Oh my – do you know anyone like this???

Have a great weekend and use your phone wisely!

Well, we have covered some pretty heavy topics this week so I thought I’d end up on a bit of a lighter note.

According to what I hear from my friends, their kids actually use text messaging more than they make voice calls on their cell phones. So, I thought learning some texting acronyms might be handy to parents like me who are clueless when it comes to the lingo their kids use these days.

Below are some sites where you can learn more about texting shorthand. You could even try some of these out the next time you send your child a text message. They will either think you are cool or they will sigh and roll their eyes. Either way, you’ll have their attention at least for the moment.

This week, I have been writing about various topics concerning cell phones and kids. So far, I have addressed the topics of whether your child is ready for a phone and cell phone monitoring software.  Today, I’m going to address a related topic, GPS tracking.

Cell phones and GPS

Perhaps you are not interested in tracking all cell phone activities of your child but you would like to know where they are or how fast they are driving in their car.  These days, many phones come equiped with a GPS tracking ability. This makes it possible for cell phone companies to offer services for parents to be able to track their child’s whereabouts.

In my post yesterday, I mentioned some of the potential hazards of our kids’ use of cell phones. I also offered some suggestions and resources  to consider as you make a decision about when and why to allow your child to have a phone of their own.

Today, I’d like to bring up a rather controversial topic – cell phone monitoring.

Some parents and privacy advocates insist that attempts to monitor or control kids actions are degrading and are harmful to the parent/child relationship. Others argue that it is a parent’s right and responsibility to be aware of the actions of their minor children.

This is another  area where only you can decide what is right for you and your family. There are valid concerns on both sides of the argument and every child is different.

Many kids today consider their cell phone to be their main lifeline allowing them to keep in touch with their friends. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. However, the anonymity provided by technologies such as texting, e-mail, and online chat can sometimes be problematic. Cyber-bullying and “sexting” are just some examples of the real dangers brought about by cell phone technology. Also, children are starting to use cell phones at an increasingly younger age and they may simply not be mature enough to know how to handle the responsibilities of cell phone use.

Have you been wondering if your child is old enough to have his or her own cell phone yet? Maybe you already have a child or teen with a cell phone in your home and you find yourself wondering who on Earth they are talking or texting with all the time. Not only that, so many kids can now surf the web, send and receive  e-mail, play games and do various other online tasks with their “oh-so-cool” phones.

With so many kids and teens being given such broad mobile freedom, it is hardly surprising to find out many of the same concerns we as parents have about their online computer safety now also apply to their phone use.  Cyber-crime, cyber-bullying, sexting, stalking, etc. What’s a parent’ to do?

Only you can decide when it is the right time for your child to have his or her own phone.

Here are some things to consider however as you are making that decision.

Whose idea is this and what are the reasons?

Is your child begging for a phone simply because his or her friends have one? Or, is there a particular reason you want your child to have a phone? For instance, my 12 year old son wasn’t all that interested in getting a phone but as he was spending more and more time away from home at Boy Scout events, I decided I wanted him to carry a phone for my own peace of mind. He has done very well with it but just so you know, this is the kid who went swimming with his phone as I mentioned a few days ago in my introductory post.

Have you ever received one of those crazy e-mail messages which reveal all the cool secret tricks and hidden features you never knew your cell phone was capable of? If you have, maybe you figured  it was a hoax and deleted it immediately.  Or, maybe like me, you filed it in one of your “I’ll check into it later” folders.

I remember receiving an e-mail informing me that I could unlock the car remotely using the keyless entry remote over a cell phone.  Well, desperate times call for desperate measures. Sure enough, the only member of our family who drives (I won’t mention his name) managed to lock his keys in the car out in the middle of a Boy Scout hike.  Oh yes, they were in the boonies and yes, we tried the “Unlock your car remotely with your cell phone” trick.  It did NOT work. So much for that “hidden feature”.

Maybe you already knew that particular stupid cell phone trick wouldn’t work or maybe you just haven’t had the opportunity to test it out for yourself.

Either way, that incident sent me on a search for the truth behind some of these more popular cell phone e-rumors and I’d love to share with you what I discovered.

Does anyone else think that maybe, just maybe we have become a little too obsessed with our cell phones or other technology based communication devices?

I’m sure that sounds odd coming from someone who is a professed phone-a-holic. I feel rather aged and old fashioned sometimes when I watch the teenage and preteen friends of my children as they   seem to have difficulty functioning without a cell phone in one hand. Even my adult friends seem to be texting while they are busy doing something else.

I remember the very first cell phone my parents ever bought.

It was a Motorola bag phone and weighed about 4 pounds I think. It was so fascinating to realize we could actually call someone while we were in the car! It seems to me that people used to purchase a cell phone to give them additional peace of mind or security.  After all, if you got a flat tire or ran out of gas you could call for help.

This crossed my desk today so I thought I’d pass it along to our blog family:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2009

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Rosemary Kimball (202) 418-0511

Email:  rosemary.kimball@fcc.gov

FCC SUPPORTS “NATIONAL LIFELINE AND LINK UP TELEPHONE DISCOUNT AWARENESS WEEK” -   SEPTEMBER 14 – 20, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) joined the effort to call attention to the “National Lifeline and Link Up Telephone Discount Awareness Week,” which takes place September 14 – 20, 2009. Various state and local agencies throughout the country will be participating with outreach activities and events.  The “Lifeline” and “Link Up” programs provide financial assistance to low-income consumers in connecting a residential phone line and paying their monthly bill.  The programs have been active for years and are administered by the FCC and state public utility commissions, but at least half of eligible consumers nationwide do not take advantage of this assistance.

“Lifeline” involves discounts on monthly charges for a primary residential telephone line, including wireless service. “Link Up” involves a discount on the cost of initiating the primary telephone service for a residence, including the activation of a wireless phone that serves as the primary residential telephone.  The discounts are available throughout the country, including an enhanced discount on Tribal lands.  In general, consumers at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, or who participate in one or more of a number of other assistance programs, are eligible for Lifeline and Link Up.

To help call attention to the availability of these programs, the FCC joins the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA), and urges government agencies and non-profit organizations to help disseminate information on Lifeline and Link Up to their constituents.  More information about the programs and how to apply is available at www.lifeline.gov or http://www.usac.org/li/low-income/apply-for-support.aspx.

Have any of you ever used these services? Do you know someone who has?  Please share your experiences with me.

Hello!

My  name is Nikki Brown and I am one of the brand new interns for Kelly on the Mom’s talk Network. Thanks for stopping by! I am really looking forward to getting to know all of our visitors and having some great conversations together.

Kelly has asked all the  interns to introduce ourselves so here goes…

I live with my family in the big state of Texas.  My husband is a computer consultant  and has owned his own business for over 19 years. We are a home schooling family and are also heavily involved with Girl and Boy Scouts, Rotary, and other community service. My fast-growing kiddos are ages 12 and 14. Of course, we all have our own cell phones which is why I applied for this particular blog. It seems like there is always a ringer, message alert, alarm, or other urgent digital reminder calling to us out of someone’s purse, pocket or tote bag. My husband says I am on the phone so much I should just have one surgically implanted. We even recently had our business landline converted over to a cell number so we quite literally always have a phone within arm’s reach.

While I truly do love the convenience of having this “wireless web” holding my family together, it does pose certain problems at times. For instance, my son recently went swimming with his phone tucked safely in his pocket. Believe it or not, the thing still works! If you have a household which mixes children and cell phones, I’d be willing to bet that you could share some stories like that of your own.

The best laid plans…

In my time here, I hope to be able to share with you some useful information about cell phones and how you can get the maximum benefit out of yours. I also look forward to hearing from you about your own experiences and the things you find helpful or even just downright annoying about your phone.  I would also like to touch on some related subjects such as the use of Skype and other voice over internet communication solutions. I’d truly love to get your ideas and I would really appreciate your feedback on my posts.

So, In true Girl Scout spirit… On my honor, I will do my best to provide you with useful, engaging, and maybe even some entertaining reading material here at Family on the Phone. Don’t be a stranger and let me know what you think!

Bye for now…