Do Your Charges Have Cell Phones?My friends and I have been questioning whether the boy had a cell phone on him. Although parents fear that children will text or receive x-rated photos on their cell phones, there are mobile phones made just for children. We highly recommend the Firefly mobile phone.
One way to ensure safety of children is to invest in cell phones designed to help protect children. For example, some kid-friendly mobile models, such as the Firefly Glow Phone
offer controls that block all calls unless the caller’s number is already listed in the phone’s contact list. Other parental control features include the ability to block a child from adding or deleting numbers in the contact list.The Firefly Mobile Phone
is the industry leading designer, developer, and seller of mobile phones and accessories specifically targeting kids and tweens. The Original Firefly Mobile Phoneallows children to stay connected to those most important, as well as a growing brand that allows for continued innovation and product extensions. By designing the handsets from the ground up, Firefly has always been able to focus on the exact needs of kids, tweens, and their parents, making the phones ideal for the market.
The only problem with these cell phones is that kids over 6 yrs old think they are dorky. Every kids wants a IPhone or Blackberry. They want their phone to have an Ipod in it and games to play on it.
ReplyDeleteThe family I work for allows the oldest to walk home from school (with friends ALWAYS THE BUDDY SYSTEM) so he needs a phone. He is 11 but is to call me if for some reason he is alone so I can just go pick him up. It has GPS on it too but my phone doesn't, so I don't know how that helps.
ReplyDeleteOur biggest struggle is getting him to charg it!
I say NO to cell phones! They have no use for one right now but to get in trouble. There ought to be a law passed that they cannot have a cell phone until they're at least 19, after high school, or they're in the military. They are just not mature enough to handle it. I don't know how parents afford all this electronic junk the kids walk around with plugged in their ears. I had a teenager walk right out in the street in front of me, oblivious to anything but texting meaningless nonsense. These are just very expensive toys.
ReplyDeleteAlthough technology is scary, the point of using phones to keep in contact with kids and keeping them safe is true and it is important.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest charge got a phone when her school bus didn’t come on time and the school wouldn’t let her phone home to tell us she was delayed when she was 13. When we started car-pooling she had the same phone. When she turned 16 the parents got her a newer, fancier phone that has games on it. She was one of the few kids who hadn't had one. BTW her school does not allow the kids to have cell phones in school, they stay in their lockers or the principal holds it until the end of the day. It's scary because kids can abuse the cell phone technology, but scarier not to be able to reach them when you need to.
I really like this firefly cell phone to help kids be safe! Thanks for recommending it.
ReplyDeleteBut, let's face the facts. This is a nerdy phone. No kid wants this phone when their friends have better ones with games on them. If parents realized this is the safest phone and allow it for emergency purposes then yes have this type of cell phone. But parents shouldn't give-in to their kids whining for better phones that will allow them to text. With so many dangers in having cell phones it's actually a hard decision. I say Yes to a child phone like this, NO to phones that have more features. Kids aren't mature enough to text or send pictures from more fancy phones.
The older kids have net10. It is great WHEN THE KIDS REMEMBER to turn it on and I am able to contact the kids if I need to. It's prepaid and its more for emergencies.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget Androids TobagoNanny! The kids have computers in their rooms too, which is a big NO NO!
ReplyDeleteMy charges get a Firefly phone at the age of 8 years old because that's when they are released from school and meet us in front of the school while I pick up their sister in another school across town. The older kids typically have to wait about10 minutes for me so they have it for safety. I have never had a problem. A great decision so far.
ReplyDeleteI lost a kid at the playground. The parents said they have GPS on his phone. But, that doesn't mean I have GPS on my phone.
ReplyDeletePlus, GPS on a phone means you’re not the only one who can track your kid. NOT providing a cell phone can present the opportunity to develop skills like following through and being where they are supposed to be! We need to teach kids to be responsible regardless of technology.
We all survived childhood without cell phones and are still able to use our cell phones very well as adults.
The kids use firefly cell phones you recommend. I like them since we always have a way of reaching each other whether from school, field trips, playdates, trips to playgrounds, amusement parks, or after school activities. It is for emergencies only and for important updates. Right now they can only call me, parents, grandparents, and police. Obviously as they get older and get phones with more features they will need to be monitored muc more closely.
ReplyDeleteI think it's stupid when parents give kids a i-phone to play games. Waste of money and they are not mature enough to deal with dangers of cell phone use until they are teens.
In fact, teens get in a whole bunch of trouble with cell phones too. Some send nude photos of self and cyber bullying, not worth dangers until adults.
Diane, are you kidding about kids not getting more advanced phones once they are tweens? Tweens have to learn to use modern technology BEFORE they go off on their own as 18 year olds. You can't deny them the perks of modern technology. At least if we give kids their cell phones as tweens or teens we can teach them how to use technology properly. It is safer to give them rules and monitor their use before letting them go out in the world on their own with no guidance.
ReplyDeleteThe kids in the family I work for gave the oldest child his phone on his 9th birthday just in case he and his parents were ever separated. They travel a lot and he was lost before in an amusement park. But whenever I've asked him to turn it on he forgets or doesn't hear it when I call. It's beyond frustrating. I'm glad he has it in case of danger, but honestly I don't know if he ever remembers he has it.
ReplyDeleteThe 11 year old has a Pay as You Go Phone and his parents make him pay for the minutes. IF the minutes were for an emergency of any kind his parents promise to pay that portion of the bill. I think this makes terrific sense. One of his friends had an IPhone already and abuses it like crazy. I like that I know I can reach him if I need him (or he can reach me anytime) but without all the extras of fancy phones he doesn't need.
ReplyDeleteThe oldest child got her first cell phone when she started taking public transportation for high school. It is about safety first and fancy apps a far second. When she first got it she almost got hit by a car while answering the cell phone!
ReplyDeleteKids having cell phones are quite common these days. The kids I nanny for have TracFones. As a strater phone for kids, it’s great. It’s prepaid so the parents are in control of the spending and minutes. It has parental controls, limited numbers of dialing and emergency buttons!
ReplyDeleteYou know when I think about it I am so glad I got this wifi camera thing when I did. You have all this stuff going on in life and putting extra worry on something that you shouldn’t have to is the last thing we need. I can watch my house, kids and property right from my iPhone and that gives me the greatest peace of mind. It will literally send me a text saying something is moving in your house and I can log on right away and see what’s going on- mostly just the kids playing. But you never know especially when you have a stranger watching over your kids. It eases you just seeing the person doing the right- not because they know they are being watched (because they don’t) because it’s the right thing to do. So I seriously suggest checking out this company Spycameras.com. Http:// bit.ly/pvq3oc
ReplyDeleteP.S. they are very well priced and all the setup and support is free. They literally connect to your computer to set it up.