What do you do with a teen who had destroyed 4 cellphones?

[busa-saga]

If he is paying for them, sooner or later he will learn.
If you are paying for them ..STOP.
Should a 14 year old have a cell phone? That's another thread topic.

agree
agree
agree

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

JMO: there's no valid reason for kids to have phones.

I never bought my kids phones so they had to do whatever was needed to raise the funds on their own. I don't pay they're bill either.

I would argue that there are valid reasons for kids to have phones/parents to want their kids to have phone. Certainly in the event that your kid somehow becomes stranded, delayed, etc. Not to mention the fact that a cell connection enables the parent to impose a certain supervision no matter where the child may be.

I think providing them with a phone is fine, so long as they demonstrate they can use it responsibly. If they habitually run up large bills, lose or damage the phone, then it would be up to them to pay for their actions both financially and through restricted access/useage.

 

[TruWrecks]

Kids should only get cell phones when they can open an account for service without a cosigner. If they need a cosigner they are not old enough, or not responsible enough for the privilege.

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

I wasnt allowed a cellphone until i was 17... I am currently 22 and almost despise having it...

The thing is this... I do agree that there are some circumstances where a younger child needs a cellphone. (If they are involved in a lot of extra curricular activities ect...)

But if its just for the sake of calling his or her friends then its really a burden to you and not to the child if he keeps breaking it... I think your son needs to understand there is a limit to your charity... yes charity, because unless he absolutely needs this thing thats exactly what you are doing... being charitable... I only got mine because of the extra curriculars I was involved in and needed an emergency phone just in case... Now that there is Texting it kind of makes that need a bit skewed...

Just my .02 cents

IMHO, due to the many issues associated with texting, any phone for a child should not include the ability to text or move data. One problem easily solved.

 

[NIGHTFLIGHT]

#Cellphone 2: Forgot to remove it from his pocket when he dove into a swimming pool

Yup that will do it.I did same thing last year in my pool.

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

The things that constitute emergencies these days are so bogus. In the early 90's I had a job that I rode a bike to during summer. Got a flat in the middle of the expressway and had to walk to a payphone. Made a collect call to my dad and he taught me a lesson that day about having spare change to pay for a call. Ended up having to walk the rest of the way home which was a few more miles.

Personal responsibility is something that has to be learned the hard way otherwise the kid will expect to be bailed out everytime there is a little problem.

Agreed...to a degree. I believe that having a cell phone to call for assistance during a road side break down is a PERFECT use of a cell phone and who of us wouldn't do just that? Now, if the kid calls three times a week b/c he's outta gas "again", well, just b/c he calls it an emergency doesn't mean that it is. Left to his own resources one time for such silliness would likely cure such exploitations.

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

Kids do not need cell phones

And neither do we...but we have 'em.

 

[TruWrecks]

yes but these days most parents dont want thier kids walking, just too many chances for someone else to hurt them or take advantage of them...

Maybe those parents should keep their kids home, instead of out doing 27,000 other things for school and after school activities. My parents would always prefer that I came home after school. Friends were welcome to come as long as their parents knew where they were going to be. If I did go anywhere I had better be back when I said I was going to, or sooner.

and i understand your dad teaching you the lesson but times have changes and lessons are tought by other methods...

Now days most parents teach their kids that they are "Entitled" to anything they want. How is that relevant in this thread?

 

[k03gsxr750]

1) Make him wait one month to replace it, EVEN though he's still paying.
2) Definitley make him pay for any replacement, EVEN if you have a no charge replacement program.
3) Make him get a protective case for it to eliminate catastrophic damage from simple drops.
4) If you pay the monthly bill, inform him that after the next loss, he will have to get his own account and phone.
5) As a last resort, for "emergency" purposes, only allow him to replace it with a "child" phone. My 14 year old God daughter would be mortified if this penatly was imposed.

If after all that, he still can't take care of his phone, so be it. As long as he must face the consequences of his actions (be sure not to enable him by "loaning" him another family memebers phone, buying him a replacement that he can "work" off or pay for in installments, etc.), at some point it simply becomes his choice.

Best of luck!

Completely agree, accidents happen but when they happen all the time its directly due to carelessness. Another alternative is a prepaid phone when its completely out of his pocket it may be a different story.

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

the parents justify the phone as a "way to know" where the kid is.... My sisters kids it out of control, so she bought him an Iphone... So now he is a disaster with an Iphone to arrange even more trouble than before.. and as for the original reason to "know where he is"?? he just lies...

kid wants a phone? let them pay for it lock stock and barrel... or just play soccer mom and buy them what ever they want cause you do not want to listen to the whining...

And those issues have NOTHING to do with the fact that the kid has a phone.

 

[NickSully]

I think everyone is missing the point here. If you get rid of the teenager all your problems are solved.

You're welcome!

 

[ditchdr]

Who is the phone through, I have 4 or 5 Verizon phones and I can give you one. But tell him it cost 50 bucks and then donate the 50 to some busa related fund!

 

[mikeu]

My daughter is good for this. You can buy prepaid phones for 20 bucks, replace the sim chip with yours. Make sure the phone is supported by your provider.

 

[BUBBA]

Cell phone??? What's a cell phone?
Bubba

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

I think everyone is missing the point here. If you get rid of the teenager all your problems are solved.

You're welcome!

Keeping it simple. Well done!

Now that man had a

!

 

[MET]

If he breaks it he buys a new one.

If he can't find it it he buys a new one.

If he keeps doing this he needs to pay for the phone insurance himself.

Better yet if it happens again, get one of those 10 year old cell phones that re as big as WWII walkie talkies. That will change his mind quick.

 

[pbghost]

check out the casio boulder, that's what I got since I'm pretty hard on 'em...ruined 3 in 2 years until I got the boulder. it's impact resistant, water resistant, waterproof for 30 min @ a meter deep. kinda ugly, but it works

 

[head east busa]

I think everyone is missing the point here. If you get rid of the teenager all your problems are solved.

You're welcome!

Thats the ticket but on a side note He's a 14 year old kid and the real question is does he do this with everything he touches or does it just seem to be this one thing. It happens kids are gonna do that from time to time and your not alone. Making him pay for it is one thing but giving him a basic cheap phone may make him appreciate the nicer one he had. If you have Verizon I have an old Casio GZone that's just sitting around. This is the previous version of the boulder. It's pretty indestructable for the most part and yup it's bigger and ugly (to most I personally like it) I think if for the most part if he's a good kid and doesn't get into trouble cut him a little slack. If it's an issue of responsibility get him that kid phone that only calls 4 preset numbers and 911 that'll teach him. Now if he's just plain destructive (unlike the rest of us as children I'm sure) take it from him for a month give him some change and direct him to the few cell locations left in your fine city.

 

[Projekt]

I got a better idea.. Just drop him off in the woods..

 

[FloydV]

Assuming you can even find a payphone anymore.

That's true. No money in it for the phone company anymore.

How about: You lose another phone, you get one set of chains. You lose another, you get a second set of chains. You won't need no third set, cause you're gonna get your mind right!