Teenagers and cell phones

[scooterbug44]

Teenagers don't NEED cell phones.

They certainly don't need cell phones so they can text each other long after a reasonable bedtime for someone who has school the next day, in church, or at the dinner table.

Are even 5% of the calls they are making "emergency" or important calls?

I didn't get a cell phone until I was in my mid twenties and it was a safety issue because of me driving long distances by myself. IMO not giving your kid a cell phone is a much better way of ensuring their safety as it means they aren't talking or texting while driving!

Back in the dark ages I grew up in, you just told your parents where you were going and w/ whom and what time you would be home. Instead of constantly calling, you just made a plan ahead of time. If there was an issue you called from the payphone at the school or mall or your friend's house.

Cell phones are a convenience - unfortunately people have deluded themselves into thinking they are a 24/7 necessity. Of the hundreds of conversations I have been forced to hear in restaurants, at concerts, at lectures, in movies, in airports, etc. I have yet to hear a true "emergency" call - just self important nonsense and noise pollution!

 

[Cheering472]

Teenagers don't NEED cell phones.

They certainly don't need cell phones so they can text each other long after a reasonable bedtime for someone who has school the next day, in church, or at the dinner table.

Are even 5% of the calls they are making "emergency" or important calls?

I didn't get a cell phone until I was in my mid twenties and it was a safety issue because of me driving long distances by myself. IMO not giving your kid a cell phone is a much better way of ensuring their safety as it means they aren't talking or texting while driving!

Back in the dark ages I grew up in, you just told your parents where you were going and w/ whom and what time you would be home. Instead of constantly calling, you just made a plan ahead of time. If there was an issue you called from the payphone at the school or mall or your friend's house.

Cell phones are a convenience - unfortunately people have deluded themselves into thinking they are a 24/7 necessity. Of the hundreds of conversations I have been forced to hear in restaurants, at concerts, at lectures, in movies, in airports, etc. I have yet to hear a true "emergency" call - just self important nonsense and noise pollution!

Many good points and I agree with alot of this, however I think driving teenagers can use a phone. I'd hate to have a teenager stranded on the roadside. Pay phones are no longer on every corner, but predators are.

Years ago Daddy used to make sure I had a quarter when I went out so I could call home from a pay phone if I had an emergency. Good luck finding a pay phone today and then finding one that works for a quarter is another issue.

 

[scooterbug44]

I agree that a cell phone is a handy thing to have when you have car trouble - in that case the kid can borrow their parent's cell phone for the rare occassions when they must drive themself somewhere ;-).

While predators are a concern and a favorite scare tactic of the media, it would behoove people to remember that the vast majority of crimes/assaults are committed by people that you KNOW.

Sadly your child is in FAR more danger from sexual abuse by a relative, coach, or family friend than a stranger.

 

[Ocean Lover]

Many good points and I agree with alot of this, however I think driving teenagers can use a phone. I'd hate to have a teenager stranded on the roadside. Pay phones are no longer on every corner, but predators are.

Years ago Daddy used to make sure I had a quarter when I went out so I could call home from a pay phone if I had an emergency. Good luck finding a pay phone today and then finding one that works for a quarter is another issue.

I left my cell phone at home the other day and needed to call home. I pulled into a UDF. I think it was 50 cents! The kids wouldn't answer the phone since they didn't recognize the number on the caller id! So I had to call again...another 50 cents and they did answer that time thinking it could be me at UDF.

Kids and cell phones are not going away no matter how annoying it is. Actually it's the adults that I find more annoying talking with their blue tooth for all to hear.

It's a comfort to know Sam has a phone....those apron strings are loosening up little by little and it sure helps knowing I can talk to her anytime.

 

[Cheering472]

I left my cell phone at home the other day and needed to call home. I pulled into a UDF. I think it was 50 cents! The kids wouldn't answer the phone since they didn't recognize the number on the caller id! So I had to call again...another 50 cents and they did answer that time thinking it could be me at UDF.

Kids and cell phones are not going away no matter how annoying it is. Actually it's the adults that I find more annoying talking with their blue tooth for all to hear.

It's a comfort to know Sam has a phone....those apron strings are loosening up little by little and it sure helps knowing I can talk to her anytime.

I agree adults are by far more annoying with the cell phone. I never had problems with my kids and cell phones but they were a bit older when they got theirs.

I love your story about the kids not answering when you called from the payphone. It reminded me of this story..the first guy I dated after my divorce called me once from a pay phone in a Holiday Inn where he was at a conference. My kids saw the hotel name on the caller ID and cracked up to find it was Terry. They gave me all kinds of grief (You can imagine...booty call etc) and had alot of funn teasing me about it. Brats

 

[Rudyjohn]

Teenagers don't NEED cell phones.

They certainly don't need cell phones so they can text each other long after a reasonable bedtime for someone who has school the next day, in church, or at the dinner table.

Are even 5% of the calls they are making "emergency" or important calls?

I didn't get a cell phone until I was in my mid twenties and it was a safety issue because of me driving long distances by myself. IMO not giving your kid a cell phone is a much better way of ensuring their safety as it means they aren't talking or texting while driving!

Back in the dark ages I grew up in, you just told your parents where you were going and w/ whom and what time you would be home. Instead of constantly calling, you just made a plan ahead of time. If there was an issue you called from the payphone at the school or mall or your friend's house.

Cell phones are a convenience - unfortunately people have deluded themselves into thinking they are a 24/7 necessity. Of the hundreds of conversations I have been forced to hear in restaurants, at concerts, at lectures, in movies, in airports, etc. I have yet to hear a true "emergency" call - just self important nonsense and noise pollution!

did you talk on the phone in your home when you were a teen? Sometimes a lot? Sometimes on the weekend for hours? The cell phone today replaces the landline phones.

I would say that it mainly IS for safety issues but can also be enjoyed as a rite of freedom. And for music. And for internet.

Where we live, there are no public pay phones and if there were, I would hope that he wouldn't get out and use one.

My son's cell phone has come in handy more often than not. Yes, he tells us where he's going & with whom, and he knows what time to be home. But when they're in kids homes or at various functions that are further than say, 15 minutes away, I am very thankful there is that little piece of electronic communication for us to depend on. There have been many times when my son has attended a function & was released earlier than documented and he's out in the middle of a sketchy area. He'll call immediately as soon as he finds out they'll be released and we're there asap. To me, that's much safer than accepting a ride from a teen who's just gotten their license or someone who is a known drinker. I always think, "what in the world did we do before there were cell phones!" Yes, they are a convenience. What's wrong with that? My car is a convenience.

Cell phones (either for adults or teens) are here to stay. Back in the day, people had a difficult time accepting fax machines or voice mail. It's a sign of the times.
.

 

[scooterbug44]

I knew that would be an unpopular post, but I'm sticking by it!

The fact that you are justifying the cell phone because 1) your kid is getting out of a function in a sketchy area early (why are they in that neighborhood? ) and you don't want them getting a ride home from a known underage drunk (but you let them hang out w/ said underage drunks WTF?) 2) can't find a landline phone 3) so they can get music and internet - I know I'm slow on the tech, but what is a computer or Ipod for?

No, I didn't spend hours on the phone as a teen - I'd call and make arrangements so I could hang out w/ my friends and talk to them in person AND so I didn't have a conversation where my parents could overhear (talk about unsexy). Apparently I'm a technology Neanderthal since I'd rather interact w/ people than text them. :roll:

I'm not criticizing cell phones, I'm criticizing that we have lost sight of our vales, rules, and manners because of cell phones. I've spend weeks where my closest contact w/ civilization was an emergency radio beacon that would MAYBE attract attention w/in 24 hours and I'm still posting.

I am SO frustrated that we let an electronic chirp and supposed convenience make our life so very inconvenient and full of noise pollution!

 

[Ocean Lover]

It's okay Scooter...you have a right to feel the way you do but until you have teens, I don't think you're gonna get it.

 

[scooterbug44]

Very true that I don't have teens (as that would have made Guinness) but I've had extended charge of other people's kids/teens.

One of the reasons I'm so keen on removing tech from our lives is the joy of seeing the overstressed kids get a break and the horror of dealing with kids whose childhood/innocence was destroyed by way too much TV and media access far too early. Feel free to yell, but IMO 11 year olds shouldn't be discussing lesbian love triangles and playing 7 mins in heaven. Neither of those denote good parenting.

Many of the behaviors I'm criticizing are rampant in adults, I'm just naively hoping we can change them in the next generation.

 

[Ocean Lover]

Very true that I don't have teens (as that would have made Guinness) but I've had extended charge of other people's kids/teens.

One of the reasons I'm so keen on removing tech from our lives is the joy of seeing the overstressed kids get a break and the horror of dealing with kids whose childhood/innocence was destroyed by way too much TV and media access far too early. Feel free to yell, but IMO 11 year olds shouldn't be discussing lesbian love triangles and playing 7 mins in heaven. Neither of those denote good parenting.

Many of the behaviors I'm criticizing are rampant in adults, I'm just naively hoping we can change them in the next generation.

Can't blame ya a bit for that. I was reading in the local paper that a 17 y.o. girl was sending naked pics to her ex-boyfriends phone trying to win him back. Some kids think that there isn't any thing wrong with this behavior!!! We are living in a scarey world right now and kudos to you for wanting to change it.