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Parenting
Just got my 6 y/o a cell phone.
A year ago if you'd suggested that any 6 y/o needs his own phone I would've told you that you were crazy. Today? Now ds has his own phone.
He's taking a math class at a community center twice a week where I drop him off and pick him up two hours later. He also starts a pottery class next Monday- again, it's a 2.5 hr class where I just drop him off at the studio.
If he's going to potentially be out in the community and being dropped off for classes I want to make sure that he can always call me if there's ever an emergency, if the teacher doesn't show up, if something happens, etc. And likewise, if for some reason I'm running late or something happens on my end I want to be able to get in touch with him. Since it's next to impossible to find a payphone anymore we decided it was time for a cell phone. It's just a super cheap $10 pre-paid deal so I'm not going to stress about it getting lost or broken.
I didn't get my own first cell phone until I graduated from college, LOL. Times have certainly changed!
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Re: Just got my 6 y/o a cell phone.
OMG I'm so lucky to have popped in tonight!
You are dropping your 6 year old off for a 2 hour math class twice a week at a community center? And a 2.5 hour pottery class?
Care to explain how your 6 year old could POSSIBLY need EITHER of those? Is he a pottery prodigy or a math moron or both or are you just crazy?
Most people who know me would probably vote for crazy.
Seriously, though - aren't you worried that your 6 YEAR OLD will be at a COMMUNITY COLLEGE for that much time twice a week? Why does he need that much math help? And a 2.5 hour pottery class for a 6 year old? Don't you have a husband who talked some sense into you when you revealed these plans? Anything that requires a 6 year old to have access to a cell phone b/c of all the things that could go wrong are too much for a 6 year old!!! OMG
Community center, not community college. Big difference. I walk him into class and pick him up when he's done, but I don't stay the whole time. He's taking the class because he doesn't go to school this year so it is to supplement what he's learning at home and give him some time with other kids.
Pottery: it's something he's been begging to do for quite some time and we found someone who offers a very popular pottery class for elementary aged kids. Have you ever worked with clay? You pretty much need at least two hours to do anything by the time you take into account all of the set-up and then the clean-up and so forth that needs to be done. It's held at the instructor's art studio and there are other children there, but I'm just more comfortable knowing that if anything ever happens that he can just call me.
I read all of this and I still think these are ill-advised ideas and you're not only crazy but asking for trouble. Whatever. Not my kid. Enjoy your pedicures or naps or whatever you're going to do while your child is left alone somewhere other than a school - but I guess he'll have a cell phone so nothing could go wrong.
Christmas 2011
I understand the cell phone. It has nothing to do with the community center being a dangerous place, but heaven forbid something were to happen her DC could get in touch with his parents right away. It is peace of mind for her, and probably for him to.
Whatever. Not my kid. Enjoy your pedicures or naps or whatever you're going to do while your child is left alone somewhere other than a school
Seriously? This is just bizarre and alarmist.
My 6-year-old has been dropped off for classes/camps for while now and I've never felt the need for him to have a cell phone.
For example, he had an art camp for a week this summer - it was all day, from 9-3:30. I didn't need to contact him, he didn't need to contact me. The adults are still pretty much in charge. I dropped him off and signed him in and picked him up and signed him out. If I were late, even if I didn't call, someone would have watched him - not left him standing out in the hallway - and tried to contact me. If there were an emergency, the adults in charge would have called me.
Although I joke about him having one when he's out and about with DH because he's probably more prone to have it on him and actually charged, I think 6 is too young to have that responsibility.
Seriously? This is just bizarre and alarmist.
Yeah, I am laughing at this image of Cleo. She'll probably get botox while she's at it.
Seriously? Who cares. She got a cheap, pre-paid phone for her kid. I do NOT see the big deal.
I highly doubt M is going to be sexting the community center ladies.
Not a pearl clutchy issue at all.
You take my ovaries, I take your yarns.
Dude, you never know. You know what kind of parent Cleo is (you know, the one who gets pedicures and botox while her son is at the community center sexting people).
I know.
That first cell phone is the gateway drug to a life of cocaine and porn.
But at least Cleo will have pretty toes and no laugh lines.
You take my ovaries, I take your yarns.
Sounds like you found great activities for him.
Many, many of my son's friends had cell phones by the age of 6. I think the peace of mind is worth it.
Ha! I giggled last night too at the thought of myself enjoying a nice mani/pedi (for the record, I've actually never had either, can you believe it?!)
I actually spent that time on Tuesday in the HR person's office at work making changes to my health insurance plan and FSA, then rushing to pick up dd from preschool before heading back to the community center.
Today I'll spend my two glorious hours taking care of a younger sibling who has fallen asleep three times since breakfast and who just puked up her bowl of shredded wheat. Fun times.
I lead a glamorous life.
Yeah, we did. We'd already enrolled him in several classes that he was really looking forward to and that he wouldn't have time to do if he was at the charter school. I also wasn't all that keen on the idea of him being gone everyday from 7:30 till almost 5:00 (charter school has a longer than normal school day.) It was just too much time in school for a 6 y/o, IMO, especially a school that doesn't even have a gymnasium or a playground!
wtf? That his totally abnormal. I think you made the right choice!
To be fair, that includes transportation time as well.
Only on the Nest! LOL
I see nothing wrong with any of it - the community center, the classes, the cell phone.
I think it's awesome that you are providing these experiences for your son. If he was going to a typical school it would probably be too much, but as a supplement to homeschooling it sounds great. I'd probably have skipped giving him a phone, but I'm trying to be super free range and know that's not everyone's comfort level.
I miss you lite-brite!
Having met M more than once, I can say that he is totally the kind of kid who can handle the responsiblity of both classes and the phone. He's an old soul. :-)
It's not something that I would WANT to do, but I can see having it for the peace of mind. My 4.5 year old is begging for pottery classes. Thankfully I have a friend who is both a preschool teacher and has a pottery studio in her basement and she's willing to spend an afternoon letting him get covered in clay.
DS - December 2006
DD - December 2008