way of keeping track of their kids anyway, even if the little devils use them to text their friends during class.

No school can keep your confiscated phone until the end of the year, unless you have signed a contract permitting them to do so. They might require that your parent pick it up at the office, and that you serve a detention tho.

I'm speaking mostly of middle and high-schoolers here; it's a lot easier to track elementary student's behavior in the classroom.

And yeah, they should be paying attention . . . .

 

[tlanning]

Madison, my Granddaughter is 12 also. We also live in a small town but its 40 miles North of Atlanta. When my kids were being raised I was mostly gone, (deployed) so this has all been new to me. Thanks for sharing, maybe I am an "old fuddyduddy". Shes always staying late for activities of some sort so its beginning to seem like a not so lame of an idea.

Our 12 year old daughter has had her phone for 2 years now this October. It as a birthday gift to her way back when. But it's just an added phone onto our plan.

Even though we live in a very small town, I, as a mom feel better knowing she has it on her when she's out with her friends playing. If she's at the park and is going to go to a friends house, she doens't need to run home to ask, she can just call. If there is a problem I'm just a phone call away. Plus several of her friends from class moved away so it's nice she can keep in touch with them as well. And her 1/2 sister lives in another town so I like the fact the girls can talk when they feel like it or text back and forth since they are so close in age. I'm glad to pay her cell phone bill even though I cringe when it's paid. LOL

However the school has a strict policy that there are no cell phones in school. But if i'm going to be out of town taking my son to medical appointments and I know she will be walking home from school, I do have her hide it in the bottom of her school bag turned off with a note from me in a sealed bag. Against school policy yes, but me being 140 miles away and her dad at work 30 miles away from school, and her walking home from school. Priceless. I know she has a way to get ahold of someone if she needs to. Not that trouble is expected, but I just feel better.

 

[Sue]

My 11 y/o grandson has a cell and I think it is a good idea.
Sue

 

[Unknownsoldier]

My first phone came when I was willing to pay for it. I thought schools were trying to keep kids AWAY from phones in school.....all they do is txt in class anyway instead of paying attention. I'm blown away that a school would "officially" require you to provide your daughter a cell phone. That doesn't seem like a necessary school supply.

Amen to that, they do that in my classes, and I have acquired a gadget that tells me when text are being sent received or calls made Wouldn't mind but this lot are like 20 years old!!!! Should know better.

BTW if you don't like the idea getting her a phone, get her one with restricted dials, i.e. she can only dial three numbers from it, like your mobile, home & 911......

Tom

 

[perry]

My three little (11, 13, 16 I think) cousins got Blackberries earlier in the year, to the tune of $800 or something, and the monthly bill is something like $150 or $200. And their parents have a hard time paying rent and food. The priorities some people have.. Gotta keep up with the Joneses.

In the 90's, my high school threatened, and often followed through w/ the threat, to call the cops on kids that pagers and cell phones. It's amazing what sort of change the policies have made.

 

[SRock]

I think it depends on the child. If they are responsible enough not to lose it, use it responsibly and respect whatever rules/stipulations you put on it then it is a good thing. However, if your kid is anything like I was in 7th grade a cell phone would have been nothing more than an expensive toy to break or lose and a massive distraction that would detract from the learning experience.

I think cell phones and children are totally a YMMV scenario. There is no perfect age/answer that will fit all children.

I like the idea of cell phones that can only call pre-programmed phone numbers. I could care less if the kid doesn't think it is cool or not. They don't need texting for any reason (at least not in Jr. high).