Kids and Cell Phones

[4570Man]

I’m not really thinking about trying to keep them from danger as much as I want them to work through the process of solving their own needs without using technology or depending on parents to do it for them.

Are you going to train them in the use of a horse and buggy before they get their first vehicle? I’m assuming they probably have or at least access to a computer for school. Did you give them a typewriter first? You’re not doing anybody a favor with this level of thinking.

 

[oosik]

So.... she ran up a $700 bill. But I hope he was thinking - " I sure don't want to deprive the little darling the use of modern technology". And NO - I would NOT expect her to work off that bill. Her father gave her the phone - let him pay the bill.

Mayhaps - they both learned a lesson. A child can not be expected to have the knowledge/experience to use the phone in an adult manner. The father learned that he made a mistake.

 

[downsizingnow48]

Are you going to train them in the use of a horse and buggy before they get their first vehicle? I’m assuming they probably have or at least access to a computer for school. Did you give them a typewriter first? You’re not doing anybody a favor with this level of thinking.

hah exactly how I see it. You need to guide and empower the young folks. Not stunt them.

 

[bcp]

And someday...



Bruce

 

[atsah]

YUP.....:laughing:

 

[5030]

No kids at home. Aren't we lucky. One is a highway patrol K9 officer, the other is a newspaper publisher. I dislike cell phones myself. Wife and I use FM tranceivers to communicate on the farm and I have a SAT phone for when I go hunting.

 

[DMax82]

Yep, his kids are really going to struggle later in life if they don't spend their adolescent and teenage years posting selfies on Instagram, playing Candy Crush, tweeting dumb things, and Snapchatting pictures of their naughty bits. I love how folks are talking about the need to embrace technology like a kid messing around on a cell phone is the equivalent of a graduate degree in computer science from MIT. Let's get real, the kids aren't saying "get us a high end desktop PC so that we can learn AutoCAD, or Javascript, or Photoshop", they are just wanting to waste time on a cell phone. As somebody mentioned, they will be using computers at school, and probably are at home too, so it's not like the are total Luddites. Teach them how to interact with people fact to face. Let them learn multiplication tables, how to read a paper map, and how to actually think, because you know...batteries die and signals get lost.

Why in the world wouldn't you want your children to use and embrace technology? In my business if you did that you would be in the bread lines.

I'm guessing that the OP's 6-14 year old kids aren't in your business.

Amen... As a business owner my smart phone is worth real money. My office can now go with me anywhere, and frees up my life to do other things. I have literally been out on my tractor, roll into the shade, check emails, make calls, sign a contract, and close a deal. I firmly believe my smart phone allows me to be as successful as I am. At 61 I spent most of my life without one... I would never chose to go backwards.

If the OP's 6-14 year old kids wanted cell phones to sign contracts and close deals, I'm sure that he would be happy to get them phones. But they probably want the phones for less productive and less lucrative reasons.

Question for the OP: I just reread your posts, and you actually didn't mention your kids' feelings on the matter. Are they hassling y'all for phones or do they not really care? Just curious.

 

[atsah]

Yep, his kids are really going to struggle later in life if they don't spend their adolescent and teenage years posting selfies on Instagram, playing Candy Crush, tweeting dumb things, and Snapchatting pictures of their naughty bits. I love how folks are talking about the need to embrace technology like a kid messing around on a cell phone is the equivalent of a graduate degree in computer science from MIT. Let's get real, the kids aren't saying "get us a high end desktop PC so that we can learn AutoCAD, or Javascript, or Photoshop", they are just wanting to waste time on a cell phone. As somebody mentioned, they will be using computers at school, and probably are at home too, so it's not like the are total Luddites. Teach them how to interact with people fact to face. Let them learn multiplication tables, how to read a paper map, and how to actually think, because you know...batteries die and signals get lost.



I'm guessing that the OP's 6-14 year old kids aren't in your business.



If the OP's 6-14 year old kids wanted cell phones to sign contracts and close deals, I'm sure that he would be happy to get them phones. But they probably want the phones for less productive and less lucrative reasons.

Good post...

 

[Bikewanderer]

Why in the world wouldn't you want your children to use and embrace technology? In my business if you did that you would be in the bread lines.

Its funny because most business owners I know say they are looking for kids who can be independent and think for themselves, who can also carry on a normal social interaction with customers. They are plenty technologically competent. They have computers they use as school that the older kids bring home. They have a house phone to call friends, email, and skype on the two desktop computers we keep in the living room. We have pretty fast internet here. I知 not the lease bit worried about them being tech savvy. They already are. I think that technology is great if you can use it to leverage your time and your tasks and be more productive.....but you first have to know how to do those tasks. I知 in sales...I use technology all the time. It would do me no good if I just sat there and looked at my feet in my customers office.

They致e got their whole lives to become addicted to those devices. I prefer to let them be kids.

 

[Jstpssng]

I see an the OP's point as part of an altogether different problem. in life there are deadlines; if you don't learn to meet them than you aren't going to be very successful. It seems like every parent I know plans their schedule around their kid's activities, and often hear complaints that the kids don't have any free time, and there isn't enough time for the family to do things together. OTOH I can't tell you how frustrating it is to be out with a college kid training him on his first summer job; and every other thing his mother is calling him.