by franklin J 15 Replies latest social family
I have a lovely 12 year old daughter who is a very good kid. She has been asking for her own cell phone because all of her friends have one. My wife and I have been resisting giving her one because we think it is too extravegant an item for her"who do you have to call"? Evidently all the girls call each other; having your own phone is a status symbol.
Any other parents have this issue? and how did you resolve it...
Frank
Based on my friend's experiences as parents, it seems to be a great tool for safety and keeping in touch. She might get busted text-messaging in class and lose it... but oh well.
You might want to get a prepaid phone, and require her to budget the minutes each month - hide a lesson in there. :)
Phantom Stranger,
Exactly what my wife and I have concluded ( if we get her one, that is). While I agree that it is a safety tool if a child has their own cell phone, we know who she is with and where she is at all times ( we live in a small suburb). She can learn a lesson about budgeting time and money... She just wants what her friends have ...I guess this is the "demands" of a new generation . When I was 12 I wanted a transistor radio ( the smaller the better)...times have changed.
Frank
Yeah, I finally got a radio when I was like 16.
I didn't develop any musical tastes or knowledge until at 19 I got a job in a stereo store.
Of course, my sis was agitating for her own landline...
I wasnt allowed to have a cell phone when i was 12. my parents told me, i should wait til i get a job ( i start this saturday!!! ) woot! but like i was saying, they said i should wait til i get a job, because, cell phones can cost a lot of money to make un-necissary calls, that you could make on a regular phone. If i went out my parents just gave me one of theirs, so i had one, and they had one. thats what they always do to know where i am and when i want to come home.
-missy
I will be giving my children a cell phone as soon as I deem needed. I have no problem if they wish to talk to friends, etc. I like being having contact, and safety is a concern.
Make sure you have a calling plan that is virtually limitless, so you don't receive a huge bill in the mail.
I don't see it as a status thing, I see it as the changing of times.
Isn't there a YPA on this subject?
Seriously, I think that prepaid is the way to go. Or possibly even one of these...
I bought my son one for his 14th birthday. He plays basketball, and is often with his friends. I like being able to call him anytime. And he can call me to pick him up when practice is over, or tell me NOT to, if he's going for pizza. I also registered it with the school.
I think it's great as a safety measure. I told him if he's ever in trouble, just dail 911 and leave it on. I feel much better that he has one.
Isn't there a YPA on this subject?
Yes there is: http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/2002/10/22/article_01.htm
My dad got me a cell phone when I turned 14. I still have it some where. It's so ulgy looking compared to the ones that are available now. He got detailed listing so he could keep track of all the incoming and outgoing calls. If I went over the minutes then he would take the money out of my allowance. I learned real quick not to go over. In this day and age I would not be to worried about a 12 year old having a cell phone since its so easy to keep track of who calls. My sister got my 11 year old neice a pre-paid cell phone so she could call her when she needed picked up from practice and sporting events.
