At least we still have one good parent in society!

[gearbox]

Got this off the net. I was impressed with how this mom handled giving her 13 year old. This rules are not excessive imo at all for a 13 yr old. Rule #10 should be discussed with dad lol


Dear Gregory
Merry Christmas! You are now the proud owner of an iPhone. Hot Damn! You are a good & responsible 13 year old boy and you deserve this gift. But with the acceptance of this present comes rules and regulations. Please read through the following contract. I hope that you understand it is my job to raise you into a well rounded, healthy young man that can function in the world and coexist with technology, not be ruled by it. Failure to comply with the following list will result in termination of your iPhone ownership.
I love you madly & look forward to sharing several million text messages with you in the days to come.
1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren't I the greatest?
2. I will always know the password.
3. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads "Mom" or "Dad". Not ever.
4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30pm every school night & every weekend night at 9:00pm. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30am. If you would not make a call to someone's land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.
5. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It's a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
6. If it falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air, you are responsible for the replacement costs or repairs. Mow a lawn, babysit, stash some birthday money. It will happen, you should be prepared.
7. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
8. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
9. Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself.
10. No porn. Search the web for information you would openly share with me. If you have a question about anything, ask a person ? preferably me or your father.
11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.
12. Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else's private parts. Don't laugh. Someday you will be tempted to do this despite your high intelligence. It is risky and could ruin your teenage/college/adult life. It is always a bad idea. Cyberspace is vast and more powerful than you. And it is hard to make anything of this magnitude disappear -- including a bad reputation.
13. Don't take a zillion pictures and videos. There is no need to document everything. Live your experiences. They will be stored in your memory for eternity.
14. Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO -- fear of missing out.
15. Download music that is new or classic or different than the millions of your peers that listen to the same exact stuff. Your generation has access to music like never before in history. Take advantage of that gift. Expand your horizons.
16. Play a game with words or puzzles or brain teasers every now and then.
17. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.
18. You will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You & I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.
It is my hope that you can agree to these terms. Most of the lessons listed here do not just apply to the iPhone, but to life. You are growing up in a fast and ever changing world. It is exciting and enticing. Keep it simple every chance you get. Trust your powerful mind and giant heart above any machine. I love you. I hope you enjoy your awesome new iPhone. Merry Christmas!
xoxoxo
Mom

[gixxerboy1]

if its real sounds. Good to me.
And Mom, rule # 6 will happen. So please pay the $9.99 for the insurance. Its what another responsible person would do

[RaginCajun]

wonder what his attorney thinks about this contract?

[canesfan804]

If I was him I would not sign wo Union representation! LOL. I dont think a 13 yr old should have a phone but the contract is awesome. Great parent she sounds like my wife.

[Lunk1]

I love #18...thats how you speak to children!

[JohnnyVegas]

It is complicated and mixes advice with rules, but I like that it outlines things that will result in the phone being taken away so the kid has been forewarned.

[Bigshotvictoria]

I think the general public should sign this contract!!!!!!

What a fantastic mom!!!

[Armykid93]

Seems somewhat excessive in my opinion.
Some of it anyways

[lovbyts]

My thing is though, why does a 13 year old need an iPhone let alone a cell phone?

If they need a cell phone why do they need 1 that has Internet access?

What's wrong with a good ol basic cell phone that doesn't even have a camera if you can still get them?

[cherrydrpepper]

Then the little kids dad came home and he was like throw all that shit out the window little Jimmy the point of the iphone is to talk hot girls into sending you pictures of themselves

[JohnnyVegas]

My thing is though, why does a 13 year old need an iPhone let alone a cell phone?

If they need a cell phone why do they need 1 that has Internet access?

What's wrong with a good ol basic cell phone that doesn't even have a camera if you can still get them?

I would probably have given my kid a non-cell before the age of 13 to play games and stuff on. So, at 13, he/she would probably get a smart phone so they could continue goofing off AND have a phone.

It obviously borders on privilege for the kid, but I would want my child in contact with me. That (unfortunately) means giving them contact with others.

[kelkel]

Maybe we should start with an old rotary phone in their bedroom.

Pretty cool contract though. Thoughtful.

[wh1spa]

Maybe we should start with an old rotary phone in their bedroom.

Pretty cool contract though. Thoughtful.

Is that you in your AVI kel?!

[Misery13]

Then the little kids dad came home and he was like throw all that shit out the window little Jimmy the point of the iphone is to talk hot girls into sending you pictures of themselves

Agreed

[kelkel]

Is that you in your AVI kel?!

Yes.

[>Good Luck<]

Am I the only person who thinks this was a last ditch effort to sav her child from society, in which she will ultimately fail like every other person (by the standards set out in her contract)

Nevertheless - I wish more people were like her...

[wh1spa]

Yes.

Impressed

[cherrydrpepper]

Am I the only person who would be rubbed the wrong way by a parent doing this? Am I in the freakin twilight zone or something? Unless she found a bag of coca cola in her kids room this lady sounds like a fat bitch