Hey, we were talking about land lines, too.
Why do your kids "need" phones?
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hsmomof6
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My ds11 (almost 12) has a pay as you go cell. He only has minutes when they can be afforded. Usually he pays for them, but sometimes I really want him to have the phone, in which case I will pay if he doesn't have any money. He is involved in activities every day (basketball and swimming) and I want him to be able to call if he needs to - like if practice ends early. Also, when he goes to his friend's house I have him call me when he gets there and before he leaves. His friend's mom works from home and I don't like him to have to use their phone. I also like to be able to call him directly if I want him to come home early. If they are playing outside at his friend's house it is an easy way to reach him. So, basically, I "need" it more than he does. It gives me a little piece of mind. I also think texting is fun for him. I remember writing notes to my friends when I was in school. This is the way kids write notes now.
I agree 110%. I see absolutely no need. Once in school, the school will call if there is an emergency. After school, they are home. What is going to happen where they must have a personal phone? I don't get it. But like you said, lend one to them that is the family cell phone.
We were able to add a line to our plan for $10 a month. My son has had a basic flip cell phone since he was about 8 he is 11 now. It not for him calling his friends but for us to reach him and him to reach us. Now it's nice when he says he is going to a friends house he calls via his phone when he gets there and when he is leaving.
You can also use the phone as a tracking tool which my DH did when DS and I would go adventuring when he was on biz trips.
Of course at that age the phone is going to get lost. Son's phone was lost for roughly a month inbetween billing cycles. The $300 bill let us know someone else found it. Ya we disputed but still had to pay.
With regards to dropping landline. We still have ours, its through the Comcast triple play pack. Story to share. Neighbor had to come over to our house to place a call finding out her mother had passed away. She had to use our phone cuz her battery was dead. Sure 1 in a million thing but still.
You can also use the phone as a tracking tool which my DH did when DS and I would go adventuring when he was on biz trips.
Of course at that age the phone is going to get lost. Son's phone was lost for roughly a month inbetween billing cycles. The $300 bill let us know someone else found it. Ya we disputed but still had to pay.
With regards to dropping landline. We still have ours, its through the Comcast triple play pack. Story to share. Neighbor had to come over to our house to place a call finding out her mother had passed away. She had to use our phone cuz her battery was dead. Sure 1 in a million thing but still.
Just to add most public schools have removed pay phones from the schools… for that manner have you ever tried to find a public phone ANYWHERE? Not an easy task...
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Our school district has phones in every classroom, and all the kids have to do is ask and they can use them.
Family cell? WTF is that… I can't live without my cell.. I sure as hell ain't given it to NO ONE!
My DS16 is not driven around by me and 9/10 times I am not home when he is here (after school) … I go to school and (eventually) work outside the home… so I am not sitting in the house waiting on him.
Sometimes there isn't an "emergency" and my son calls me or texts me to say Hello or to ask a question or permission to do something…
Either way I am comfortable with it… I don't understand why people have an issue with it… :9: People may choose to get one or not… it's a personal choice I like to speak to my child and make sure they are alright. My son texts me when he is out with his friends just to check in and let me know whats going on. Literally the text says "I am alive @ Jakes" :lol: Makes me feel better to know a child molester doesn't have him trapped in a van… down by the river.
I DID see a child (maybe 7-8) with a cell this morning at the mall… that was a bit redick to me… but I am sure there is a reason for it that I may be unaware of … it just kinda took me by surprise. (I know it wasn't her Mom's phone, as Mom was yapping away on hers at the time.) :words:
Going backwards I know… :9: it's the way I roll.
as far as your DS hitting you with excuses…
Not how we roll here… when Momma says no you can talk til your lips fall off, the answer is still no and your lips are pretty important to the structure of you face...
Kids are gone...they are all tied to their phones like it's some kind of umbilical cord...drives me nuts...
The last four numbers of the phone number here have been the same for 35 years...area code & prefix have changed a few times...when I first moved here 28 years ago, you only had to dial those last four numbers to make a town call...We had a dial phone until it died 5 years ago...I still miss it...I have a basic cell phone and maybe make 2 calls a month...DH refuses to carry one...I can always get hold of him via his emergency pager which is always on...all I have to do is call the sheriff's office.
The last four numbers of the phone number here have been the same for 35 years...area code & prefix have changed a few times...when I first moved here 28 years ago, you only had to dial those last four numbers to make a town call...We had a dial phone until it died 5 years ago...I still miss it...I have a basic cell phone and maybe make 2 calls a month...DH refuses to carry one...I can always get hold of him via his emergency pager which is always on...all I have to do is call the sheriff's office.
Ohh and by the way my most FAVORITE FREE app for my son is the one where I can see where he's at ANYTIME of day….. Yes, I am a stalker. :bowing:
I got GPS on that shyyyyyytttt!!
I got GPS on that shyyyyyytttt!!
Frankly, I can't stand how people are on their phone all the time everywhere these days. It drives me nuts. When they're paying at the store, when they're ordering food, in restaurants, in libraries ...
I got my first cell phone when I was 18 and about to start college. My parents bought it for me for emergencies only and after 20 years, that's still the main reason why I use my phone ... for emergencies. I don't spend every second on it talking to whoever and racking up minutes just because. That's just silly to me.
DH's niece is 8 and got a phone this year for Christmas. That to me is ridiculous but she's not my kid. I actually think she is a spoiled brat (not because of the phone, but other reasons) but shh, don't tell anyone I said that.
My kids are 7 and 5 so nope, no phones definitely. Although they are always trying to play Angry Birds on my phone! In a few years, I might get them a phone but I might not. Right now they are either at school or with me. There's really no reason they need a phone. Maybe when they are older and do more extracurricular, they might need it but that's still a few years off. I like the idea of having it for security but I think sometimes we can be lulled into a false sense of security. If you get a text from your kid's phone that he is okay ... how do you actually know that he is the one sending it and that someone didn't steal their phone and is forcing him to send the text or sending the text themselves KWIM? I'd only feel safe if I actually talked to them myself.
And yep, we have a home phone and don't plan on getting rid of it anytime soon.
I got my first cell phone when I was 18 and about to start college. My parents bought it for me for emergencies only and after 20 years, that's still the main reason why I use my phone ... for emergencies. I don't spend every second on it talking to whoever and racking up minutes just because. That's just silly to me.
DH's niece is 8 and got a phone this year for Christmas. That to me is ridiculous but she's not my kid. I actually think she is a spoiled brat (not because of the phone, but other reasons) but shh, don't tell anyone I said that.
My kids are 7 and 5 so nope, no phones definitely. Although they are always trying to play Angry Birds on my phone! In a few years, I might get them a phone but I might not. Right now they are either at school or with me. There's really no reason they need a phone. Maybe when they are older and do more extracurricular, they might need it but that's still a few years off. I like the idea of having it for security but I think sometimes we can be lulled into a false sense of security. If you get a text from your kid's phone that he is okay ... how do you actually know that he is the one sending it and that someone didn't steal their phone and is forcing him to send the text or sending the text themselves KWIM? I'd only feel safe if I actually talked to them myself.
And yep, we have a home phone and don't plan on getting rid of it anytime soon.
My boys will not have cell phones until they are driving. After recent issues regarding my SD (there is a thread about this) my boys who are ages 9 and 11 will not have near as much freedom as SD did. I never had a say in SD getting a phone, and she abused it by sexting (can't remember if I posted that in the thread or not).
Our daughter is soon to be 13 and has had hers for a little over a year. I think the cell phone is more for my peace of mind than hers, she texts me when she arrives arrives places, when she's leaving, updates me on what her and her friends are doing. Sometimes she texts me random thoughts or I love you.
Thursday she started feeling really sick at school and mentioned to her teacher she wanted to go to the office. The teacher said she couldn't go as the nurse wasn't there and she would not be sent home without the nurses okay. My daughter went thru the whole day sick. By the time she got home she was in tears. She had a fever. Turns out she had strep. She was feeling crappy but I had to take the time to tell her THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLENT TIME TO USE THE CELL PHONE!! The school allows phones as long as they are kept in their locker and kept off, in this case I wish my goody two shoes daughter would have broken the rules and called me from the bathroom or something.
Thursday she started feeling really sick at school and mentioned to her teacher she wanted to go to the office. The teacher said she couldn't go as the nurse wasn't there and she would not be sent home without the nurses okay. My daughter went thru the whole day sick. By the time she got home she was in tears. She had a fever. Turns out she had strep. She was feeling crappy but I had to take the time to tell her THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EXCELLENT TIME TO USE THE CELL PHONE!! The school allows phones as long as they are kept in their locker and kept off, in this case I wish my goody two shoes daughter would have broken the rules and called me from the bathroom or something.
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boyzrus
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We have a landline, it's 27 dollars a month. The cell reception in my house is spotty and until I get an earpiece, I find it easier to use the home phone when I'm multitasking.
We give our boys cell phones when they turn 13. At that point they are starting to go out more with their friends and there are pick up and drop off issues. I'm not talking about after school stuff, I'm talking about from the movies and such. Even things like they can't find the car, so you can text them where you are located in the lot. I've also had a few times with the oldest, where something was going on and he wanted me to get him NOW.
As someone else stated, every family is different. I've seen 5th graders with iphones and I think that's excessive, but if they want to spend their money that way, it's not my business. With the phones being so expensive these days and my kids always breaking stuff, there's no way I would give them a nice phone like that!
We give our boys cell phones when they turn 13. At that point they are starting to go out more with their friends and there are pick up and drop off issues. I'm not talking about after school stuff, I'm talking about from the movies and such. Even things like they can't find the car, so you can text them where you are located in the lot. I've also had a few times with the oldest, where something was going on and he wanted me to get him NOW.
As someone else stated, every family is different. I've seen 5th graders with iphones and I think that's excessive, but if they want to spend their money that way, it's not my business. With the phones being so expensive these days and my kids always breaking stuff, there's no way I would give them a nice phone like that!
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My DD got her phone at 12, DS at 13 because he wasn't ready. Simple uncool phones with no internet access, but yes texting. They socialize on their phones with their friends and they keep me updated with schedule changes, practice ended early, can I get a ride or here's where I'm at. I cannot imagine letting them be teens without it. I'm paranoid and need to be able to get in touch when they're out and eventually we have to let them go out! :lol:
I know it sounds funny but I try to walk the middle ground with giving them things. My kid is not getting an ipad in fourth grade (like many of my DS3' classmates), however if were one of the last parents giving them a basic cell I feel pretty good.
I pay for it but if they damage it or lose it they know they're done until they can buy a new one outright. They also don't abuse it like bring it to dinner or be on it constantly. For us it's been a blessing to be able to keep in communication with them and it allows them some indepdence.
I know it sounds funny but I try to walk the middle ground with giving them things. My kid is not getting an ipad in fourth grade (like many of my DS3' classmates), however if were one of the last parents giving them a basic cell I feel pretty good.
I pay for it but if they damage it or lose it they know they're done until they can buy a new one outright. They also don't abuse it like bring it to dinner or be on it constantly. For us it's been a blessing to be able to keep in communication with them and it allows them some indepdence.
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Its so hard to find a phone without a camera and text features. My kids each got theirs upon entering middle school. The outside activity level really starts up with sports and going to friends and what not.
DS NEEDS his phone. Because of his diabetes he needs to be able to talk to me or DH anytime anywhere.
DS NEEDS his phone. Because of his diabetes he needs to be able to talk to me or DH anytime anywhere.
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we do not have a land line.........if there is an emergency you can still call 911 from a phone hooked into a land line jack (at least here) becouse when I fell in the basement DH used the phone in the basement to call 911 and it still worked.............
DSS now 18 got his cell phone when he entered 8th grade, I think he was 12, he had started going to foodball games and dances, as someone else said the activity picks up in middle school
DS12's father gave him a phone 2 years ago for Christmas and it pissed me off for several reasons first of all I thought he was too young, 2nd of all he can only use it at their house (4 days a month) and was told he could not CALL me becouse I wasnt on THEIR plan he could only text me, well I ignore that and call him if I need to, 3rd becouse when they gave him the phone they said 'if you lived here youd do activities so youd need to call us for a ride' to which I replied 'have you ever NOT had a practice to where me and this dad wasnt there?' Shorty replied 'ummmmmmm, NO' I said 'so you dont need to call for a ride then right? cause mommy knows practice was over, cause she was there'
DSS now 18 got his cell phone when he entered 8th grade, I think he was 12, he had started going to foodball games and dances, as someone else said the activity picks up in middle school
DS12's father gave him a phone 2 years ago for Christmas and it pissed me off for several reasons first of all I thought he was too young, 2nd of all he can only use it at their house (4 days a month) and was told he could not CALL me becouse I wasnt on THEIR plan he could only text me, well I ignore that and call him if I need to, 3rd becouse when they gave him the phone they said 'if you lived here youd do activities so youd need to call us for a ride' to which I replied 'have you ever NOT had a practice to where me and this dad wasnt there?' Shorty replied 'ummmmmmm, NO' I said 'so you dont need to call for a ride then right? cause mommy knows practice was over, cause she was there'
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boyzrus
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You know you can set it up so they can't send or receive pictures. I did that.
