3 Responses

1. Casey

   October 9th, 2008 at 8:07 pm

   1

   Do you think it would be alright if parents, say, did a “random check” of their children’s cell phones? That way the kid doesn’t know when it happens and he/she has to hand it over when the parent asks for it…or would something like that be too intrusive?

2. Kimberly Herterich

   October 17th, 2008 at 12:24 pm

   2

   I have a comment about Verizon wireless. I have been able to block video and picture messaging while still having text messages (unlimited) it is a service I was offered when I was going to discontinue text messaging. It is very good, now my child can still text but not get the junkie text videos or pics from others.

   Also my husband’s company has Verizon wireless and they are not able to take pics or videos even though they have Blackberry phones.

   Your podcasts are great!! I was in your Education Week classes all week and I enjoyed them. Thanks for this great service of podcasts. I walk everymorning and I listen on my mp3 player as I walk. The six miles just flies by because I am so interested in what you have to say. Keep em coming. Maybe one with John Bytheway or Brad Wilcox about texting and manners. Brad and his son did a great presentation at Education Week for the youth about texting, maybe his son would come on your show with his dad. John Bytheway has such a following, everything he does is great and if parents listened I am sure he, along with you would teach some great information to help us as parents and our children. Like you say on your podcast things are changing fast.

3. cknutson

   November 27th, 2008 at 9:47 pm

   3

   Casey,
   Sorry I didn’t respond earlier. I think the point you bring up about spot checks on cell phones is interesting and important. It’s intrusive if the youngster has a sense of entitlement about the phone, or a sense of personal space with respect to the phone. In my view, the older the child, the more reasonable the attachment is, and the younger the child, the more dangerous it is.

   A listener suggested via email the idea of having a cell phone or two that can be checked out by teenagers on an as-needed basis so they have access to the phone when necessary, but don’t assimilate the phone into their lives so completely that it can only be surgically removed later. It means that they can’t lie awake in their bed at night texting friends or accessing questionable material on the phone’s web browser. When they return home, they place the phone back into parental control. There’s a lot of merit in considering that approach.
   Chuck Knutson