Your teenager and cell phones

Fran - posted on 02/05/2009

There's not much more to add. Prepaid is the way to go.

Lynda - posted on 02/04/2009

we had a problem with the content of some of the text messages. we told our 14yr. old son that he had to have each person's first and last name and home phone number. we randomly check his phone and told him if we find kids sending those kind of messages we would call their parents, and that if we find him sending anything we felt was not appropriate he would lose his phone. so far so good, he has been very good about it.

Teresa - posted on 02/04/2009

My daughter got hers for her 10th b-day, we got one that i had control over, she could only call the numbers I had in her phone book and that was the only numbers that could call her. She got a new one for her 12th b-day, now she can text, can not have it on during school, and must be put on charge in the room with me at 9pm during the week and 10pm on weekends. She has done good with theses rules. It works for us.

Shasean - posted on 02/04/2009

I started my son off with a T-Mobile pre-paid until I felt he was responsible enough to be put on my regular Nextel/Sprint plan.  He did very well with it so I put him on my plan a couple of years ago and then last year upgraded him to an unlimited plan (Sprint has a pretty good unlimited plan and since he texts a lot it helps).  My daughter has a T-Mobile pre-paid now but she isn't as responsible with her minutes as her brother was so it will be a looooong time before she gets switched over to a regular contract plan.

Mona - posted on 02/04/2009

Thank you all for your advice and for sharing!

Kelly - posted on 02/02/2009

Do pay as u go....

Leigh - posted on 02/02/2009

Thanks Maureen,,for your post, you raised some very smart ,valid reasons for me to consider my daughter to have a cell phone!!! Leigh

Maureen - posted on 02/02/2009

My son was 12 when we set him up with his first cell phone. We live in a semi rural area and he's home off the bus about 1 1/2 hours before we are. Even though my hubby works close by, we feel better that he has it. It has also come in handy when he got turned around on our property ( 160 acres ) and wasn't sure which way the house was.

It's given him some independence and confidence and us security when he's out biking or at the arena without us.

Leigh - posted on 02/01/2009

I have  hung jury on this one! my daughter is almost 12 and has been buggin me for one for over a year. " all my friends have one..blah..blah..blah...As of right now I'm againest cell phones. I have pro's but more cons at this age,,Im thinking more like 16?? is that too old?? Any good reasons why they really need one?? thanks Leigh (maine)

Shelly - posted on 01/31/2009

Cell phones...But my friends all have one, I need it to keep in touch with my buddies, and my personal favorite...Then YOU can get ahold of me anytime! 

I started my kids off with the pre-paid phones (they were in 6th and 7th grade).  They received a weekly allowence for chores and had to manage their own phones.  If they went for 2 years without ever running out of minutes. then I promised to add them to my cell plan.  It really worked.  They learned to save minutes and be responsible.  Yes, they have blown it, but they had to pay for their overages with their allowence.  Only happened ONCE.(they are now in the 10th and 11th grade)  If you teach them the financial responsibility first then you shouldn't have any trouble adding them to your own plan. 

Mona - posted on 01/30/2009

Hi Annmarie, Thanks for sharing! We are with Verizon, and my husband has put a block on the hours my daughter (who is 14) can text. I have to check it out to see if there's anything you can do with how much minutes and texting, since I haven't heard of anything to do with that yet.

Annmarie - posted on 01/30/2009

Hi Mona, I have a 14 yr old son and with my phone plan with t-mobil you can go on and pick the times he can use it as well as how many minutes & text message they can use. I put a block on school hours and between 11pm-6 am. Mon-Fri.