We need modern payphones

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you on the need for pay phones, but since that is not the world we live in...
My kids have an index card with our cell phone numbers written on it. They have never had a problem getting someone to call or text me if there is some kind of issue - anywhere you leave them, there should be an adult with a phone.
Other option is a minimal cell phone - just get a prepaid phone. It's not theirs, it's yours, and it's only handed to them when they are somewhere without you.

Your plan is that "someone" will take on the responsibility of your kid.
This is incredibly selfish and irresponsible of you.

OP did not say how old her child is...but at younger ages, yes 'someone' else is responsible...bus driver. Camp counselor, coach... You do not just abandon 9 year olds in a thunderstorm because you think they should have a phone.

OP here. Yes, both of my kids are under 9 and were abandoned. The coach just cancelled it mid practice (lightning), but there was still over an hour left. Swim does continue through rain. No one was checking to make sure kids were picked up and plenty of them could just walk/bike home on their own. My kids could walk home too, but then I wouldn't know where they are, so they know to stay put.

There isn't a front desk at the pool when swim practice goes on because the pool is closed to outsiders during that time. I don't know that there is a phone there though- I'll have to check. I have an out of area cell phone number (had it for 20 years)- can regular phones call that for free now or would it be long distance?

Only my 13 year old has a phone. Before then, or with my younger kids, I make sure that I have identified an adult who my kid knows they can ask to call or text me. Sometimes, yes, that's the adult in charge. A lot of other times it's a fellow team or activity parent who we know pretty well who is staying.

It's like PP said, only discussed in advance with everyone involved versus just assuming. PP might discuss it in advance too and just not mentioned that.

It's not like when your kid is in Scouts or on a team you don't get to know the other families, often very well. Camp might be slightly different, but then there's usually policies that would mean that there's definitely an adult in charge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you on the need for pay phones, but since that is not the world we live in...
My kids have an index card with our cell phone numbers written on it. They have never had a problem getting someone to call or text me if there is some kind of issue - anywhere you leave them, there should be an adult with a phone.
Other option is a minimal cell phone - just get a prepaid phone. It's not theirs, it's yours, and it's only handed to them when they are somewhere without you.

Your plan is that "someone" will take on the responsibility of your kid.
This is incredibly selfish and irresponsible of you.

OP did not say how old her child is...but at younger ages, yes 'someone' else is responsible...bus driver. Camp counselor, coach... You do not just abandon 9 year olds in a thunderstorm because you think they should have a phone.

OP here. Yes, both of my kids are under 9 and were abandoned. The coach just cancelled it mid practice (lightning), but there was still over an hour left. Swim does continue through rain. No one was checking to make sure kids were picked up and plenty of them could just walk/bike home on their own. My kids could walk home too, but then I wouldn't know where they are, so they know to stay put.

There isn't a front desk at the pool when swim practice goes on because the pool is closed to outsiders during that time. I don't know that there is a phone there though- I'll have to check. I have an out of area cell phone number (had it for 20 years)- can regular phones call that for free now or would it be long distance?

it shouldn’t cost anything as long as it is in country

[Anonymous]

I would complain about the coaches leaving before everyone was picked up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you on the need for pay phones, but since that is not the world we live in...
My kids have an index card with our cell phone numbers written on it. They have never had a problem getting someone to call or text me if there is some kind of issue - anywhere you leave them, there should be an adult with a phone.
Other option is a minimal cell phone - just get a prepaid phone. It's not theirs, it's yours, and it's only handed to them when they are somewhere without you.

Your plan is that "someone" will take on the responsibility of your kid.
This is incredibly selfish and irresponsible of you.

OP did not say how old her child is...but at younger ages, yes 'someone' else is responsible...bus driver. Camp counselor, coach... You do not just abandon 9 year olds in a thunderstorm because you think they should have a phone.

OP here. Yes, both of my kids are under 9 and were abandoned. The coach just cancelled it mid practice (lightning), but there was still over an hour left. Swim does continue through rain. No one was checking to make sure kids were picked up and plenty of them could just walk/bike home on their own. My kids could walk home too, but then I wouldn't know where they are, so they know to stay put.

There isn't a front desk at the pool when swim practice goes on because the pool is closed to outsiders during that time. I don't know that there is a phone there though- I'll have to check. I have an out of area cell phone number (had it for 20 years)- can regular phones call that for free now or would it be long distance?

Only my 13 year old has a phone. Before then, or with my younger kids, I make sure that I have identified an adult who my kid knows they can ask to call or text me. Sometimes, yes, that's the adult in charge. A lot of other times it's a fellow team or activity parent who we know pretty well who is staying.

It's like PP said, only discussed in advance with everyone involved versus just assuming. PP might discuss it in advance too and just not mentioned that.

It's not like when your kid is in Scouts or on a team you don't get to know the other families, often very well. Camp might be slightly different, but then there's usually policies that would mean that there's definitely an adult in charge.

OP here. Parents aren't allowed at swim practice at all. So the only parents present were the ones who picked up early. Swim is K-12 so the older kids do have cell phones, but I don't know of any kindergarteners with cells.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, this is why some parents of older kids/teens roll their eyes when parents of very young kids insist that they won't let their kids have a phone till they are 18.

I've never heard anyone say they won't let their kid have one until 18. Most people I know are hoping to get either through middle school (ambitious) or to middle school (more realistic) without one.

Those watches you can use to text are popular at our elementary school, for precisely this reason. It postpones phones while solving the connectivity issue. And it's useful that you can just put it on a kid's wrist so they can't lose it (though that won't work for swim).

And before you get too smug, maybe consider that the very reason a lot of parents of younger kids are fighting hard against getting their kids phones is because they see a lot of older kids who are phone addicted, a lot of parents who are phone addicted, may know older kids who have had issues with social media or online bullying, etc. The whole reason I'm committed to not giving my kid a phone until as late as possible is because I know so many teens who will tell me themselves that they wish they had not had tablets in elementary and had not had phones in middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I just hate that we are pushing technology like cell phones on our kids when there could be other solutions. I don't want my kids relying on adults to text.

I also think a lot of parents have extreme anxiety and give their kids cells so they can track them. Kids deserve independence and trust.

So get them a smartwatch. Maybe a gizmo would work well for your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you on the need for pay phones, but since that is not the world we live in...
My kids have an index card with our cell phone numbers written on it. They have never had a problem getting someone to call or text me if there is some kind of issue - anywhere you leave them, there should be an adult with a phone.
Other option is a minimal cell phone - just get a prepaid phone. It's not theirs, it's yours, and it's only handed to them when they are somewhere without you.

Your plan is that "someone" will take on the responsibility of your kid.
This is incredibly selfish and irresponsible of you.

OP did not say how old her child is...but at younger ages, yes 'someone' else is responsible...bus driver. Camp counselor, coach... You do not just abandon 9 year olds in a thunderstorm because you think they should have a phone.

OP here. Yes, both of my kids are under 9 and were abandoned. The coach just cancelled it mid practice (lightning), but there was still over an hour left. Swim does continue through rain. No one was checking to make sure kids were picked up and plenty of them could just walk/bike home on their own. My kids could walk home too, but then I wouldn't know where they are, so they know to stay put.

There isn't a front desk at the pool when swim practice goes on because the pool is closed to outsiders during that time. I don't know that there is a phone there though- I'll have to check. I have an out of area cell phone number (had it for 20 years)- can regular phones call that for free now or would it be long distance?

Only my 13 year old has a phone. Before then, or with my younger kids, I make sure that I have identified an adult who my kid knows they can ask to call or text me. Sometimes, yes, that's the adult in charge. A lot of other times it's a fellow team or activity parent who we know pretty well who is staying.

It's like PP said, only discussed in advance with everyone involved versus just assuming. PP might discuss it in advance too and just not mentioned that.

It's not like when your kid is in Scouts or on a team you don't get to know the other families, often very well. Camp might be slightly different, but then there's usually policies that would mean that there's definitely an adult in charge.

OP here. Parents aren't allowed at swim practice at all. So the only parents present were the ones who picked up early. Swim is K-12 so the older kids do have cell phones, but I don't know of any kindergarteners with cells.

?? If you’re not allowed at the practice, why not just stay in the parking lot/lobby? That’s what I’d do if I had really young kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, this is why some parents of older kids/teens roll their eyes when parents of very young kids insist that they won't let their kids have a phone till they are 18.

I've never heard anyone say they won't let their kid have one until 18. Most people I know are hoping to get either through middle school (ambitious) or to middle school (more realistic) without one.

Those watches you can use to text are popular at our elementary school, for precisely this reason. It postpones phones while solving the connectivity issue. And it's useful that you can just put it on a kid's wrist so they can't lose it (though that won't work for swim).

And before you get too smug, maybe consider that the very reason a lot of parents of younger kids are fighting hard against getting their kids phones is because they see a lot of older kids who are phone addicted, a lot of parents who are phone addicted, may know older kids who have had issues with social media or online bullying, etc. The whole reason I'm committed to not giving my kid a phone until as late as possible is because I know so many teens who will tell me themselves that they wish they had not had tablets in elementary and had not had phones in middle.

You can get smartwatches that kids can wear during swim practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I just hate that we are pushing technology like cell phones on our kids when there could be other solutions. I don't want my kids relying on adults to text.

I also think a lot of parents have extreme anxiety and give their kids cells so they can track them. Kids deserve independence and trust.

My tweens have a kids watch. You can only call or text the people the parents have added. Works well for pick ups and change of plans. They keep them in their backpack during school and wear them for activities.

[Anonymous]

My kids are much younger so please excuse this ignorant question.

Can you not just get a basic flip phone, like the kind everyone had in 2002, for your kid? Make calls, text painfully slowly, maybe play a crappy version of snake, end of list of features?

I would want that for my kid young for exactly this reason, like in K or 1st grade, and I’m definitely not handing my kid a smartphone in elementary school. But it’s the internet that’s the concern not actual phone calls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids are much younger so please excuse this ignorant question.

Can you not just get a basic flip phone, like the kind everyone had in 2002, for your kid? Make calls, text painfully slowly, maybe play a crappy version of snake, end of list of features?

I would want that for my kid young for exactly this reason, like in K or 1st grade, and I’m definitely not handing my kid a smartphone in elementary school. But it’s the internet that’s the concern not actual phone calls.

It's easy to lock down a smart phone so the kids don't have internet access. Then they have a phone they can grow into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you on the need for pay phones, but since that is not the world we live in...
My kids have an index card with our cell phone numbers written on it. They have never had a problem getting someone to call or text me if there is some kind of issue - anywhere you leave them, there should be an adult with a phone.
Other option is a minimal cell phone - just get a prepaid phone. It's not theirs, it's yours, and it's only handed to them when they are somewhere without you.

Your plan is that "someone" will take on the responsibility of your kid.
This is incredibly selfish and irresponsible of you.

OP did not say how old her child is...but at younger ages, yes 'someone' else is responsible...bus driver. Camp counselor, coach... You do not just abandon 9 year olds in a thunderstorm because you think they should have a phone.

OP here. Yes, both of my kids are under 9 and were abandoned. The coach just cancelled it mid practice (lightning), but there was still over an hour left. Swim does continue through rain. No one was checking to make sure kids were picked up and plenty of them could just walk/bike home on their own. My kids could walk home too, but then I wouldn't know where they are, so they know to stay put.

There isn't a front desk at the pool when swim practice goes on because the pool is closed to outsiders during that time. I don't know that there is a phone there though- I'll have to check. I have an out of area cell phone number (had it for 20 years)- can regular phones call that for free now or would it be long distance?

Only my 13 year old has a phone. Before then, or with my younger kids, I make sure that I have identified an adult who my kid knows they can ask to call or text me. Sometimes, yes, that's the adult in charge. A lot of other times it's a fellow team or activity parent who we know pretty well who is staying.

It's like PP said, only discussed in advance with everyone involved versus just assuming. PP might discuss it in advance too and just not mentioned that.

It's not like when your kid is in Scouts or on a team you don't get to know the other families, often very well. Camp might be slightly different, but then there's usually policies that would mean that there's definitely an adult in charge.

OP here. Parents aren't allowed at swim practice at all. So the only parents present were the ones who picked up early. Swim is K-12 so the older kids do have cell phones, but I don't know of any kindergarteners with cells.

I'm a parent of a kid who swam young. I can't imagine the older kids, or the coaches not helping the little kids. That's not the culture of our pool.

But I would also say that if your kid is too young to know your phone number, and to ask people for help, I'd either stay in the parking lot, working in your car, or I'd find other parents and start a text thread where whoever hears first texts everyone else.

[Anonymous]

This is why you give them a dumb phone. A simple pay as you go without access to internet. Just parents numbers programed into it.

They can text and call you when needed. If I'm comfortable leaving my kid, I'm comfortable with them using a phone to call me.

[Anonymous]

We use Gizmo watches for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you on the need for pay phones, but since that is not the world we live in...
My kids have an index card with our cell phone numbers written on it. They have never had a problem getting someone to call or text me if there is some kind of issue - anywhere you leave them, there should be an adult with a phone.
Other option is a minimal cell phone - just get a prepaid phone. It's not theirs, it's yours, and it's only handed to them when they are somewhere without you.

Your plan is that "someone" will take on the responsibility of your kid.
This is incredibly selfish and irresponsible of you.

That "someone" is normally a coach who has signed up for the responsibility. Relax! No coach should be leaving the pool deck until everyone is picked up anyhow. Especially if practice is ending early.

My DH coaches a lot. When weather looks uncertain he makes a point of asking parents to stay close by. Many do and it always works out.