Cellular degeneration, part II
Well, I didn't get much input from you all about whether to get my son a cell phone for his 12th birthday. So I actually had to make the decision myself.
Since you didn't help, don't tell me what a huge mistake I'm making, now that I have decided that I should get Creed a cell phone, and also supply a modest amount of minutes per month as my parental obligation, but make him earn/pay for any additional minutes he wants.
I've been checking out his friends' cell phones. They are fancy. Not quite iphone caliber, but expensive looking.
I'm not a parent who thinks my children need to be spoiled to the level their peers are spoiled. In fact, my strategy is to give my kids less. Fewer material possessions, but more discipline, and yes, less freedom.
My gosh, this sounds un-American! And right before Independence Day!
But it's not radical, really.
I want my kids to be satisfied with not very much. Consumer greed destroys people. I'm teaching my kids not to use credit cards, not to buy things they don't have money for, and not to desire the best-of-the-best-of-the-best cell phone.
So I got Creed a pay-as-you-go phone, with no contract.
It was cheap. If he loses it, no one will fall to the ground gnashing their teeth.
We can buy $15 worth of minutes, and he can learn to conserve them.
You're probably glad I'm not your mom. But that's what I did.
Or maybe this is all ridiculous to some of you, and you're thinking "YOU GOT YOUR SPOILED BRAT 12 YEAR OLD A CELL PHONE?!?!?''
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