Teens and cell phones

[Kirk]

What do you parents of teens do about the issue of cell phones?

I'm a single parent that depends on being able to communicate with my teen DD by cell phone through the day. The last 2 months she has racked up 4000 - 6000 minutes going WAY over her usage minutes and racking up the bills! I could cancel her service, pay the cancelation fee and shop around for a better one but short of unlimited anytime minutes I don't think she could stay under.

Should I:

1) just kill the service altogether?

2) Shop for a better plan?

3) Just turn the phone off when she runs out of minutes each month?

4) Some other creative idea that you've used with success?

 

[amid chaos]

You could either tell her she pays all minutes over her free ones (this is what we do) or get a phone with prepaid minutes...when she has used them all she's done until you , or she, buys more minutes.

 

[hercamore]

My dd has the ATT prepaid phone card plan.

You buy the ATT phone card usually in $25 or $50 increments.

I think Verizon has the same type of prepaid package. Check out the details on best buy.com or the att.com websites.

No startup fees, no cancl fees, no paperwork.

herc.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

You pay for the plan you are on and she pays for any minutes over what she is allowed. If she can't do that, start giving her quarters and make her use the pay phone. What she is doing is unacceptable and you should tell her so. I know of what I speak, I have 2 teenagers, a DS and a DD. When they have the cell phone, (we have 2 for a family of 4) they know they are only to use it for certain calls.

 

[Serena]

The reason you let your child have a cell phone is for your convenience.
I suggest that you make it clear, that it is your cell phone. You pay the bill, you expect her to use it responsibly.
Since she apparently can't be responsible with the phone, then she probably isn't responsible enough for a few outtings that she wants to go to. Possibly not responsible enough to be in her room alone, etc ......

You get the drift. Anyone that is old enough to have a phone and use it so much, should know better, does know better.

Goodluck, I know how it is.

 

[Pam]

Wow! My 17.5 yr. old DD has had her own cell phone for 2 years now and the most she has ever used in a single month is a little over 100 minutes - the average is around 25-35 minutes each month!

If her friends want to call her, they use the house line - the cell phone is for her to use in emergencies, tell us where she is, etc.

I agree with the poster who suggested that you make your DD pay for anything over the allowed minutes - or take the phone from her. I do know that a lot of phone plans allow night and weekend minutes- you should look into them.
Pam

 

[Lucky4me]

My 16yo pays for her own phone on a plan with her Aunt. When she goes over the minutes, she pays. I cash her paycheck and take the phone money right off the top.

Do you have free nights and weekends? With teens, that is a must. dd shares 300 daytime minutes but can talk as long as she wants after 9pm weeknights and from 9pm Friday night until 7am Monday morning.

 

[bumcat]

My youngest daughter never goes over but my oldest one always does. Luckily she works and pays for anything over 60.00
If your daughter works make her pay the diff.
If she doesn't work I would make her do major chores to the point where she would have no free time for talking on the cell phone.
I think my daughter finally understands it is used for emergencies only. She also has a regular phone at college.
She had big plans one weekend until I showed her the phone bill. I made her pay every bit of it right then. She had less than a dollar and her big weekend was ruined. She was in tears but learned a very valuable lesson.

 

[Mishetta]

Wow...I was in my 30's when I got my first cell phone! (Not that I'm jealous!)

I would certainly make your daughter pay for any extra charges. If she's not employed, then she should be! If she can't be due to her young age, then Birthday or Christmas money is fair game. YOU will be teaching her an invaluable lesson in "responsibility."

My little neighbor who is 8 y/o already has his own cell phone. I often wonder if he goes beyond his allowable minutes. Please tell me, why does an 8 y/o need a cell phone?????

 

[Jeepers Lady]

I agree that it is convenient for us to have our children have cell phones -- but her responsibility is the extra minutes -- also have free nights and weekends -- a great plus

 

[Kirk]

Thanks all! Lots of good ideas here!

DD has unlimited night and weekend so I think I'll let her have it a an hour or 2 after 9

I think the biggest problem is that all her friends are in the habit of calling her cell first even if she's sitting at home so I'll take the cell for 4 hours each evening. (5 to 9) That should get her friends calling home first! Not to mention cutting down on her usage. Then, since I can watch her usage online now, when she reaches her max for the month I turn it off. A month or two of that otta change her usage pattern!!

 

[Serena]

I like your idea Kirk.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Originally posted by Mishetta
Wow...I was in my 30's when I got my first cell phone! (Not that I'm jealous!)

Ah I am 37 (38 in a couple of weeks)...I do not own a cell...yes it is true. I do realize that people are shocked when I say this.

Your idea sounds great Kirk. I'll have to remember that.

 

[FOJMO]

Originally posted by Pam
Wow! My 17.5 yr. old DD has had her own cell phone for 2 years now and the most she has ever used in a single month is a little over 100 minutes - the average is around 25-35 minutes each month!

Same here. My DD would have to be on the phone 24/7 to rack up 4000-6000 minutes!

I'm with the majority -- do NOT pay for anything over your plan. If she can't stay under, take it away or get a prepaid plan!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Also, if it is primarily for your being able to communicate with her, Kirk, you can limit the phone numbers the phone will work with.

 

[Disney845]

I am sure that she isn't allowed to carry it with her to and from school, since they are not allowed in most schools, and I think she is too young to drive isn't she (please correct me if I am confusing your daughter with another DISer). When she is in the home there is no reason to use the cell phone to talk on, because as you said you have a home phone line. If the purpose of the cell if for you to comunicate with her, then I think maybe you should institute a plan where the cell phone stays in your posession (turned off) until she is going out somewhere. At that time you can give her the cell phone to use for the duration of her outing so that you can stay in contact with her.

When and if she shows considerably more restraint in her minute usage, you can give her more responsibility to look after the phone.

 

[Keli]

Kirk,
The problem with turning the phone off when she's reached her minutes for the month is then you can't call her when you need to and she can't use the phone in an emergency. I think taking the phone four hours a night is a good idea when she's home though, that should seriously cut down on the problem.
I know where you are coming from on this problem though. My dd is awful with her phone sometimes. As a matter of fact, when Ashli didn't have her own phone she borrowed mine a few times. One time she had it and didn't answer when I called and I got my away message. SHE HAD CHANGED THE MESSAGE! lol. It said something like ...sorry you missed me and oh, if you are trying to reach mom 'cause this is her phone then just try the house... of course she also went waaaaayyyyy over my minutes while she had my phone, ugghhh!

 

[Lanshark]

I have a good friend with a teenage DD. She is a good kid but thought that she had free nights and weekends on her phone. She didn't have free nights and weekends but had 3000 minutes. Her mom always told her to talk at night because to us adults having 3000 minutes is pretty much unlimited. To make a long story short she talked for almost 7000 minutes. Her overage was 45 cents a minute for 4000 minutes. You do the math but I believe she told me the bill was almost $1800 dollars. This is not a well to do family so this bill is really hurting them. Make sure your kids understand their plan and the consequences of going over.