teens WITHOUT cell phones, email

[MichelleinMaine]

DS14 does not use email (just not interested) and does not have a cell phone. His scout leader was completely baffled by this last night. (Leader had tried to get ahold of DS for a meeting yesterday. His emails come to my account. {Which I'm kind of confused why leader didn't realize, it's my name.})

DS gets for scouts emails into my account. I let him know, and he responds accordingly- usually in person or with a phone call. Leader was just completely in shock DS wasn't actively on email or text.

So am I raising a freak of nature or what? I really don't see a need for him to have a cell phone, let alone text. He doesn't care if he has email. He gets done what he needs to, he's just not available 24/7 to people. I guess I don't get what is wrong with that? He's a high school freshman, not an on call physican or anything??

 

[traviesojmt]

My DS13 does not have either a cell phone or personal email. All of his school emails come to our email address so we get all the info we need. Honestly, at this point, a cell phone would just be for fun. Anyone is perfectly welcome to call our home phone if they would like to talk to him. My DH and I don't even have texting on our phone. I do not feel the need to be reachable 24 hr a day.

 

[DrCavin]

I wouldn't call it a freak of nature, how about in the minority ;-) I don't see many 10+ year olds that don't have a cell phone & text. It is the way they communicate.

 

[Jennasis]

As long as he knows HOW to use e-mail and a cell phone (as I would imagine he will need those things as an adult in his everyday job), it's fine. Certainly seems like he's in the minority, but nothing wrong with that.

 

[mamamary]

Both my kids have e-mail accounts but hardly ever use them. If it's something important it goes to my e-mail and they never e-mail their friends back and forth. As for cell phones, my kids could def. live without them. I got them each a tracfone where they have a one year plan and set minutes. I find it comes in handy for me to get in touch with them or if they are staying after school for something or at a function where they would need to get ahold of me. They use it somewhat to text friends but if they didn't have it they'd survive.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

I wouldn't call it a freak of nature, how about in the minority ;-) I don't see many 10+ year olds that don't have a cell phone & text. It is the way they communicate.

seriously? 10 year olds? I don't think I'm that far out of the loop (DD is 10, I'm a girl scout leader and Sunday school director, know just a few kids there). I don't think I know any 10 year olds with a cell phone? Yikes!

For what it's worth, I don't have texting or internet on my cell phone either. Really only have it for emergencies.

 

[epcotprincess]

As long as he's not complaining about it, I think it's completely acceptable for him to not have a cell phone. He's not missing out on much; texting is easy to learn, he knows how to use a phone anyways, and he knows how to return phone calls and use phone etiquette.

However, regarding email... as a teacher, I think it's really important for kids to have an excellent grasp on technological means of communication, including how to send attachments, how to reply: all, how to store important messages, how to send emails to multiple people, etc. This is a VITAL skill in today's collegiate atmosphere and work environment. Perhaps you have taught him these skills on your joint account, and if so that's great! If not, I see no real harm in having him get a simple, free account (such as a gmail account) where you both have the password info and you can practice these kinds of transmissions.

Either way, as a mom, you have to do what's right for your child. I wouldn't say he's a freak at all-- most folks on here grew up without cells or email. I would just suggest making sure he's not at a technological disadvantage from a knowledge and use standpoint.

 

[barkley]

dd 16 does not have a cell or text

there's just no justification for a cell phone at this point. she can't use it at school (not allowed to use on campus), and she's not in any kind of activities off campus (aside from volunteering at the library and they have a phone she can call us on). if she's going to be out and about we just give her one of ours to use.

if she wants to call friends while home she can use the GASP landline (it gets better reception anyway). she and allot of her friends are not that interested in texting because they can IM while doing school work or other stuff on the computer so it's more multitask friendly.

as for e-mail, she has an account but does'nt use it much. she's figure out that if she defaults to the family e-mail for all her "contact" information on school and such she benefits from having dear old mom serve as a personal assistant and just pass on what's pertinant

 

[DrCavin]

seriously? 10 year olds? I don't think I'm that far out of the loop (DD is 10, I'm a girl scout leader and Sunday school director, know just a few kids there). I don't think I know any 10 year olds with a cell phone? Yikes!

For what it's worth, I don't have texting or internet on my cell phone either. Really only have it for emergencies.

All my DS(10) friends have had them for couple years, he was one of the last to get one. My DD(13) says Im the worst parent ever when she gets her phone taken away - she survives though

 

[mrsmom]

My ds who will be 13 tomorrow doesn't have a cell phone and rarely uses an email, he just doesn't care yet. as for my 16 and 18 yr old they have cell phones but i have no texting on them, they don't complain.I don't text nor does my dh .

 

[littleteapot]

My 14yo is the Sr. Patrol Leader of his troop and yes he has an email account. Most of the other boys have email, a few use parent's accounts. Email is how they communicate most. Troops are supposed to be "boy led", I have no problem with him using the same tools adults use to communicate. I find emails much less intrusive to family time than the many evening phone calls it would take to do Scout planning.

My son's account is a gmail account and all the emails that he gets come to both his computer and mine. He also has a cell phone. He has text messaging, but he and his friends know his father and I regularly monitor the messages he sends and receives.

 

[Hoodie]

My teen cousins do not have e-mail or cell phones. Neither wants them either. They both have facebook accounts, but one only posts pictures and the other doesn't use it at all.

I think it's great.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I got my kids phones when they were young for myself, not for them. I like knowing I can reach them or they can reach me at any time & for any reason.

By the time my kids reached 5th grade I noticed that ALL of their social interactions happened by texting and that if they didn't have a call they weren't going to be contacted. This new generation has a hatred of telephones which totally baffles me, they are really firm on it. I don't want my kids left out so I got them text friendly phones with unlimited texting, we have the AT & T family plan. I know it's a bit pricey but in 6 years my kids will be out of the house and the expense will become their problem so for 6 years, I can deal with it.

I don't think the phones are about status exactly, it's more on an identity issue, texting is the Millennium Generation's 'thing'.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

DS14 does not use email (just not interested) and does not have a cell phone. His scout leader was completely baffled by this last night. (Leader had tried to get ahold of DS for a meeting yesterday. His emails come to my account. {Which I'm kind of confused why leader didn't realize, it's my name.})

DS gets for scouts emails into my account. I let him know, and he responds accordingly- usually in person or with a phone call. Leader was just completely in shock DS wasn't actively on email or text.

So am I raising a freak of nature or what? I really don't see a need for him to have a cell phone, let alone text. He doesn't care if he has email. He gets done what he needs to, he's just not available 24/7 to people. I guess I don't get what is wrong with that? He's a high school freshman, not an on call physican or anything??

For a high schooler, yes it is unusual. I would not call him a freak of nature.

Now my soon to be 14yodd (on Fri), has a cell and email and not really into it either, however she could run circles around me with software and she uses Skype instead.

I think some kids are just into different things.

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd14 has email, and has had a cellphone for years, as does ds12 and dd9 (she just uses it when she's at dance, about 10 hours a week). They've been walking to and from school for years, and usually don't come home after school (they text me when they get out, and let me know where they are going). They text me when they need a ride home, from practices, rehearsals, etc. It drives me nuts when ds12 forgets his phone. Dd14's laptop is not connected to our printer (we've tried), so she emails her reports to me to print. Dd14 doesn't even know her gf's home phone numbers.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

I was the same way, except I used email and facebook/myspace when myspace was alive..haha..

I didn't get a cell until I was 16. My dad did not see a need for me to have a phone until I was driving by myself.

 

[NotUrsula]

I think it's fine if he doesn't use it much, but as a PP said, he should definitely know HOW to use it by now.

However, in this instance, having at least his own email account would probably be better, and this is why: creating a "paper" trail and being able to contact multiple troop members simultaneously. If he wants to take a leadership role within the troop he should save the discussions that he has with the Scoutmaster, so that he can refer back to them for future planning use. You can do that with email or text messages, but with voice calls there is no record.

Just FYI if you didn't already know it: you can text message with an email account; just send the email to [phonenumber@carrier.com]
For instance, with Virgin Mobile accounts, that would be something like 3125555768@vmobl.com. Each of the carriers has an email domain that functions to transmit email as text messages; if you don't know what it is, check the carrier's website.

 

[Michelle and crew]

My kids would miss far too much without it. Too many groups use either email, facebook groups or texting to get info out. It is far easier than calling everyone. Not utilizing the common modes of communication is silly.

 

[MichelleVW]

I got my kids phones when they were young for myself, not for them. I like knowing I can reach them or they can reach me at any time & for any reason.

By the time my kids reached 5th grade I noticed that ALL of their social interactions happened by texting and that if they didn't have a call they weren't going to be contacted. This new generation has a hatred of telephones which totally baffles me, they are really firm on it. I don't want my kids left out so I got them text friendly phones with unlimited texting, we have the AT & T family plan. I know it's a bit pricey but in 6 years my kids will be out of the house and the expense will become their problem so for 6 years, I can deal with it.

I don't think the phones are about status exactly, it's more on an identity issue, texting is the Millennium Generation's 'thing'.

My kids would miss far too much without it. Too many groups use either email, facebook groups or texting to get info out. It is far easier than calling everyone. Not utilizing the common modes of communication is silly.

What they said!

 

[ICF]

My 10 year old has his own email adress. He's had it for awhile, probably since 5 or 6, mostly so he would be able to get "hisname@internetprovider.com". We figured if we waited too long, it would be gone by the time he might actually want that as his email. His 7 yr old sister has one as well for the same reason.

However, he doesn't have a cell phone and only a few kids in his class do. I just dont really see a need for a 5th grader to have a cell phone / texting plan.