Concerned Dad

[Shel]

Been talking and will not stop talking and explaining but, like all kids and myself when I was that age, she doesn't always listen. I know it seems like an invasion of privacy and I am struggling with it but I gotta do what I can to guide her to safety.

I won't weigh in on the topic of reading your childs text message, but I would encourage you to see if there's a program that you can install, which will keep her from texting while driving!

I was recently in Dallas, and Texas has a major ad campaign warning people against driving while texting!

I would think/hope that there's an app which would disable text messaging, if/when it sees that the phone is moving more then, say, five miles an hour.

This is something that you really should check on! (Haven't broken down and purchased my kids a phone yet, but I'll certainly look for such an app, once I DO buy them their own phone)

 

[Safemoneyguy]

I have to disagree. As a 27 year Law Enforcement Veteran I can tell you that what he wants to do is NOT illegal as long as he is the account holder. Some may consider it immoral but it does not violate law.

Parenting these days is a daunting task and sometimes we need to resort to extreme measures. It is not always possible to have the same talks my parents had with me and my brothers and sisters when I was younger.

I do agree that it will most certainly cause a breakdown in trust if and when his daughter finds out what he did. But considering the consequences of not being proactive I tend to believe he is doing what he feels is in the best interest of his daughter.

For the record, I do monitor my kids texts as well as their internet access. I do this on both their cell phones as well as their home PC's.

Thanks for your expertise. It does seem extreme but we are not in the days of Ozzie and Harriet and Leave it to Beaver. Too bad for our kids to miss out on the "innocent age' in my opinion. This has been a good exercise with this forum.

Here is an update...I did not get the app for her phone. As I said I was really struggling with the trust issue. I know that it is my right and obligation as a parent to monitor her actions.

I do have her phone and read the text messages. We had another very direct and to the point talk. The end result...she knows now that parents (good ones) often have to make the tough decisions to keep them safe from themselves.

The end result...she has apologized for egregious actions to herself and our trust and we both have learned from this.

It seems this is one of those "bad days become good days" events that life constantly throws you,

Thanks for your input, keep up the good work.

 

[Safemoneyguy]

I won't weigh in on the topic of reading your childs text message, but I would encourage you to see if there's a program that you can install, which will keep her from texting while driving!

I was recently in Dallas, and Texas has a major ad campaign warning people against driving while texting!

I would think/hope that there's an app which would disable text messaging, if/when it sees that the phone is moving more then, say, five miles an hour.

This is something that you really should check on! (Haven't broken down and purchased my kids a phone yet, but I'll certainly look for such an app, once I DO buy them their own phone)

I have been told that an app is coming out soon when speed is over 30 mph then text and calls are turned off. That will be a good one.

 

[Slug]

It seems this is one of those "bad days become good days" events that life constantly throws you

I'm glad to hear that things have worked out well.