Cell phones

[mommax3]

So we bought Luke a phone on Friday. He will be getting it as an 8th grade graduation present. Since his school ends at 8th grade, they make a big deal out of it.....if they didn't, I wouldn't, either, but it is what it is, so I thought a phone would be a good gift.

We got a phone that was on sale, blocked internet completely, and will be setting only certain hours during which he can text. If he manages to not lose the phone for a certain amount of time (6 months? A year?) we will add internet but will only allow it during certain hours, just like texting. He has lost every watch that we've ever gotten him, and those ATTACH to you, so I am not optimistic that he will be able to keep track of this phone. I am convinced that he needs one, though, because he will be doing a lot of conditioning/sports stuff at the high school this summer and it is too far for him to walk home.....he needs to be able to call.

So, anyone who has BTDT with their kids and cell phones......did we do good? Any tips?

No tips but wow...high school!!! Time flies!

I'll be interested to see how this goes and what works best on the cell phones.

[Vanquisher]

Ryan has a cell phone, and we don't have a texting plan, so he is allowed to use it to call us, and that is basically it for now. We use it when we drop him off at baseball practice, and he keeps it with him for emergencies. I feel better knowing he has it.

[alison]

I lost MANY watches when I was that age... I don't know how it happens!!!

[Pollyanna]

You did great Sally. Our oldest two have cell phones (freshman in hs and 6th grader). We have unlimited texting and have had discussions with them about what is reasonable as far as texting. What you will find is that kids do not use the phone anymore. Where as we might have talked for hours to our friends on the phone kids these days will text. So remember that when you are putting limits on the texting.

Neither child has internet capability, that really is not a necessity at this age.

Most importantly, make sure they are open with their texts and other content on their phone. Our children have no problem with us seeing their texts. We have also talked about what to do if anything inappropriate comes through.

You will be so happy for him to have a phone. It is a HUGE help!!

[Meenah]

You did good!!!!!!!!!!!! The times they are a-changing.

[peggyfromwastate]

Kate had a cell phone, she lost it, and so she doesn't have one now...

We gave her my old cell phone at the start of this year. She managed to keep track of it up until just a couple of months ago. We thought she'd need it b/c her school is so far away and she was in extra curriculars where she took the activity bus home. The bus would drop her off about 2 miles away at any time from about 450 pm to as late as 530. I thought she needed to have a phone to call me so that she or I wouldn't be waiting for forever. She also had the phone to call me after other sports practices (swimming, soccer).

Anyway, what I found was that she used the phone only to take pictures of her friends, to record music, to listen to music, etc. She rarely used it to talk to people, except for when we went back home over Christmas break. She only had texting at the very end, and when she was grounded from the computer but not from the phone she used it as an IM machine... She had to pay the entire texting bill, but still. It wasn't what we intended. It was really frustrating for me because she rarely picked up when I called her.

Ultimately, I think we won't try a cell phone again until maybe 9th grade, if she's shown herself to be a little more responsible.

I think your plan with Luke is good, though. I totally agree with Tara about the texting. They will text each other on the bus sitting next to each other because it's "too loud" to hear what the other person is saying if they just.. you know.. try to talk.