DC Cell Phone Rules Poll

[jhschool]

We have unlimited everything.

But DS doesn't use the phone very much. He is too busy with life

to be on the phone. I do make him take it with him if I need to pick him

up later or something.

So, even though I voted "Unlimited time, Unlimited Texting," I think he

might text once a month--and it's usually him sending a text for me

because I'm driving. He only calls me, his dad, and for logistic reasons

(calling someone to tell them we are running late, etc.)

[Storm Bay]

Thanks for all your replies & votes. This has been very helpful!

[gardenmom5]

my teens didn't have cell phones until they were in college.   I was aghast at my 8yo niece having a phone - her mother was constantly calling to the point it was extremely disruptive of what we were doing.  (my understanding it was typical behavior for my now ex-sil.  who is a real flake. and control freak.)

[TechWife]

We have a pay as you go plan for my son w/100 minutes on it. He has it when he is away from home. It is not set up for texting, but could be. When he comes in, he plugs it in to the charger in the kitchen and leaves it there.  The 100 minutes last several months. 

 

 

[Ravin]

I don't have a teen. My 9yo. Has free rein with her cell, though. She IS expected to have good manners about it, though--no ignoring people in front of her who are trying to socialize with her in favor of the phone (actually she enforces this against me, too!), no continuous texting while doing schoolwork (she has a friend who also homeschools and has a cell and they sometimes text, she's allowed to reply that she's doing schoolwork).

 

It's a smartphone, so she plays games and watches streaming video (wifi only) on it more than she texts/talks. She also takes lots of pictures and videos.

 

I would only restrict it further if she was irresponsible/rude about it, regardless of age.

[Rebel Yell]

I really needed an "other" for "do we limit cell phone usage" I answered "yes" but technically, *we* don't. We have pre-paid Tracfones, and the two teens who have them are givien an 'allowance' of $39.99 (18yo) or $29.99 (13yo) every 90 days... with bonus/double minutes it works out to about 3-5 minutes/units/day. If they run out of minutes before that they use their own money to add more.

 

Because they have so few minutes, we don;t restrict access to their phones. They use their time sparingly, so if they answer a quick text in the middle of doing Math, I truly don't mind- it actually makes it seem 'cool" to them, and it's not like Math is that horrible subject that gets in the way of their texting time. :lol: - they get to check their phoes during school time- but in reality, it isn't a major or even minor distraction.

 

Hmmmm I forgot the other questions already. All of my children are exclusively homeschooled- but I also checked "other" because we do co-ops- where phoes are not allowed, and Diamond was in the public school's musical- but it was after school hours so if she wasn't rehearsing or warming up she could have her phone out- but mostly she borrowed her friend's iPhones to play Temple Run. :coolgleamA:

 

Adding to my previous answer, and cringing at my typos...

 

Diamond, 18, recent graduate, just bought herself a $40 pre-paid phone, and is also paying for her own $25/month plan for unlimited texting and 250 talk minutes.  No internet.  She had been wanting unlimited texting- it;s how her friends communicate. She has no limits from us- but very few people have her number, and she doesn't text at dinner or anything liek that. 

 

Actually, our only rule regarding her cell phone is that she is never ever ever to text- read or send- while driving, including stopped at a traffic light.  The consequence is this: since she pays for her phone, I can't take it away.  (OK, I *can*, but I won't)  BUT she will then lose ALL rights to drive any car her dad & I own, AND she wil have tp pay us to drive her anywhere other than where the rest of the family is already going- so she would pay for a ride to work or a friend's, but not to church.  And I'd charge for gas & my time.

 

BabyBaby, age 11, inherited Diamond's old phone.  It is a prepaid phone with 150 or so minutes on it, and over 800 service days!  She really has no one to call or text, so it's basically a "free" emergency phone for her. She will be 14 before we need to buy more service time, assuming she doesn't use up her minutes. :thumbup1:

[Hoot]

DS14's phone is pretty much unlimited once he's done with school work.  If he was glued to it all day everyday I might make him put it away from time to time, but we really don't have much of an issue.  He's not much of a talker and really only texts with a handful of people.  The only real rule we have is that it needs to be put away when he's at the table.

[goldberry]

Right now, we live rural and there is no cell coverage at the house.  I like that!

 

She mainly has the phone (call and text, no internet) for when she is away from us and needs to be checking in.  We have also schooled her on not using the phone when in person with someone else (by that I mean, no just visiting on the phone or random texting with someone when you are with someone else), no phone at dinner times, etc.  Just some basic ettiquette.

 

We are planning on moving to town in the future, and I think she can use the house phone still.  I don't see why she would need to use the cell phone from home.  If she does (for texting maybe?)  there would definitely be no phone after bedtime and no phone when with family (in accordance with the ettiquette above).  She already notices when we are out to eat and other teens are on their phones while having dinner with family. Nope, not us.

 

ETA, we use a principle with DD of "if you discipline yourself, then mom and dad don't have to do it for you".  If she gets out of hand with the phone, we will remind her of that.  If she doesn't respond, we will put on some limits.

[goldberry]

Oh, and she needs to ask before giving out the number to anyone.  We are pretty strict about that.  I keep a list of numbers, that way if there were to be any unknown numbers I would ask her abotu it.