Does your teen/child have their own cell phone?

[Lynn CC]

We got one for DS when he was entering high school. We pay for his extra line, it's only $9.99 now with verizon wireless. We used to have Nextel he had a line cost was around $40/month. Big difference in price with Verizon.
To be honest, there are times when I wish DS would call me when he knows I'm waiting for some news from him, such as how did a college interview go etc. But he feels stuff like that can wait until he gets home!
I'm patient though, it's all a part of them becoming individuals.

I'm sure your DS will call if he needs anything LOL
I wouldn't be too hard on him. He will probably soon be out on his own and it's good experience for them not to call home for everything. I let DS call when he wants, even though I'd like to talk to him everyday, say during lunchtime. That's not the way it is though...it's tough to be a parent, isn't it!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

How embarrassing to admit..........I don't even have a cell phone.

Don't you want to be found? Dave just LOVES that I (and his boss, and the kids) can always get a hold of him, even when he's out on the middle of a lake fishing with the guys.

 

[Idahomom]

My dd12 & ds13 share a cell phone. I just want them to be able to get hold of us anytime without having to find a payphone. They take it when they go to games, practices, etc. They aren't allowed to give out the number to their friends or call their friends from this phone. They've had it for about 6 months and they've been very responsible with it.

I'll also be getting dd8 a phone as soon as she's old enough to be dropped off at practices w/out me, things like that. She has severe allergies and I'm going to want her to always have a phone in case she were to have a reaction somewhere where there is not a phone immediately available.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

yep. $9.99 a month to share our minutes. He is generally good for it except for the one month that he discovered text messaging. He claims that he didn't know it cost extra. We made him do some work for a neighbor and pay that portion of the bill himself. He hasn't text messaged since.

He generally uses it to call his car service (me) for rides from wherever he and his friends are to wherever it is they wish to go. Now he has a girlfriend who also has Cingular and he takes very long walks at night in 30 degree weather talking to her. Since she has the same carrier, it is free.

It is funny to watch the kids at school. They aren't allowed to have their phones on in the building. As soon as they walk out of the door, they all reach into their pockets and pull out their phones. I think they are calling each other.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

I got DD, 14, a cell phone for one big reason--there are hardly any pay phones around anymore. She was at a football game and got separated from the friends she was supposed to be riding home with. She was panic stricken, had no way to get in touch with me because the brand new school had no pay phones. A mother took pity on her and let her call me from her cell. I went out the next day and got a cell phone for each of us.

This is so true!! I was out and my cell died. I looked everywhere for a pay phone and couldn't find one.

DD will be 14 in a few weeks. She's been begging for a phone. I'm thinking about it.

 

[froglady]

My collegiate daughter has a cell phone, and has had one since she began driving. My son will be starting in middle school this year, and will be across town. I think I might give him my "old" phone when I upgrade, and add him to our plan.

I can't wait to hear my daughter complain about it.

 

[crz4mm2]

DD has a phone of her own. She paid for it We have a share talk thing so we share minutes. She has never abused it. I feel safer knowing she has it.
She paid for her own first phone (it was one of those pay as you go kind). So I was pretty sure she would be responsible with it.

 

[auntie]

My kids are 13 and 17 and they have cell phones. In fact...the youger one has had his since he was 11. We started using it with him, when we were camping...tried the walkie talkie thing..and too many other folks using the same frequency..and they also know everything you share with your child..like there name and site #..or whatever else you share over the line.
Switched to the cell phone. He is pretty responsible with it. I mean they are kids...and from time to time..they need to be told to put a hold on the minutes..that sort of thing. We also are with Verizon..and have a family plan with 4 phones on it...sharing about 1,000minutes. We did take the insurance on the younger ones phone. runs about 4.00 more a month...until his phone is a year old..then we will drop it. Have the text message for my daughter...that's where we ran into problems...you can't believe how much they use that...and that's how the phone co. gets you! We upped the minutes for that...and she's been keeping under control.
One good thing about verizon is that you can go on line and check the minutes they are using...before it gets out of hand. Also many of their friends are verizon users and then the calls don't use any minutes up.
My kids take their phones everywhere...and I can usually get in touch with them at anytime...alot different than having to track them down at friends or school or after school activities. As far as school...they keep in on manner mode...or shut it off all together. But they do take it...I insist on it. You never know what might happen durring the course of the day..especially in this day and age...and you might need to get a hold of one of them in a hurry.
I'd think a 17 year old would desperately want a cell phone ....and personally I just think he's probably not returning ...or answering your calls...he probably answers it when it's his friends! Unless of course there is trouble with coverage in the area. A cell phone is a huge deal for kids and most are crazy about what's the best one...or the newest model. Maybe...it's an outdated phone and he doesn't want to take it out around his friends. Believe me..as stupid as that sounds...my son hated the phone he had until recently...when we renewed the plan and were due for new phones. The other phone was 2 years old..and as far as i'm concerned ...as long as it works that fine with me, I don't need anything special..but apparently with kids.. this is a status thing...so he may only return your calls when he's not around kids who might give him a hard time. I know that sounds dumb..but it happens.

 

[DVCLiz]

I'd agree that cell phones are a status item - not so much "Look what I have" but more of "Look, someone thinks I'm old enough to have this grown-up item." DD16 got her phone at 14, when I began to want to keep track of her on weekends she spent at her Dad's. DD11 would love a phone, but I don't think she needs one yet. She did get a "Princess" phone extension (remember when those were so cool when we were teenagers?) for her room as a Christmas present. I'm starting to watch DD11 to see what she asks for - a good hint as to her maturity level as we begin her teen years. I'm sure a cell phone is next, and when she's ready I'll add her to our plan, too! It does seem to me that cell phones are starting more and more to be a middle school thing - I rarely hear of 9 and 10 year olds having them exclusively, but 11s and up seem to be getting pretty common.

 

[grlpwrd]

Both my 13yo and 10yo have their own cell phones.

They are very responsible, though, and though their schools allow it I don't let them take it to school. They use it only in emergencies and outings and are allowed to use free calling times such as during the evenings.

 

[sharbear]

I got DS a cell phone last year. One reason is the lack of pay phones and my need to sometimes have an idea of where he is and ETA!

He doesn't have his own car and the cell phone helps both of us. I don't have to give him mine and then stay at home waiting for him to call. My DS (he's 16) keeps his on all the time. He gets all of his calls on his cell (even in the house). He's a boy and doesn't talk very long (yeah, nothing, okay...Mom I'm going over to so and so's house). My son hasn't lost his or damaged it but I did buy the ins. so it will be $50 to replace it instead of $300. All of his friends have either lost there phones or got thrown in the water with them or fell on the phone and damaged it, so I feel lucky.

I don't know if this is common but many of his friends parents don't answer their phones so if I needed to get ahold of my son I couldn't. That drove me crazy and now I can get ahold of him if plans change or I need him to come home.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

My 9 y/o dd has her own phone, why? A few reasons:

- It cost us only an extra 11.00 a month per our plan with Nextel.
- She doesn't carry it with her unless she is away somewhere (a friends house, soccer, ect.) School doesn't count.
- She doesn't use it unless it's to call home or other family members.
- She plays soccer and has guitar lessons. I can't always be at the games (I can't always take my infant son out, he has special needs) and I can't stay during lessons, so if she's running late, needs to be picked up sooner or if she needs to get in touch with me for whatever reason, she has the ability to do so without walking off to search for a payphone.
-I feel safer with her having it on her person when I'm not around.
-She's a responsible kid and I can trust her.

We have had the phone for several months now and she has only used it three times.

 

[Imzadi]

I have referred people to get a Tracfone prepaid cellphone. They bought it for their kids or as a cheap alternative for thenselves, for having a cellphone in case of emergencies, without the high monthly fees. I only use mine for emergencies & for the voicemail service. I can listen to messages when out, but decide to return the calls at home on my landline phone, when it is more convenient, then right then & there in the grocery store line.

You can get a deal on a phone package with 100 minutes for $29.99. When someone refers you for activation, you get another 100 minutes & 2 more months of service. Depending on how much you use the phone & are taught the tricks of how & when to add on more minutes to fully extend airtime service, you can get 4-6 months of service for the $29.99.

Even if DS loses the phone, at $30, it can't be beat. Just keep the ESN serial number on file, so you can have the minutes transfered to a new phone. After the 4-6 months are up, it can cost as low as $8 a month for service. I love great deals & my Tracfone.

Here is a link to where we are discussing the Tracfone on the Budget board. A few have bought it to use exclusively at WDW.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=729066

Anyone interested in a referral or more info, please PM me. (If offering referrals aren't allowed, Mods feel free to edit. )

 

[SPAM]

i have a cell phone. my twin sister has a cell phone. my younger brother has a cell phone. my dad has a cell phone. my mom has a cell phone. we all do. they pay, i think its a family plan.

 

[PooohBear]

My DS 16 has his own phone and is pretty responsible about calling us and letting us call him....lol.... we pay the bill because he wouldn't use it to call us if he had to pay ! I feel alot more at ease when he's out because I know he can call if anything happens or vise-versa, it's just nice to be able to know where he is

 

[taekwondo mom]

My DD 12 has a cell phone with a camera ( her dad & I have plain cell) she loves it .. We feel better knowing when she goes with her friends or camp she can call .. and she can call all of her friends long distance on week-ends ..
We pay for the phone