OK call me crazy but I just got my DS a cell phone

[dzneprincess]

...............let me restate that, my soon to be 9 year old DS I couldn't help it. He has been asking for one for a few months now. He and 2 of my other children are going to be staying with my parents in Colorado for the whole summer. My parents do not have long distance on their phone, nor do they have a cell phone. It has free long distance and free roaming and since I work for BellSouth I get a %20 disc off the plan. It was a free phone with a 1 year contract.He has always been very responsible.....Can you see me talking myself into it? See my reasoning????????LOL I just want to be able to talk to them no matter where they may be.....OK now you can call me crazy or be nice

 

[piglet too]

Hey, I for one think it is a great idea. DH and I have thought about getting one for our almost 10 yr old DS for when he goes out to my in-laws and places like that. He already takes one of ours with him whenever he goes to the park or over to a frisnds. He is very responsible and has been warned of the dire results that will occur if he abuses the "phone carrying" privlage. He has yet to make any unauthorized calls and my only complaint is he calls us over little things that he does not have to.

 

[vettechick99]

Helloooo Crazy!!

I see your point. Does he understand that he can't go over his minutes? Be sure to sign up for internet billing so you can see if he's gonna go over his minutes before he does. Or on my TMobile, I can dial #MINS# and see where I am.

You know your son though. If he's like any guy I know, he won't want to be on a phone for more than 2 mins at a time! Be glad he's not a girl.

 

[gymnasticsmom68]

You're not crazy, I would have gotten him one too. What if there were an emergency and he had no way to get ahold of you? Better safe than sorry.

 

[crazelion]

It makes sense to me. No you is not crazy. I think it's a great idea.

 

[Sandy V.]

Add me to the list of folks who think its a good idea. Better to have it and not need it, than the other way around!

P.S. I live in Colorado - in what part of the state will your kids be visiting their grandparents?

 

[k&a&c'smom]

No crazier than most of the rest of the country! In our area, my kids were among the few who didn't have one - finally got one for my 18-yr. old son, as he is off to college this fall! We had resisted the cell-phone lure for several years, even though I wanted to get one as soon as he started driving!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think getting him a cell phone is necessary considering the circumstances. My 13yodd has one. It has been a real help. Don't sweat it!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

When do the kids realize that it's a great way for parents to keep track of them? Just wondered when they caught on...

 

[ScarlettO]

So how do your parents make long distance calls??

 

[Toby'sFriend]

My kids have had a Prepaid phone for years. It comes in very handy when they go out to parties and other places.

DH and I have been talking about switching to one of the Family plans when our current contract expires.

 

[janette]

I've told my 12yo DD she can have a phone when it is convenient for me. You have great reasons, what better way to keep in touch.

 

[powellrj]

we have a family plan that we pay 9.00 a month for extra phone to share minutes. That phone has seen the country in the last year. My oldest DS took it to Texas when he was in AIT at San Antonio, and now my 13 yo ds is using it this summer to give him a little freedom while we still keep track of him. I must say the kids have been great with it. They have never been over minutes and I would have to say its the best $10 a month I have spent!! I don't think you are crazy at all, just think how much trust you are showing him at that age!!

 

[dzneprincess]

Originally posted by ScarlettO
So how do your parents make long distance calls??

They buy phone cards from Sams. I dont want my kids to have to get "permission" to call me, anytime they feel like they need me this summer. I have programmed my work and cell, DH's cell and of course our home number into it already. This way they have a direct line to us. I just feel better knowing that if I want to talk to them, I can reach them, no matter if they are at my parents home, or off visiting one of our many relatives in that area.

Thanks y'all. I feel silly getting one for him, because of his age, but really it is for ME. My reassurance that he is okay! LOL


Sandy V. My parents live in Colo Springs, and the kids will be with them all summer leaving me and MY dh and my 1 yr old son home alone........defenseless...hehe

I trust this kid very much so. When we cruised this past October, I let him have the priviledge of checking himself in and out of the kids club on DCL. I also let him have room charging priviledges and he did not let me down. He is a great kid ( a little sloppy, but hey I am too who am I to judge??) LOL

 

[stinkerbelle]

when my 13 year old SIL got one for Christmas 2 years ago - I thought her parents were nuts.

I mean - *I* didn't have a REAL cell phone until I graduated from college - in 1999 - when I was 22. (I had one of those old school "bag phones" under the front seat of my car for 'emergencies' since I was 16 - oh dad was so smart - wonder if that thing would have actually worked??)

But - her parents made a deal with her - if she goes over (and being a teenager, she does - every month) she has to pay for it. But they can basically always reach her.

I once though a cell was a luxury - now it's a great thing to have 'just in case'. And you can get "bare minimum" phones w/o all the bells and whistles for free from most places. I think it's pretty smart for most kids to be carrying them.

I MAYBE use my cell phone for 30 minutes each month - I'm not a big "talk on the phone" person - but it's there, just in case.

Just be careful when school starts up again in the fall - most schools don't allow kids to carry them with them.

 

[Robmom]

I got one for my DD, 11 this last Christmas. She is very responsible and it has been a lifesaver. I wonder how we all lived without them when we were kids! I like being able to get in touch with her at any time. I have Virgin Mobile pay as you go service for her. She doesn't use it much and it didn't make sense for me to pay another $30 a month when I can pay much cheaper.

 

[N.Bailey]

My 12 year old fights with me daily to get her one. I don't have one and I really don't feel I need one. If I did, I'd probably get her one on a family plan deal, but that's not the case. I have offered her a Trac Phone (spelling?), but it's not cool enough for her!

You however, have good reason to get one. I don't think you're crazy at all. It will give you MANY nights of good rest!

 

[vettechick99]

Originally posted by powellrj
we have a family plan that we pay 9.00 a month for extra phone to share minutes. That phone has seen the country in the last year. My oldest DS took it to Texas when he was in AIT at San Antonio, and now my 13 yo ds is using it this summer to give him a little freedom while we still keep track of him.

You should have the kids put a little hat on it and take pictures of it in different spots around the country. Remember when some kids stole their neighbors Lawn Flamingo for their vacation and took pics to send back to the owner. Or the family that has a website about a can of baked beans that goes everywhere with them (even to Disney!!). I wish I still knew that website....silly.

 

[Boo'sMom]

we bought our 11 yo DS one last year for his birthday. We went with a virgin mobile prepaid phone, and it's been a lifesaver. His school is now 1/2 hour away, and it makes the trips back and forth easier to coordinate.

 

[NMAmy]

I got one for my 13 yo DD about 6 months. It turned out to be a great lifesaver because she was having trouble with some of the kids at school and decided, unexpectedly, that she'd like to live with her dad for awhile in New Mexico. Thank goodness I had gotten a national plan. She was able to call me whenever she wanted. (She's back home now--hurrah!) She's been very responsible--we have a family plan so calls to each other and to home are unlimited. We have never even come close to approaching our allotted minutes.

One of the big reasons I got one for each of us is the lack of payphones! We live in a small town and she walks to friends houses, the skating rink, the ice cream store--but there are no payphones anywhere anymore. It made it very difficult for her to check in with me (as I require her to do!)

It was a great decision for us and has just worked out so well. I feel so much better knowing that we can contact each other at any time.