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Cell Phones - Your Child's 24/7 Access To The World!

We gave our teenagers (14 and 16) cell phones because they are always going in different directions. Big mistake. As much as we could get in touch with them, so could the negative outside influences. They received spam through text message, friends text messaging at all hours of the nights and let's not even talk about the photos that the friends were passing around. They were in a constant state of teenage drama, bullying and harrassment with no down time. Instant 24/7contact...is that what we are promoting? Even though my kids were not sending inappropriate material, they were receiving it from those with cell phones with no parental monitoring. My best advice...wait on the cell phones until they can own it themselves. You may use it to be in constant contact with your kid, but your kid uses it to be in constant contact with everyone - - good or bad. In the least spot check them regularly or have them plug it in the living room by a certain time every night in which they know you can review it. You will be amazed at what text messages and photos they receive from their friends at 1 a.m., especially from the friends that you don't know that they have! Needless to say our teenagers lost their cell phones for good. I would rather have to change my schedule or do a few extra old-fashion steps for us to keep tabs rather than expose them to a constant secretive negative culture just for my convenience plus my expense. If you really knew what gets transmitted before it gets deleted, then you would not have a peace of mind with the phones.