So, my son is nine now. He's getting to the age where he wants more and more to talk on the phone. I'm a modern man in that I currently don't have a land line. So, I am faced with two choices. Should I... a.) get a land line and let that be the primary phone my son uses or... b.) get him a cell phone. To me, this question had an obvious answer...a.), right? I then began searching my options on re-joining the ranks of the "connected talkers". I used to have Vonage for a period of time. The price was great but the service left much to be desired. There was much "re-booting", reconnecting and when the cable was out, so was the phone. I don't know about ya'll, but when my TV is "unwatchable", I'm usually trying to talk to somebody about why my TV/internet is out. I then called "Ma-Bell" (AT&T). Plain and simple, for what you get and how much it would be used, they are too expensive. I'm currently a Sprint customer and I gave up counting minutes when they came out with the $99 unlimited everything. I saw that Boost Mobile has a $50 unlimited pre-paid plan and some "pay as you go" $1 a day plan. This got me to thinking...it would be cheaper to get my son a mobile phone. Then, I thought, what a minute...my son is on the internet all the time. He's got WiFi on both his Nintendo DS and Wii now and us them to get online. When I was at the inauguration this year, we stayed in touch via "G-Talk" and email. I'm getting him his own computer this summer...a kid that can handle all this "technology" can't handle a mobile phone? I had to "re-think" my response to the question.
I now believe that I could impose "land line rules" to his mobile phone usage...couldn't I? Do I really want my son to be going off to middle or high school and just be learning the art of "texting"? I don't think so. I then thought back to when "beepers" were all the rage. I can remember the "powers that be" at that time would say things like, "if you're not a doctor, you don't need a beeper. You look like a drug dealer." Of course, this wasn't true at all. At that time, beepers were becoming "the" way for people to keep in touch. I was starting to sound like an out dated, antiquated parent who wasn't parenting out of reason but out of "how I was raised" or what I don't think a 9 year old "should" have.
Mobile phones are tools. As long as I monitor my son's usage and impose some reasonable limitaions, it's my belief that it won't be the end of the world when he's texting me from my mom's house next time he spends the night...
8 comments:
All good points. It is true that as parents we start to "impose" our upbringing on our children. The idea of if it ain't broke, don't fix it comes to mind. In theory or conversation it should sound crazy for a nine year old to have a mobile phone. Where is a nine year old going without an adult? Why would he need to be mobile? Who can he need to talk to regularly? I wrestle with these same questions for Vince. He is very technology literate. He can do more than many adults I know. He attends virtual school, has a desktop, can use my phone, and will tell me to text when someone does not answer.
From an economic stand point owning an extra phone for about 10 a month is absolutely the way to go. Let me know how Anthony handles the responsibility and the "rules." Thank goodness we are not there yet. I hope my babies just don't have any friends that call them. Unpopular kids don't have phone needs. (Wishful thinking.)
Paula
I think you will figure out the right thing.
It is hard to give into modern society. However, many of the technologies that we feared have become imperative to education. I know if you continue to have open lines of communication with your son, you have nothing to worry about.
@Paula he's not just gonna be on the phone "Willie-Nillie"...probably won't use it most of the time...I'll keep you posted of how it works out though;-)
@BB-G that's my prayer.
Get that man-child a phone and quit trippin.......if you don't, he'll use yours.
maybe im just a dinosaur, but i just CANNOT get myself to get rid of my main phone. I dont know what it is, but i cant bring myself to do it.
@slyde i used to feel like that. i got tired of telling folks to "call me back" or me telling them, "let me hit you right back from the landline." most of my people are with sprint so i switched...once they came out with the $99 unlimited everything, i was hooked! cut the cord...it doesn't even hurt that bad;-)
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