An excellent idea: Would you as a parent use one?

Originally Posted By Fe Maiden

<<"Why didn't you answer when we called!?" my parents might inquire later.

"Oh, I had to shut off the ringer. Jacob's dad was sleeping.">>

You don't even have to go there. You just set the call forwarding to some other friend's phone, program your parent's number into it, so with caller id you'll see if they are calling.

 

Originally Posted By itsme

Mele, yes in your case it good thing.

But having an open relationship with kids is a lost art. Everyone is to worried about themselves and keeping up with the joneses they dont parent they way they should.

Who are they to determine what is "obscene content"
Gee son dont look at that womens chest, it will make you go blind.

 

Originally Posted By kramer222

<<Motorola Inc., the world's third-largest mobile phone manufacturer, plans to make phones that would let parents monitor their children's whereabouts and censor obscene content>>

Where does the mental illness come into play?

 

Originally Posted By wahooskipper

You guys give kids today too much credit. I think they need their phones like they need air and water. I don't see them dropping their phones off anywhere.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

I've found that children will typically live up to (or down to) your expectations of them. I would use that option for a young child’s phone where I might be concerned about them getting lost or whatever.

But with a teenager, I would hate to give the kid such a clear message that I didn't trust him/her.

 

Originally Posted By TomSawyer

>>Where does the mental illness come into play? <<

The ability to find out where they are if they have gone missing (and if they still have their phone with them).

 

Originally Posted By kramer222

How young are we talking RoadTrip? I don't want my 7 year-old to carry any kind of cellphone, period. And if it is just to track them, you might as well put a chip in them.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

Mele,

I don't think anyone is targeting you with their statements. A child with some type of illness or disability is clearly a different situation.

 

Originally Posted By kramer222

Really? A kid goes missing often enough to buy him a cellphone, and the solution is to believe that he will always have his cellphone? The mentally competent lose there cellphones what, 3-4 times a week?

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

<<How young are we talking RoadTrip? I don't want my 7 year-old to carry any kind of cellphone, period. And if it is just to track them, you might as well put a chip in them.>>

I wouldn't routinely use it, but if I were taking a young child to WDW or some other place where it is fairly easy for a child to get lost, you bet I would stick the phone in their backpack or something.

ANYTHNG would be better than those danged harnesses some folks use. (And I apologize in advance to any LP’ers that use the harnesses – I just hate the looks of them).

 

Originally Posted By kramer222

Those harnesses ARE ridiculous.

 

Originally Posted By queenbee

Who would use a harness for a developementally average 7 year old?
For high energy or impulsive toddlers, it's makes good sense to me.

 

Originally Posted By Dirk_Diggler_65

post # 4 itsme
Wed 8/24/2005 10:23a
>>I'm getting sick of the yahoos that feel the need to tell me HOW to raise my children.<<

Who is telling you what to do? It is just a product offered by mottorola. Simmer down.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

^^^
That may be, but I STILL hate how it looks.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

Oops... 34 was responding to 32.

 

Originally Posted By Dirk_Diggler_65

>>Better yet, drop the phone off wherever you told your parents you would be, but forward the calls to your bad influence's cell phone.

Mom and dad see that you're still at the library, and when they call you pick up. They feel a false sense of security while you are asking the unshaven slightly smelly gentleman outside the Quickie Mart to get that 40 of Olde English 800 for you.<<

Tom, I thought you were ignoring anything I post. Are you losing your hatred of me?

 

Originally Posted By happyface

I see nothing wrong with the tracking device. My girlfriend has a device in her daughter's car that tells her where she is. All she has to do is go online to see. Her daughter doesn't know it is there. No harm, just some extra security for mom. It isn't about what her daughter is up to either. She is a great kid. It's about knowing immediately where your child is if anything comes up.

My teenagers have had cell phones since they were 11. They have use restrictions on them that they have yet to violate. One of the rules is that they MUST answer the phone if the call is coming from myself, my husband, or my mother. They cannot forward their phones and are not allowed to turn them off. It is their responsibility to keep them charged. If they miss a call form any of the MUST ANSWER ADULTS, they lose their phones and away from home priveleges for the month. It has been 5 years without a single problem.

I have great kids raised with high standards that many think are too high, but my kids think so much of themselves for being able to meet those standards. So does everyone else.

I still see nothing wrong with adding these great tools to the parenting kit. If they don't want to be spied on or snooped out, it probably means that they are up to no good.

My children know that I check up on them to make sure that they are safe, not because I think they are doing something wrong.

 

Originally Posted By Dirk_Diggler_65

Very excellent post happy. Too bad all parents aren't so proactive about the safety of their kids instead of just throwing up their hands and giving up.

You sound like an excellent parent and as my 5 year old Daughter grows up I plan on handling things like this subject much the same way you are.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

<You guys give kids today too much credit. I think they need their phones like they need air and water. I don't see them dropping their phones off anywhere<

Aaahhh oh so true....

As for kids learning to 'beat the system' -- yeah some will-- at which point the trust goesout of the parent - child relationship. I am in favor of these phones for younger kids / tweens especially...as they are at greater risk of predatory dangers...

My 11 year old plays club volleyball and club soccer -- practices go hours -- multi days per week -- as much as i try due to time conflicts I cannot always be there for the whole thing-- ( my job does like me to work occassionally) - the ability to communicate and know where they are is a good one.

I have no problem getting her one of these phones ( btw- there is another on the market that is excellent called Firefly- that can be linked today to Cingular - you can limit #'s being able to be called - as well as program in blocks for all but #'s you want to be able to call them -- quick hit buttons for Mom, Dad - emergency etc. ---

Not too soon to teach them about responsibility --- kids are 'growing up' faster and faster

And as far as sending a clear message to my teenager that i don;t trust them --not a problem -- when my oldest was a teenager -- we had this discussion without being covert about it -- there are a lot of pressures on teens today -- and although I may mostly trust mine - I don;t necessarily trust every Eddie Haskell in their group. So constant check ins - no sleeepovers where I didn;t personally know the parents where I could call them easily etc- were the norm. Were there arguments over this-- sure -- but she is about to turn 21 and just last week told me outright that kids shouldn't be allowed to drive at 16 -- not responsible enough --

You sometimes have to be the 'bad guy' - or the 'meanest parents on earth' -- it's part of the job description...

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

<ANYTHNG would be better than those danged harnesses some folks use. (And I apologize in advance to any LP’ers that use the harnesses – I just hate the looks of them).
<

My wife and I had the biggest fight over this when my oldest was young-- I absolutely refused to 'leash' my kids -- now she totally agrees - but her Mom had done it to her and she had a different view when we were younger -- I think it is humiliating