Teenagers and cell phones

[Parrothead74]

just to make all of you parents nervous...all sort of terrible dirty things go on from 8th grade on.. that was the peak of my life... i never plahyed 7 in heaven but thats when we had the most fun in life... so everyone better start watchin their kids closer... very close... because if you dont they'll be sleepping around all over their high school...






















jk... i turned out very nice

 

[ShallowsNole]

just to make all of you parents nervous...all sort of terrible dirty things go on from 8th grade on.. that was the peak of my life... i never plahyed 7 in heaven but thats when we had the most fun in life... so everyone better start watchin their kids closer... very close... because if you dont they'll be sleepping around all over their high school...

You are an absolute ray of sunshine to someone with a 15-year-old son.

To the point of this thread - mine has a cell phone. I do not want my son to NOT have a phone. It is useful for him to have when he makes the 1/2 mile walk home from the school bus stop in the afternoon, when he rides his bike to/from youth group and Bible study at PWUMC (and most recently, across 98 from his job when we were not available to pick him up - I was a nervous wreck), and when he is on the bus on the way back from away basketball games so that we are not sitting in front of SWHS waiting. In short, it gives me peace of mind.

Granted, most of his usage is NOT parent-related, but that's part of the territory. And as soon as I can sneak it away from him, we will have parent-child chaperone enabled.

 

[Rudyjohn]

You are an absolute ray of sunshine to someone with a 15-year-old son.

To the point of this thread - mine has a cell phone. I do not want my son to NOT have a phone. It is useful for him to have when he makes the 1/2 mile walk home from the school bus stop in the afternoon, when he rides his bike to/from youth group and Bible study at PWUMC (and most recently, across 98 from his job when we were not available to pick him up - I was a nervous wreck), and when he is on the bus on the way back from away basketball games so that we are not sitting in front of SWHS waiting. In short, it gives me peace of mind.

Granted, most of his usage is NOT parent-related, but that's part of the territory. And as soon as I can sneak it away from him, we will have parent-child chaperone enabled.

This is usually the way it starts out. Same with my son. I see no reason why a kid shouldn't have one. As long as common sense is used.

I find it interesting when my son is on a school bus trip or has several hours of down time when he's at some sort of function, he just might give me a quick call (this is of course, after he's talked to his gf 1st). Something tells me he might be a little homesick at that moment. That is when I'm most thankful for the cell phone!!

 

[scooterbug44]

I think it's great that your son calls you, I think it's a little worrisome that he gets homesick that easily. One of the problems colleges are having is that the constant cell phone contact w/ parents keeps kids from growing up and becoming independent.

"The culmination of American parental over-protectiveness, according to Marano, is the college cell phone. It is a “virtual umbilical cord” that links the student with mother and father constantly, “infantilizing them and keeping them in a permanent state of dependency.”

Is it any wonder that, by young adulthood, our children aren’t able to make even the most basic of decisions without hitting the speed-dial for home?"

http://merecomments.typepad.com/merecomments/2005/06/cell_phone_as_u.html

http://krusekronicle.typepad.com/kruse_kronicle/2007/08/cell-phones-on-.html

 

[Angelrlc]

Technology is going to always change. There is no way around that. There was a kid at my work with a iphone...and left it unattended. I think it is a great idea for emergencies though. I cant leave my house without mine...lol

 

[Ocean Lover]

I think it's great that your son calls you, I think it's a little worrisome that he gets homesick that easily. One of the problems colleges are having is that the constant cell phone contact w/ parents keeps kids from growing up and becoming independent.

"The culmination of American parental over-protectiveness, according to Marano, is the college cell phone. It is a “virtual umbilical cord” that links the student with mother and father constantly, “infantilizing them and keeping them in a permanent state of dependency.”

Is it any wonder that, by young adulthood, our children aren’t able to make even the most basic of decisions without hitting the speed-dial for home?"

http://merecomments.typepad.com/merecomments/2005/06/cell_phone_as_u.html

http://krusekronicle.typepad.com/kruse_kronicle/2007/08/cell-phones-on-.html

You do realize you're preaching to the choir. I really don't think JR is a helicopter parent and I'm sure her son will do well in college. They wouldn't be looking at colleges hundreds of miles away if their son had a problem with being away. It's a relational issue...he loves his parents. It's a good thing.

 

[Rudyjohn]

I think it's great that your son calls you, I think it's a little worrisome that he gets homesick that easily. One of the problems colleges are having is that the constant cell phone contact w/ parents keeps kids from growing up and becoming independent.

"The culmination of American parental over-protectiveness, according to Marano, is the college cell phone. It is a “virtual umbilical cord” that links the student with mother and father constantly, “infantilizing them and keeping them in a permanent state of dependency.”

Is it any wonder that, by young adulthood, our children aren’t able to make even the most basic of decisions without hitting the speed-dial for home?"

http://merecomments.typepad.com/merecomments/2005/06/cell_phone_as_u.html

http://krusekronicle.typepad.com/kruse_kronicle/2007/08/cell-phones-on-.html

Scooterbug, this is an unreasonable comment and assumption. I think it’s a little worrisome that you could derive from my post that you find it worrisome that he gets “homesick that easily.” You can’t be serious. How did you come to that conclusion? We’re talking about maybe once a year. But you didn’t know that, did you. The post about my son calling home can & should be correctly taken as a healthy sign of love . (and so what if he was homesick? Then I know I’ve done a good job of parenting.)

You have misinterpreted my comments on the cell phone issue. In fact, you just may have misinterpreted the issue on teens in general. Until you know someone well, it’s probably safer and makes more sense not to lump everyone in your online research. Have you even read these articles? Please explain how they have anything to do with a child calling home once in awhile (even the home sick children). Thank god my son wants to call home. Believe me, if he didn’t, that would be a problem to truly find worrisome.

I’m of the belief that all kids (teens or otherwise) are basically good people if given the chance. They will always need help, direction, and guidance to become strong adults. It is then passed on to others.
.

 

[Minnie]

We played 7 Minutes in Heaven, when I was in High School, back in the olden days.

I guess if we had cell phones, my Mom would have called me and yelled, "get home now, you are late for curfew" instead of getting dressed, and coming to find me.:roll:

My daughter's use of her cell phone while in high school was like everything else we paid for, it came with restrictions we imposed and it was not open for discusssion and yes that included no calls or text messages after bedtime.

And my Mother's wish, that my daughter would grow up to act just like me, thank goodness did not happen.;-)

 

[ShallowsNole]

I freely admit to being overprotective. With the stories Fuzz brings home everyday, I'd be remiss in my motherly duties if I wasn't.

BTW, to the parents whose kids have phones...make sure they understand that if a buddy should forward them an inappropriate picture, do NOT keep it. Delete it, and DO NOT FORWARD IT. Per ShallowsFuzz, today.

 

[Rudyjohn]

I freely admit to being overprotective. With the stories Fuzz brings home everyday, I'd be remiss in my motherly duties if I wasn't.

BTW, to the parents whose kids have phones...make sure they understand that if a buddy should forward them an inappropriate picture, do NOT keep it. Delete it, and DO NOT FORWARD IT. Per ShallowsFuzz, today.

We've discussed this before too because it does happen.