Is This A Good Plan?

[Remordere]

My family and I are debating about getting my little sister a cell phone. She's going to start high school and because the school is very far way from our house, she should have a cell phone to contact us for emergencies and rides after school.

The plan is to get her a basic phone. No cameras, MP3 player or any other bells and whistles. Just a phone so she can talk and text. When she's probably 16, we'll get her a better phone, or she can buy one herself.

She will get a pre-paid phone, and will give her a limited allowance a week for emergencies and after school contact with our Dad or myself. Since texting is very cheap in my country, 10 pesos (2 cents) for unlimited texting for a day, she can load her phone herself with her own money. She can do extra chores around the house if she wants more money to load her phone.

Her phone is only allowed when she goes to school and will be "confiscated" at 7:00pm (like the computer). If she needs to contact her friends, to ask about homework for example, she can use the land line.

We will tell her, if she becomes more mature and responsible, we will take away some limits, like keeping her phone all the time for example.

Do you think this is a good plan?

Comments please. I want to refine this before I gave my little sister a phone.

 

[davidnmegan6907]

My family and I are debating about getting my little sister a cell phone. She's going to start high school and because the school is very far way from our house, she should have a cell phone to contact us for emergencies and rides after school.

The plan is to get her a basic phone. No cameras, MP3 player or any other bells and whistles. Just a phone so she can talk and text. When she's probably 16, we'll get her a better phone, or she can buy one herself.

She will get a pre-paid phone, and will give her a limited allowance a week for emergencies and after school contact with our Dad or myself. Since texting is very cheap in my country, 10 pesos (2 cents) for unlimited texting for a day, she can load her phone herself with her own money. She can do extra chores around the house if she wants more money to load her phone.

Her phone is only allowed when she goes to school and will be "confiscated" at 7:00pm (like the computer). If she needs to contact her friends, to ask about homework for example, she can use the land line.

We will tell her, if she becomes more mature and responsible, we will take away some limits, like keeping her phone all the time for example.

Do you think this is a good plan?

Comments please. I want to refine this before I gave my little sister a phone.

I think it sounds like a good plan to test her maturity level. The only concern I would have is, I have seen a thread in here about how many phones are stolen in your country. Giving her a phone at that young of an age wouldn't jeopardize her safety would it? I mean if people are truely that bad there for stealing phones I would make sure to explain to her that a phone isn't more important than her life.

I just noticed that was your post that I got the information from. So I would for sure look at the safety issue.

 

[Member138406]

Sounds like a good plan. As cellphones become more and more a part of life I think its good for kids to learn early about making sure they don't lose them and helping pay for services they want that are more luxuries, like texts.

 

[dan330]

but this is a dumb phone... are they stolen too??

that sounds reasonable... that plan.

I only suggest that the phone has GPS in it too. and see if it can be activated to check on its location.. for unforeseen needs.
example: Ok.. you can go shopping with your friends.. I want to see that you do not leave the shopping area.

 

[Remordere]

I mean if people are truely that bad there for stealing phones I would make sure to explain to her that a phone isn't more important than her life.

I just noticed that was your post that I got the information from. So I would for sure look at the safety issue.

Yes, she already knows the snatching issue, she had been told many times to not show gadgets in public and always puts her expensive items in the innermost part of the bag, never the pants packets.

Sounds like a good plan. As cellphones become more and more a part of life I think its good for kids to learn early about making sure they don't lose them and helping pay for services they want that are more luxuries, like texts.

She is already very responsible and very understanding. Kids this days, they feel like they are entitled to all the luxuries. That's why I will give her a dumb phone, maybe a cheap second hand one.

but this is a dumb phone... are they stolen too??

that sounds reasonable... that plan.

I only suggest that the phone has GPS in it too. and see if it can be activated to check on its location.. for unforeseen needs.
example: Ok.. you can go shopping with your friends.. I want to see that you do not leave the shopping area.

ANYTHING can be stolen, even dumb phones. The problem is that there's no such thing as GPS here or even a good 3g network :/

 

[Member138406]

but this is a dumb phone... are they stolen too??

that sounds reasonable... that plan.

I only suggest that the phone has GPS in it too. and see if it can be activated to check on its location.. for unforeseen needs.
example: Ok.. you can go shopping with your friends.. I want to see that you do not leave the shopping area.

In some areas pre paid phones are way more valuable stolen then a contracted carrier phone actually.

 

[davidnmegan6907]

Yes, she already knows the snatching issue, she had been told many times to not show gadgets in public and always puts her expensive items in the innermost part of the bag, never the pants packets. :/

Ok sounds good after reading your post in other thread safety just came to my mind first. But as long as she understands this then yes I do think its a good idea.

 

[Member138406]

She is already very responsible and very understanding. Kids this days, they feel like they are entitled to all the luxuries. That's why I will give her a dumb phone, maybe a cheap second hand one.

Ya but not all kids have that false sense of entitlement. I think it is important to not just deprive them of luxuries but make them earn/pay for it partially so they get a good feel for paying bills, and learn how to manage what they want v. costs to have that.. When I started college I was so surprised that so many people I knew had no clue how to pay bills or budget themselves..

 

[Remordere]

In some areas pre paid phones are way more valuable stolen then a contracted carrier phone actually.

Things are different here. You can get a pre-paid SIM card for about 30-85 pesos (7 cents to $2).

 

[Remordere]

Ya but not all kids have that false sense of entitlement. I think it is important to not just deprive them of luxuries but make them earn/pay for it partially so they get a good feel for paying bills, and learn how to manage what they want v. costs to have that.. When I started college I was so surprised that so many people I knew had no clue how to pay bills or budget themselves..

That's what our parents taught us. I always have a measly allowance even know we were well-off, but I learned to budget and even saved up for the things I want. You feel better about yourself when you earn the things you own, not to mention you're more careful about your possessions. My first car was a second hand clunker, but I saved up for its maintenance and repairs. My classmates are all rich spoiled kids that don't even know the meaning of managing money. They will have a hard time when they leave their parent's nest.