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Why do your kids "need" phones?

fords8

fords8

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Yes I know it comes in handy with all the after school stuff, etc. But with a little extra planning like we used to do, I don't see why phones are a MUST HAVE for kids. :dunce:

I hear about all this sexting in the news, etc. Guess what............they couldn't do that if they didn't have phones or at least not text. When I was in HS I had to take all calls in the kitchen (corded phone) where mom could listen. I did not hang on the phone all night, but today that's exactly what kids are doing (via text). Why do parents allow this? :dunce:

My question is this.............at what point do we tell our children "No."?

Ok thinking more on this.................if your kid needs a phone for one activity, why not take the phone once they're home and instruct them that after a set time, they need tell their friends to call the house phone so you know what's coming in and out?
 
My 6th grader has a prepaid phone that he uses for after school activites and he is only allow to text on it, unless there is an emergency. He doesn't really use it much for texting friends. Maybe just a quick text saying to go on the Xbox. I check his phone alot. He knows I can check at anytime and he does not delete. I am sure things will change as he gets older but it works for now.
 
IMHO, this is because SOME parents and NOT ALL parents are too lazy too actually spend time w/their kids in any way, shape or form so they'd rather just be able to call them and tell them to walk home then to come and get them...an example: Before my crazy neighbor left she had given her 8 yr. old dtr. a prepaid phone so she could call her to ask her to come home instead of actually paying attention to where the child was or what she was doing...sadly in a few yrs. that girl will be in BIG trouble. This is what happens when you are an absentee parent.
 
My kids all have phones because I like to keep track of them at all times. DD13 has had a phone for 5 or 6 years because she insisted on walking to school alone, caught me following her & had a fit :lol: so the phone was for ME to make sure she arrived at school safely.

I was just telling the kids the other day about the good old corded phone in the kitchen where we had to say "you too!!!" to tell our BF's we loved them. :giggles: Knowing that I can find my kids anywhere any time is worth the added expense. If they were sexting, I would try to find a phone without a camera. :p

No house phone here, Reporter. We cancelled it a couple years ago when we got rid of Comcast.
 
reporter20 said:
How about another question - who has a house phone?

We haven't had one for years and years.
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Why not? (unless you can't afford it). When the electric is out and your cells are dead a landline is a must. We've had our current # for 11 1/2 years.........I wouldn't give that up.
 
You are not wrong. Wish we had less communication in this manner you describe. It all began with the iPod touch. Only the 14 yr old daughter has a phone. (Not smart, the phone,lol) no media no internet and no photos. But unlimited texts. Anything bad that they want to do, they can do on the iPod touch. There are many articles on how to handles this. I am probably not doing a great job. Fortunately the two youngest do not have a phone. The 14 yr old is almost ten miles away at badger high and I love texting her throughout the day at lunchtime just to check in. It actually does seem that the novelty of texting and phones has worn off after her having her iPod touch and many disciplines with it a year or two ago.
 
DS14 didn't get a phone until 8th grade and we only got it then because there were more times where he would be out with his friends, riding bikes around the neighborhood,etc and I would need him to come home earlier than the time we had agreed upon. So instead of loading 5 kids in the van to drive around and find him, much easier to text him quickly. He lost his phone about 6 weeks ago, haven't bought him a new one and I can't say I really miss it and he hasn't said much about missing it either. So I'm not rushing out to replace his phone.
 
dragonfly said:
My kids all have phones because I like to keep track of them at all times. DD13 has had a phone for 5 or 6 years because she insisted on walking to school alone, caught me following her & had a fit :lol: so the phone was for ME to make sure she arrived at school safely.
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She walked to school alone when she was 7-8?! I guess I'm thinking that if she was quickly taken, a phone wouldn't help.
 
The ONLY reason I have a house phone now is thanks to Magicjack plus and this is due to something I think Valerie said the other day. You give your DH a cell phone and he forgets to turn it on, take it out of his pocket, out of his car, etc. You KNOW he is at home w/the kid(dos) but yet he isn't answering his cell phone AND it's an emergency and YOU NEED his help! Cannot tell you how many times I've tried to reach him and he just doesn't even know I called. Now, if the power goes out I'm screwed but honestly, that is why I will still have cell phones as backup! LOVE the new magicjack plus. Oh and honestly there is ONLY ONE landline phone provider here and they charge an arm and a leg and we would have to have phone jacks installed since the rebuilders on the house NEVER reinstalled the phone jacks after our house fire!
 
linkin said:
You are not wrong. Wish we had less communication in this manner you describe. It all began with the iPod touch. Only the 14 yr old daughter has a phone. (Not smart, the phone,lol) no media no internet and no photos. But unlimited texts. Anything bad that they want to do, they can do on the iPod touch. There are many articles on how to handles this. I am probably not doing a great job. Fortunately the two youngest do not have a phone. The 14 yr old is almost ten miles away at badger high and I love texting her throughout the day at lunchtime just to check in. It actually does seem that the novelty of texting and phones has worn off after her having her iPod touch and many disciplines with it a year or two ago.
Click to expand...

That's where I went to school!!! :bliss:
 
DS15 has a cell phone so that I can have something to ground him from when he does something wrong.

We still have a house phone simply because I wont let go, we have the 45 calls a month plan and have never made more than 4. Plus our house phone wiring is all messed up and I refuse to pay to fix it when we dont use the phone.

And if the electricity goes out AND all the cell phones die, we can charge them in the car :9:
 
We still have a land line. We were advised by the police department that a land line is the only way that they can pinpoint you exactly where you are within seconds, and that if you have small children you should keep a land line. We too have also had our number for 11 years. I also don't really like to talk on a cell phone, I hate the 1 or 2 second delay that there is when you talk.
 
Yes, she walked alone. It's very safe here...although I won't let her walk around a night anymore because things are a'changin. No, a phone wouldn't help if she was taken, but they can be snatched at any age. At least I knew when she was on the school grounds, which saved me from 1) having to call the school to see if she made it & 2) obsessing all day over whether or not she made it. :p Little ones in K & up seem to walk alone here.
 
mrsmom said:
Why not? (unless you can't afford it). When the electric is out and your cells are dead a landline is a must. We've had our current # for 11 1/2 years.........I wouldn't give that up.
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We have had to cut our expenditures again and again in our married life.

Why should I throw $20+ out the window every month to have a landline. Power going out and cells dead without a way to charge them? Its never happened, I don't need to spend $20+ a month for that rare possibility.

We both have cell phones. DS16 has a phone for texting mainly, $15/month +$.10/min calling time that he never uses.

He's had a phone since he was about 13 I think....was always pay as you go, he has a "limit" of how much he is allowed to use per month....less than $20....so far only went over that once.

We'll see, don't know what we'll do when DD7, DS6, DD2 get older....
 
reporter20 said:
Why should I throw $20+ out the window every month to have a landline. Power going out and cells dead without a way to charge them? Its never happened, I don't need to spend $20+ a month for that rare possibility.

We both have cell phones. DS16 has a phone for texting mainly, $15/month +$.10/min calling time that he never uses.

He's had a phone since he was about 13 I think....was always pay as you go, he has a "limit" of how much he is allowed to use per month....less than $20....so far only went over that once.

We'll see, don't know what we'll do when DD7, DS6, DD2 get older....
Click to expand...

But why does he need a phone? Not saying he does I guess.............just that he wanted and you gave. I'm not trying to judge btw............my DS is 12 and brings up phones once in a while. I keep telling him there's no need. I drive him to school and pick him up. He doesn't talk to anyone on the phone at home.........well calls one friend maybe twice a month. I bring him to and from his sports and stuff. I just don't get why every friggin' kid has a phone?
Kids are sneaky..........I can only imagine what I would have been doing if I had free range communication wise as a kid. :snicker:
 
Because I said so. DD hates to have to carry it and it is usually off but if she needs to let me know she has to stay after school or whatever, she can turn it on, text me, wait for a text back and return to regular scheduled activities.

We also have code words if she is uncomfortable somewhere and wants to leave asap. It has happened a few times and I was happy she had a way to get out.
 
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