1. Set a limit on how many text messages she can make during a given week. My daughter knows she is allocated 10 text messages per week and anything above and beyond will result in loss of text messaging for the following week.
2. Limit talk time to a certain hour. I have limited her talk time to one hour per night. This is after 7pm so she is using anytime minutes and is before 9pm on school nights.
3. There is no text messaging or talking until all homework has been completed.
4. No ringtone downloads. She is not allowed to download ANY ringtones. They can become a costly habit.
5. No browsing the Internet. If I find out otherwise her cell phone usage is band until further notice.
I know some of these rules seem severely strict but are necessary for her own protection and my pocket book!
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I like these rules. We haven’t had many problems but the other night, I noticed my daughter doing homework with the phone near her. When I asked, she was texting. Uh-oh…time for some better rules! Thanks.
The rules are great. I shall be implementing them as soon as my sons ask for a cellphone.
My daughter is asking for a cell phone, some of her friends have them now. We are not to the point yet to give her one, but your rules are excellent.
New here, found you through Tamy.
I don’t feel these are overly harsh AT ALL! And I don’t even have a teen (or pre-teen). I think they are more than fair and setting limits is a good thing. You are showing her you trust her, that’s a GREAT thing!
Cheers, Kiy
I think these rules are totally reasonable. We’re not quite there yet, though… mine are all still quite little.
Thanks for following my blog. It is nice to step over here and “meet” you.
Amy Ellen at HealthBeginsWithMom.com
I think those are excellent rules!
My daughter believes these rules were something that was stamped on a rock tablet in the stone ages. Before these rules were set in place she managed to do OVER 100 text messages in a weeks time. I was mortified! I want her to have a cell phone for protection in case there is an emergency. I wasn’t planning on it being used as an extreme social tool.
Great ideas on the cell phone use! I wish they had never invented texting!!!
My kids aren’t as into talking on the phone – just texting. I try to set a limit on the number to texts per day. I also use it as a leverage for good grades – I guess that is called bribes!!!
Great post!
XOXO
Jen
I don't know how trustworthy your child is, or her friends, but I got socked with major game and ringtone downloads even though I told my kids they were not allowed. I have AT&T Wireless and was able to put a block only on their phones that prevents them from ordering ringtones and games and accessing the internet. Every time I change phones I have to make sure AT&T keeps the blocks on when they activate the new phones. They don't always remember, but the good news is that they do look back in your records and if you had the block on before, they won't make you pay for their mistake.
I don’t think these rules are strict at all. I used to work on an 800 customer service line for a major cell phone company, and believe me, there are parents who put NO restrictions on their kids at all, and pay for it —I have seen cell phone bills that would have paid my mortgage for 6 months. The company had a rule that if someone went way over their limit, we could charge them for a higher plan and wipe out the overage charges ONCE. The next time it happened, too bad, because we gave them many ways to check minutes, help the child control him/herself, etc. The only thing that seemed to work for some kids was to take the phone away for a month. But some kids were so sneaky, they would get a friend to loan them on older phone and call up the company, claim they were the parent (often knew the parent’s passcodes) and activate an older phone on their number.
I won’t mention the company’s name, but when I left the company, and lost an inexpensive employee plan, I went with prepaid phones. I had no problem with the company —it was great and had great customer service, but my husband and I don’t need even what was offered for the lowest plan. With prepay we pay in a year what we would pay in 3 months for a regular plan.
One of the very first calls I received was from a parent whose 18 year old daughter got her own cell phone account while in college. When her daughter went to sign up, a friend was with her and asked if he could get a phone and would pay half of a family plan. Within a month, she had a $1500 phone bill, and then the guy left school and took the phone with him. His parents said he was over 18 and they were not responsible for his bills. This girl not only had to pay the bill, but also an early termination fee for his phone. I heard many versions of this same horror story: a friend has a poor credit rating so couldn’t get an account without a big security deposit. POOR CREDIT RATING = defaults on bills. My advice to one and all: DON’T get suckered into doing this —not for your best friend, not for your deadbeat brother, not your boy/girlfriend.
I have usage rules also, my firls are older and the whole family has a text plan, they don’t use very many minutes so that is never really a prpblem.
Good rules, the ringtones are so costly, but they are tempting.
CJ,
WOW $1500? That is awful! Once the teenage hormones kick in for my daughter, it is going to be harder to enforce these rules. A prepaid cell phone plan is a very smart choice.
Although my daughter is 16, she has very strict rules for her cell phone, and since I purchased it on her birthday last year, I am happy to say she has never gone over her minutes. I am really glad I got it and it seems much safer to me that I can get ahold of her easily. One thing, (we have a competitors-sorry)I called and blocked the internet when I purchased it. You can accidentally push one button and connect to the internet. I think that’s pretty crummy, but since that’s how it is, we just eliminated the problem. Another thing we did was get unlimited texting and since she is older, she does text her friends, and sometimes me. I’m sure that helps keep the bill down.
Great rules–way to put the foot down! If you don’t take control, they WILL spend every waking moment on those cells…
Once you set rules, be sure to stick to them too! Because once you do not reprimand a child for breaking the rules then most likely they’ll just do it again.
Very nice site!
Very nice site!
Very nice site!