Cell Phones for kids--UGH

[kwk285]

My daughters schools don't allow phones in the classroom. One daughter is in high school and the other is in middle school. They are able to keep them in their lockers during class.

There have been many a day where things have happened before and after school where my daughters' phones came in handy.

Each phone costs my wife and I $10 per month. It is worth it for the piece of mind that it give us.

As I put in an earlier post, I won't allow texting. I don't see the point. My daughters see their friends all day at school. IM them on our home computer as well as on Facebook.

 

[Monkeydad]

This is ridiculous. The schools steal enough money in property taxes (in PA) as it is.

7th graders are too young for phones, they'll only annoy people and bankrupt the parents with them. Of course there will be exceptions...but you know the majority will fall into this category. Most teens are already lacking English skills because of the internet and texting as it is...so why start younger?

For emergencies? The school's office does not have a phone?

I thought most schools had policies where you could not have them on during school hours. Now the kids will just use them for texting test answers.

Public schools think they are some sort of government entity that can change peoples' lives as they wish. The parents are in charge of the schools...or they should be. I think these schools have become drunk with power. When you can lose your home for not forking thousands of dollars over to them, even if you have no kids in the school...I can understand why.

 

[infotech]

Our 10 year old wanted a phone really bad after one of his best friends got one. Come to find out a little later, most of his friends had one. I was totally against it, however we came up with a good (in my eyes) solution. We let him pay for a prepaid phone with his allowance and let him buy minutes when he wants. This did two things. First, he thinks about every call and text message he sends. Secondly, it didn't add any expense to our monthly bills.

If he runs out of minutes, that's it until he can buy some more. We also set pretty strict rules - it has to stay by the house phone at night (as opposed to his room), he can't take it to school, if he breaks normal rules we take it from him, no talking on it while we're driving down the road, and and we can monitor his usage on it as we see fit. i'm sure there will be more, but he just got it two weeks ago.

 

[Monkeydad]

Our 10 year old wanted a phone really bad after one of his best friends got one. Come to find out a little later, most of his friends had one. I was totally against it, however we came up with a good (in my eyes) solution. We let him pay for a prepaid phone with his allowance and let him buy minutes when he wants. This did two things. First, he thinks about every call and text message he sends. Secondly, it didn't add any expense to our monthly bills.

If he runs out of minutes, that's it until he can buy some more. We also set pretty strict rules - it has to stay by the house phone at night (as opposed to his room), he can't take it to school, if he breaks normal rules we take it from him, no talking on it while we're driving down the road, and and we can monitor his usage on it as we see fit. i'm sure there will be more, but he just got it two weeks ago.

Sounds like a great compromise, although I really don't think I'll let my son get one at age 10. Just seems too young. Kids are growing up too fast, they need to stay kids longer...having telephones and bills just seems too "adult" for young kids. Most of these kids do not NEED a phone, they want one because everyone else does. Not really a valid reason to me.

 

[Sue]

My grandson was at football practice last season, he had been dropped off. A storm came in w/ lightening and they cleared the flield. No one noticed he didn't have a ride/driver with him. Good that he had his cell in his sports bag.
Sue

 

[tlanning]

Well Madison awoke this morning to her newly activated phone. There have been some really great ideas here, (rules) that shes gonna just love. (The one about leaving it by the home phone at night is great). She got home alittle while ago and I'm happy to report, no problems at school and she didn't lose it!

 

[I am Legion]

I had this phone when I was younger. Restricted minutes, no texting, and dirt cheap calling plan.

 

[krissy]

My grandson was at football practice last season, he had been dropped off. A storm came in w/ lightening and they cleared the flield. No one noticed he didn't have a ride/driver with him. Good that he had his cell in his sports bag.
Sue

I agree I look at it as a security measure for a child. Our 12 year old is very responsible with hers. Of course we have told her if anything happens to it then it won't be replaced. And she keeps very close tabs on it.

But before we started letting our daughter walk home and stay home alone for 2 hours before I got home when I had to take my son to his doctor apts out of town,(that put me 140 miles away from home) there was one time when my mom was going to pick her up after school since it was fall and my hubby was working wild hours at work and he was going to be working very late. My mom forgot and was running late. Yes my daughter could have walked into the school and called their land line but she would have gotten their answering machine and panicked. Instead she pulled out her cell and call my mom on her cell phone to be relieved she was about a mile out of town and on her way in to pick her up. So no big deal but my mom felt terrible since she aims to usually be there 20 minutes early.

I understand why many parents are against them, I was as well. But now it gives me a peace of mind that I didn't have before. Yes we live in a very small town, where the crime rate is very low, but I just feel better knowing that if she ever needs me, she can call. Or if she wants to call her grandparents at any time she can without thinking twice. The important numbers are programed in and she knows she can call them at any time.

Also there are times when she goes to spend the weekend with her biological dad and family and it's nice that I can call her and ask if he's having fun (which I know she is) and wish her goodnight. Or if I think she's busy or it's late we text each other.

I also like that she takes pictures with her cell phone and texts them to me of different things. That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know that she's thinking of me and wants to share something with me even when she is with others. She's 12 now and I hope that is something that never ends, but i know someday she will grow up and won't think to share those things with me.

 

[Luc]

I bought my first mobile 2 years ago (I was 27). I never had any need for one before. I bought that one for the convinience more than anything. I hardly use it, but it makes my mom happy.

I'm with you on that one but I think it's a generation thing and there's no way out. If this situation happens to me, I would probably try to set some kind of plan for my kid to pay part of it every month so they learn that they have to work for it.

 

[AdrianR]

I had this phone when I was younger. Restricted minutes, no texting, and dirt cheap calling plan.

LOL! Hardly mobile though, is it?

I saw a 'kids' phone here recently. It had 2 large buttons, 'MOM' and 'DAD' - the rest of the keypad was covered and, presumably, code-locked.

 

[DS/B MCS]

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

Good Luck with that

We bought our daughter her first cell phone when she started 6th grade. she will be entering 9th grade this year and has probably gone through 1/2 dozen phones. When you text as much as kids do now, they don't last long

It's nice to be able to get in touch with her at soccer, swimming, school, etc. In our case, the good far outweighs the bad.

 

[tlanning]

Thanks for that thought, when I activated Her phone last nite I added the Insurance, (loss, water damage, etc) because of your 1/2 dozen statement I called them again tonite and for an additional $0.85/MO added the indefinite extended warranty. Lose it or not, I think there going to lose on this one. They did state it would only replace 2 phones per calander year

Good Luck with that

We bought our daughter her first cell phone when she started 6th grade. she will be entering 9th grade this year and has probably gone through 1/2 dozen phones. When you text as much as kids do now, they don't last long

It's nice to be able to get in touch with her at soccer, swimming, school, etc. In our case, the good far outweighs the bad.

 

[chfair]

had a phone since i was 15 and the only reason i got one then was as an emergency contact option my father insisted on when i started flight training just in case anything happened and there was no phone around. used it once for that reason, still have the same phone number and if it were not for GF i would not use my phone at all i don't think. great to have in a pickle and to get last minute plan changes, aside from that i would much rather be without that monthly bill. (ps. no telling my GF that last part >.> )

 

[Unknownsoldier]

This is the phone I was suggesting, great idea I think :

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=X0T&sa=N&um=1

http://www.blisstree.com/playlibrary/cell-phones-for-kids/

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_33/b3947040_mz006.htm

I was right on the cusp when I was 8-10, phones were A). Rare as Rocking horse S*hit in the UK, Very Expensive and so bloomin' heavy I'd have needed a separate trolley carry it round with me lol

Tom

 

[Monkeydad]

LOL! Hardly mobile though, is it?

I saw a 'kids' phone here recently. It had 2 large buttons, 'MOM' and 'DAD' - the rest of the keypad was covered and, presumably, code-locked.

That company is gonna get sued, you know it...

 

[AdrianR]

That company is gonna get sued, you know it...

Nah, this is in Mexico - they do things differently down here

 

[Wendy]

Cell phones are like lo jack for a kid. You can always find them via GPS service.

 

[strat1117]

I got each of my kids cell phones when they turned 12, and I'm glad I did. It makes them available to you whenever you need to get in touch with them. Simple rule: If they don't answer when I call (unless, of course, they have a good reason), they lose the phone.

It's the 21st Century, man, go with it.

 

[_JP_]

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

To put things in perspective, I had to fight to use the one and only land-line phone when I was in 7th grade. And it was a rotary dial phone at that! Somehow we managed.

 

[tlanning]

So far I'm pleased with the results! I'm even getting messages throughout the day, thats kinda nice. As far as joining the 21 century, I think I have but it was just tough for me considering my first "cell phone" was actually a satilite phone which was provided by the Good Old USA. And believe when I say it was larger than a breadbox! I was 26 or 27 with 8 or 9 years job time and If memory serves cell phones hadn't been around long at that time.

I got each of my kids cell phones when they turned 12, and I'm glad I did. It makes them available to you whenever you need to get in touch with them. Simple rule: If they don't answer when I call (unless, of course, they have a good reason), they lose the phone.

It's the 21st Century, man, go with it.