Cell Phones and Utility Bills

I have been told that I am the last remaining parent in the United States who has not given their children cell phones. I have been told that for quite a few years. Sadly I confess that as of this week I have surrendered. Not happily, but nonetheless, all of my cherubs will head for school with cell phone in hand. I am slightly bitter because I feel the world [scratch that… the society here in America] has made it almost mandatory. It became clear when I drove all over the town where I live and discovered that there is no longer even ONE pay phone or public phone available in the entire town. Needless to say shop-owners do not make their phones available to my cherubs or anyone’s cherubs. Their friends are unhappy using their minutes to let my guys call me when the soccer bus is delayed beyond the planned pickup time. The field hockey coach has no interest in letting my kiddos call home on her cell to let me know the game has been moved to a different field than where I am waiting confused. I certainly don’t want them going up to strangers asking to use their cell phones! The tipping point has been reached, at least for me. I need to be able to know where the kids are. The community no longer provides public phones. Like a painful geometry proof I am left with the conclusion that cell phones are the only realistic, safe, and practical solution.

So… I considered having a spare family cell phone that would be available for whoever seemed likely to need it most that day. But, I opted instead for an alternative plan that I hope will both solve the communication problem and teach some fiscal responsibility. I used some old cell phones so that no one got a new phone, therefore no new contracts to sign extending my family plan. Therefore the only cost to me is $9.95 per phone per month. So, sitting my cherubs down [the youngest is 11] I explained that they could have a phone with a few strings attached. String #1- They needed to understand that any misuse of the phone would result in losing the privilege of having their own phone. String #2- Before they could have their phone they needed to pay me the first month’s fee [$10]. String #3- They would have to earn the $10 each month and give it to me BY the first of the month or they would lose the phone for that next month. Having signed a phone contract with me for those terms [which I showed them was similar to the phone contract I have with AT&T for the family plan] as soon as they paid their first month, they were good to go.

How has it gone so far? Well, all of them have paid their first month and have in fact earned the money and paid for the next month early. Yes, there have been a few wrinkles on phone etiquette [“No, you may NOT call you friend’s mother at 7 o’clock on a Saturday morning to see if they can come over and play!”] and lots of conversations I did not enjoy [“Nana, what is this sexting thing they were talking about on the bus?]. But I have had them calling in to check in after school, and perhaps best of all, they now have their first real “utility bill” to learn to manage, to perhaps mismanage, and to learn consequences when they are still safe at home. Laying those tracks toward successful independence with fingers crossed firmly and prepared for the bumpy ride….

And aware that the "last remaining holdout in North America" has fallen.