Fuckin USELESS parents...

[XRVrider]

Cell phones are not necessary for kids... if they want em they can get an after school job, like all kids should have, and pay for em themselves. 99% of the time they will text all their mates all sorts of bullshit, and you might get one text to say they will be late home from their mates house. They play with them like a toy... an expensive money eating toy.

[Laava]

Then you have to maintain the cost until they get a job.
When they are 14 the excuse is that they can't get a job unless they have a cell phone to be contactable etc. When you give them a cell phone,VOILA! Don't need a job anymore!
When they are 18 they need a cell phone AND a car to get a job. When you provide for them, SAME deal!
They do not need them. They need to be more organised and be waiting at the school gates as organised or be waiting at home for that job ph call after hours etc.
Too much excuse mongering! But hey, some kids are much more responsible than others too so my opinion is of course a sweeping generalisation.

[duckonin]

Mine too. For exactly the same reasons.

Nope to kids that is reason number one, that gets them the phone!! now it goes reason two and three and four five, six...., Gezzz as parents u should know what your kids are up to or have a bloody good idea as to where they are going, with a ring to old dad from his son "Hi I'm over at my mates" two hours later heading to a party in Hams from Auck's the phone goes again ":Hi I'm still at my mate's...Yeah right them phones are bloody useful alright....

[Reckless]

Gen Y is having offspring. They had no control and so cannot apply control to their kids. This is the result.

Is that their fault or our fault for not parenting them right?? Easy to blame society for us letting it happen aye. I'll leave that thought with you all!

My kids earned their phones and did jobs or got jobs for top ups. My 15 year old has had one for a year or so but only now has he started carrying it around all the time. See they pay, its about teaching responsibility and value, its our job as parents to do so. Its only $20 a month for a prepay to keep the texting up. Although we have bought our daughter the odd top up for safety reasons in the past.
But No txting at the table, no texting while we are all sitting around together either, even watching telly. I reckon its ferkin rude to be havin a private conversation with someone else when your supposed to be talkin to the person in front of you! If I get a txt in, in front of someone, I either ignore it or mention generally whats its about. Its bloody rude not to! The phone should always come second to the person or persons your are mixing with. End of story!

[marty]

I think that's the key difference; we now live in big impersonal cities where few people know each other, kids have busy schedules, both parents are working, and the streets aren't safe enough for them to walk home when transport arrangements fall through.

not all of us, and not everywhere.

[rainman]

not all of us, and not everywhere.

Yeah, that's true, some are luckier than others. But my generalisation still holds, I think.

[JimO]

my boys are heavily involved in sport and have either practice or games (sometimes both)on every night and saturdays sometimes sundays so i must be a REAL bad parent because i bought a couple of cheap cars and a vtr250 for them for transport as well as their phones they are top students and excellent sportsmen and i would rather they concentrate on school and their sport than sacrifice one of them for a after school job...its a free world and what works for you doesnt work for other people, if kids with cellphones is you biggest worry you have to get out more

[peasea]

Agreed. Just say NO. It won't kill them, in fact, they love it!!!

Yup; every time a female told me 'no' I loved it, and so did she, eventually.

[ajturbo]

my boys are heavily involved in sport and have either practice or games (sometimes both)on every night and saturdays sometimes sundays so i must be a REAL bad parent because i bought a couple of cheap cars and a vtr250 for them for transport as well as their phones they are top students and excellent sportsmen and i would rather they concentrate on school and their sport than sacrifice one of them for a after school job...its a free world and what works for you doesnt work for other people, if kids with cellphones is you biggest worry you have to get out more

what you are saying is...
that you trust your kids, you have taught them control and having a phone helps them/you... you are not complaining about them using it in the wrong place/time... you have faith in your kids...


what I am complaining about is the parents that ARE complaining that THEIR kids are out of control... and it is everyone else's fault....

[JimO]

what you are saying is...
that you trust your kids, you have taught them control and having a phone helps them/you... you are not complaining about them using it in the wrong place/time... you have faith in your kids...


what I am complaining about is the parents that ARE complaining that THEIR kids are out of control... and it is everyone else's fault....

yes currently my boys are playing cricket for their school as i type, they have a car and 2 cellphones they will text and i will start dinner. i trust them not to speed etc they are good kids and i provide what they need to be good productive humans

[peasea]

what you are saying is...
that you trust your kids, you have taught them control and having a phone helps them/you... you are not complaining about them using it in the wrong place/time... you have faith in your kids...


what I am complaining about is the parents that ARE complaining that THEIR kids are out of control... and it is everyone else's fault....

What is needed here is a complaints dept.

[scumdog]

Fuck me you must have a good income!!, we were kids once also, did not need a cell phone as all in the town you grew up in knew who you were, there was no escape, your old man knew where you were, and he knew before you got home if you had got into mischief, and if you had you got the

Same thoughts here.

When my kids wanted a cell-phone (as opposed to 'needed' one) I said sure, get an after school job and buy whatever phone you want...worked for me (and them)

[coffeejunkie]

My kid has a phone to keep in touch when she's out just like stoneys.....She asked for one for her bday and thats all she wanted.....she gets her 2000 txt a month and thats it......if she goes over and wants more credit she does stuff for her mum (me) and i top her up again

[ajturbo]

My kid has a phone to keep in touch when she's out just like stoneys.....She asked for one for her bday and thats all she wanted.....she gets her 2000 txt a month and thats it......if she goes over and wants more credit she does stuff for her mum (me) and i top her up again

what we all want to know is...

how the hell did you manage to have a kid... it must have been the same size as you at 2months...!!!!

[coffeejunkie]

what we all want to know is...

how the hell did you manage to have a kid... it must have been the same size as you at 2months...!!!!

lol, you wanna see the size of her now.....she REALLY makes me look REAL small