From what I see, young children have cell phones that are limited to outbound 911, parents, and other caretakers.
I don't know if incoming callers can be limited.

I think it's a good idea, and most parents do this because with incidents in schools(where many times already, children have called 911 before school admin) and a need for children to have the ability to tell parents of changes to things like early school closing, or change in pick-up time, as permission to alter plans.

I doubt a custodial parent could block a non-custodial parent from calling their child on a cell or land line phone without without that provision in the custody agreement.

No you are not. My boys did not get cell phones until they were much older. Even then they started off with pay as you go plans. My youngest now has a cell phone plan through his boss, while my oldest still has a pay as you go. As do DH and I. We got our youngest his first when he was a junior in HS and had all sorts of school events. It was easier and I felt safer being able to reach him. I am sorry your DGC are having to go through this. I would take the phones away and be done with it. The dad can call the landline if he wants to talk to them.

Trish

I didn't feel the need to get a cell phone for my boys until they turned 16 and were driving by themselves. Then I wanted them to be able to call me if they needed. In my opinion, 7,8 and 10 is way too young to have a cell phone. I agree with Trish, I'd take the cell phones away. It'd probably be a relief to the kids if they aren't really wanting to talk to their dad anyway.

If they need to call someone because the school is closing, there's plenty of phones available in schools. Pay phones, office phone and the like are readily available. This theory that kids need cell phones in case of terrorist attacks is paranoia IMO. At most, a prepaid phone would be all they'd get. And it would teach them responsibility. And could teach the parents some responsibility too.

7, 8 & 10 yo having cell phones? Crazy.

"I didn't feel the need to get a cell phone for my boys until they turned 16 and were driving by themselves. Then I wanted them to be able to call me if they needed. In my opinion, 7,8 and 10 is way too young to have a cell phone."

My thoughts exactly!

Amen - too darn many kids with cell phones now.

Why on earth does a 7,8 and/or 10 year old need with
a cell phone? Do they go to a school with all the
phones removed?

I think the ex texting them may be the least of the
future problems if they have this lee-way already.

No cell phone for kids is my opinion. How did we make it without them? They can do the same. We give kids too much stuff as it is now. What will they ever have to look forward to if they make it to our age.

Let me comment on one thing- even though we all seem to be in agreement here. There are no payphones in our town. Not a single one. There are no pay phones on our school property either. Yes, the school does let kids call home when necessary but only if the office is still open. My son is involved with JROTC and they do lots of events on weekends and stuff. After waiting in parking lots for hours it is nice to get the call, hey mom, pulling into school now- then I can go get him.

Trish

Lord, how did we survive!!!

is she a working parent? then i can see the oldest child having a out bound call only phone. i assume they're all in the same school?

it's really a difficult situation. on one side dad is at least communicating, although innappropriatly (asking questions)

the children should tell the truth. they really arn't ready to be contacted by dad right now, and that it's making them very uncomfortable he's asking questions. maybe he'll get the hint?

btw just who is paying the bills and texting fees for those phones?

Susan, yes she does work and she pays the phone bill.
The dad has never been for the kids having phones in the past but now finding the phones convenient. I suppose he figures if they have them, they may as well use them!
They all go to the same school also. The phones are "because they want them and all children have them now"
Financially she cannot afford these phones and unlimited texting...I know, because I'm the one that gets the phone calls when she is depressed and "broke" again or her electricity is fixing to be shut off.

I still believe children these ages do not need a cell phone, even a prepaid one is crazy.

My son got a cell phone when he turned 16. He had a job..and he paid the bill! At 16 he was too you to enter into a contract, so the phone was in MY name..but it was his baby and he rocked it.

I'm not sure what I think about young kids having them and it's not my place to judge. Sitting here I can't imagine a 7 or 8 year old needing a cell phone..but I'm not that childs parent!

I forgot about us not having phone booths anymore. I guess some kids do need them. Our changing world stinks!

If the kids are not wanting to talk to their Dad, it seems to me that they can tell him that being a tattle-tale in school gets one into bad odour with the other kids, that answering some of his questions makes them uncomfortable - that they think it unfair that he ask them to spy on Mom.

Have you ever heard, when young folks are considering joining up, that "Two can live as cheaply as one"?

Well - I got news for ya ...

... when a family splits up, running two housing units costs a lot more than running one. Family breakup means a substantial reduction in living standards, in most cases.

Three kids ... those ages, attending the same school ... each has a cell phone ... and there's risk (even occasionally, or even rarely) of power being cut off???

Seems to me that we used to use the claim that " ... all of the kids do that/have it", but it didn't seem to cut much ice with Dad - unless we could come up with a cogent reason.

Our kids used the same on us ... pretty similar result.

The boomers have become used to having many things largely as they wanted them, but the indications are that a substantial number of their excesses can't be sustained.

ole joyful

Children don't need cells phones until they are at an age where they are able to transport themselves from place to place. Until they are teens the phones should be the kind that are limited to calls only to the people that need reaching.

When Kameron was 14 my mom brought her a cell phone for Christmas, but the company the phone was thru wouldn't work here so we had to cancel that plan. Several months later we added her to our plan. Now that Kam is working she is paying her own cell phone bill.
Peyton is 12(almost 13) and he got his phone for Christmas. He has been begging for one for years and his mean old mom wouldn't let him have one, :)
Honestly, I like for him to have one when he goes to the school for basketball games or dances.He used to take mine so he could call and let us know when he needed to be picked up.

I really think 7,8 and 10 is way to young

This doesn't seem like an issue about cell phones to me. They're just tools. People decide when they want to let their kids use certain tools.

And when we talk about how we didn't have cell phones when we were young, there are a number of things that have changed. As others have mentioned, pay phones are practically defunct. There is a pay phone in one of the courthouses where I regularly go, but I can't think of another pay phone anywhere on my regular route.

Also, lots of people now don't have home phones, but use their cell phones as their only line. When I was young and wanted to call someone, I used the house phone. I didn't have to ask. If Chloe wants to use a phone, she has to ask to use my phone or my sister's. That's not a problem now, when she's 8, but I do understand why parents of young teens decide to give them their own phones. And that's aside from the convenience factor for the parents when their kids have cell phones.

I think that the mother should let the dad know that she regularly reads all text messages sent to the kids, and she should call the dad on anything inappropriate he asks the kids. (And if I had a kid with a cell phone, I *would* read the text messages. I'd let them know ahead of time, as a condition of having the phone. I'd also be checking online to see who and when they were calling and texting.)

It's really too much to ask kids to tell their dad they don't want to talk to him. And that's not something you'd want to encourage, anyway, either from a moral standpoint or as a tactical point during a divorce.

Joann....that is perfect advice..

My oldest didn't get the use of his own cell phone until late into his 16th year.. about the age of 15 he would "steal" mine to his room in the middle of the night and text...when we didn't have texting...or he might have gotten one sooner..but that sneaky behavior got a delay...

My 12 year old got one just about the time he turned 12..much more responsible child..

But given the information about these particular children..it's really a "tool" and use should be regulated.

My 16 y/o got a cell phone last year. We pay for it, in our plan with my phone. (DH's is through work.) He asked for one, but didn't push for it really. But we got to the point that I would call his friends' cell phones and ask for him when they were out somewhere. Or even at a friend's house, sometimes the family does not have a land line, only cell phones for each individual family member. So I wanted him to have one as much as he wanted one.

The rest of my kids don't even ask for one, not even the 13 y/o.

I have friends who have given their kids cell phone for different reasons. One got a cell phone for her 9 y/o DD that will only allow her to call preset numbers, and no texts. She is a single mother, with that her only child, and they have no family in the state. She wanted to make sure her daughter could reach her 24/7 if they are apart (school, practice, childcare) even if it's just for a comforting voice. There was a time when the girl mistakenly went home on the bus from school instead of to the afterschool program. Locked out and alone, the neighbor not home, she was able to call her mother right then. Another, though, admitted that she gave her 9 y/o DS a cell phone for Christmas "because he has everything, and I didn't know what else to get him." Ooookaaay then. Sort out your priorities!

I don't know about this situation. It's two different issues. The kids' cell phones sound like an expense that should be cut because they cannot afford them, not to prohibit communication with Dad. Then the communication with Dad needs to be worked out in a way that both adults can agree on to benefit the kids. Even if I were divorced, I cannot imagine my 7 y/o having a relationship with his father via a cell phone. Doesn't sound fulfilling.

It seems there are three issues.
One- are the children too young for cell phones? I can't help but feel they are too young, especially the 7 yo.
Two- Dad seems to be importuning the children via the cell phones, which they seem not to appreciate. Is there a land line? Cutting off all contact with Dad would be unreasonable but I doubt any court would find fault with requiring Dad to call no more than once a day on the land line, at a preset time (say, after dinner and before bed) for a limited duration (ie, not a three-hour call).
Three- can Mom afford the cell phones? It seems not, if other bills are not being paid. Cell phones woul be at the bottom of my priority list after (INPO) electricity, gas, housing, food, school supplies, clothing etc. So if Dad wants to call, let him call on the land line.
Another vote for no cell phones.

DD downgraded the home phone because of her finances. She removed caller ID, therefore the kids are no longer allowed to answer the land line. Just for the mere fact it may be their dad. Before she claimed she filed divorce papers, dear dad only called once a week at a set time. Now it is all day/night and when ever he thinks he needs to know something. DD has pretty much stopped communications with him because of the threats and arguing. I know most of this being the truth, because DH and my phones rings through out the day and night from him also.
I know times are different now, and therefore the kids have lots we didn't need or have when we were growing up...I can't help to think so much of it is spoiledness and parents not being responsible.

Surely caller ID would be cheaper than the cell phones? Then tell Dad, phone calls from him will only be answered at a particular time, once a day.

"If they need to call someone because the school is closing, there's plenty of phones available in schools. Pay phones, office phone and the like are readily available. "

Sorry - pay phones have been gone from schools for YEARS! When was the last time you saw one anywhere? And most schools do not allow access to administrators phones to anyone for any reason. My kids both have cell phones (8 and 11) and I would not have it any other way. If the bus breaks down on the way home they can call me to tell me they will be late rather than my worrying why they aren't home. Heaven forbid there is an emergency, I know first hand my kids are safe and that is worth paying the monthly service plan for that piece of mind alone.

Rather than complaining about cell phones, wouldn't it be better to try to come to a mutual agerement between the parents? Turning the clock back on technology is certainly not the answer......

Alexa