Is It Wrong To Ban Cell Phones?

[cantwait2cruize]

When we cruise with our teenage children, all three of them split the $100.00 unlimited internet charge. (then we also take advantage of it too.):p . When we aren't busy doing family stuff, they go to the internet cafe. Win Win. Problem solved.;)

[we2cruze]

Hi, I didn't read through the whole post, so will answer without knowing what has been said so far. I totally agree with no cell phones on the cruise for all the obvious reasons. I do have one thing to suggest though. You may want to consider letting your kids use their cell phones while you are at Disney for one reason. If they will be away from you on the Disney premises during that time, you will be able to contact them and they will be able to contact you if needed. It's totally up to you, but when we go to theme parks, etc. with our kids, one of them carries a cell phone so we can keep in touch. Of course you can always do the meeting periodically at set places if you definitely want to have no cell phones. Have fun.

[halos]

My point wasn't really that it isn't a parent's place to make rules or decisions for their family. And yes, if you're paying the bill for something, it's your right to oversee it as you see fit. My point was, if you give someone freedom (and responsibility) for something and then take it away, don't expect that to go over real well. I suppose if you've taught your children that they don't dare speak up when they think you're being unfair, you'd never have to deal with this. I applaud the OP, who made a decision, but wasn't above asking his/herself (and the board) if it was the right thing to do.

 

I guess I'm coming form the position that this is family time. I also don't want my DH contacting work while we're on vacation. My idea of vacation is leaving home at home/work at home.

I'm really fortunate that my girls never even asked about communicating in any form with friends at home while we were away.

No, my children are not afraid to speak up when they think something is unfair, :rolleyes: and I find it odd that you would suggest that they are just because I have rules that I stand by and that my kids don't question/argue with me over my rules. I guess their idea of unfairness does not include being banned from chatting with friends while on a family vacation.

[purplephenom]

On our first cruise, which was last month, my parents essentially told my brother and me (he's 17, i'm 21) to use our best judgment with the cell phones, which really surprised both of us. I chose to leave mine at home, he chose to bring his along. He sent a couple texts while we were embarking, but once we got on the ship, I think he sent maybe 2 or 3 texts- and they were both that first night. After that, there was so much to do, he was either out and about, or asleep, and I don't think the cell phone got used again until we got back to Miami. And I was wondering if I'd like going a week without my phone- I wished I had it maybe once during the trip. And it was great- we tended to go our separate ways for at least part of the day, so we really didn't have a way to keep in touch with our family members, but it was that much nicer when we were all getting dressed for/at dinner, to be able to share stories of our respective days. Because usually when we go out as a family, even to the mall or something, we split up and use our cell phones to track each other down, and this was a great change. So I guess what I'm saying is even if you have your cell phones along, they may not get used as much as they usually would.

 

And oh yeah, much to my parents surprise, neither one of us even considered using the internet. When we got into Grand Cayman we saw a sign for an internet cafe, and we both sort of looked at it, and were like "why would we go online?" But then, when we got home, the first thing we both did was hop on AIM for a bit, so maybe we missed it more than we thought?

[vafamily5]

Thank you all for the input. I do feel much better about making a parental decision of "banning" cell phones on our family vacation. I really did want to hear from others to see if....as my daughter puts it....."Mom, you need to get with the millennium." LOL.

 

What this post did show me is that some parents are alot more liberal than I am, and that is OK. I can now see how my kids must think I am too conservative (and old fashion) when it comes to some things. Oh Well........

 

I do like the idea of walkie talkies for Disney World.

[crusinmama06]

My kids aren't at that age yet (thank God...lol) but I honestly feel like you are doing the right thing. When we go out to dinner, my 3 nieces (ages 20-24) spend the dinner texting friends and the phones never stop ringing. I ask them if they are doctors that NEED to be in constant touch for emergency situations DURING dinner. :rolleyes: Their parents let them talk through dinner.

 

I have already warned my 7 year old that when she is older and has a cell phone there will be NO cell phones at dinner or ANYWHERE the family is gathered unless she gets her PHD in emergency medicine and she is needed at once...lol.

 

Not to mention the cost of calling from the ship. My Mother In Law learned that lesson with a $495 cell phone bill. Yes I laughed. :D

 

THere is no "get with the times" in my house. This is MY time. ;) And I wouldn't spend it with my kids with a cell phone growing out of their ear.

 

You go mama! :D

[momofmn00]

THere is no "get with the times" in my house. This is MY time. ;) And I wouldn't spend it with my kids with a cell phone growing out of their ear.

 

You go mama! :D

 

LOL~YOU GO MAMA!

[French_Fry]

Madison Avenue (aka the Pied Piper) dictates the times and the lemmings (aka the children and adults) go along.

 

I applaud anyone who has the courage and conviction of thier beliefs to "think outside the box."

 

And for the record my DD before 18 and while I am paying the bill would not be allowed the cell phone on the cruise. And since we have only one child she would always be with us and would not need a cell phone at a theme park either.

 

And that as they say is that.

[JCDeck]

Cell phones stay home. What a double edged sword they have become.

[walkswife]

How about the parents vacation? :( I think I would have found a Grandparent' date=' trusted Aunt or friend and left 'the brat' at home and gone on the cruise and enjoyed being away from her for a few days! Just imagine what is going to happen as she gets older! :eek:

Luv's Crusin'[/quote']

 

I would have been on that cruise and my child would have been at grandma's house without her cellphone (of course she didn't have one in 8th grade) and grandma doesn't have the internet!!!!!!

[jessemon]

And it seems you haven't figured out how to read someone's post before replying to it. Look at the OP's post again. They did lay down the rules for their children, and they weren't "asking us what to do", they were asking for other people's opinions and initiating discussion.

 

This whole issue can be a tough one. It's easy to say that Mom and Dad's word should be law, but if your children are old enough to be using cell phones etc, they're probably also old enough that they've been given some discretion on when and where they are used. I would hope a 16 yr old has matured enough that they no longer need mommy and daddy dictating every minute of their lives. Sooo, if a teenager has been given that freedom, suddenly taking it away is bound to generate some grief. We adults don't always take it lying down when someone comes along and changes the rules on *us*, do we? It's not unreasonable for a parent to bar cell phones on a family vacation, nor it is unreasonable for a teenager to gripe about that. Just my $0.02 CDN :)

Yes I did read it and understood it. They are looking for reinforcement for a decission that has already been made. Why ? Why ask us ?

I think the kids will (As the poster put it) "wine" them into it....:eek:

I was just giving them the reinforcement (in my own way) that it appears they were seeking......;)

[cruzegirl]

I don't think your wrong and completely applaud you:D :D It is vacation time and the only reason for a cell phone is for emergencies, not routine conversation with kids...... Keep it firm....;)

[travelgrammy]

My point wasn't really that it isn't a parent's place to make rules or decisions for their family.

 

I understood that, what I was trying to say (badly) is that the parent knows their children and what they're trying to accomplish, so s/he knows if the ban is appropriate. For instance, my niece (in the Air Force and on her own, if anyone's inclined to bash her parents) has a bad habit of texting while she's shopping or conversing with other people. It gives the impression that she's not that interested in the live people she's with, and is extremely rude. If I had a teenager who had proved to have this habit on shorter outings, of course I'd ban the phone. They haven't used it responsibly.

 

OTOH, my daughter uses her phone when she has to and sometimes forgets to bring it at all when she goes somewhere. She's also a very responsible girl and takes cost into consideration--not to mention there was a time zone change of three hours. And she's one of those strange ducks who actually like being with older relatives! In her case, there was no reason to ban the phone, so I gave her the choice of whether to take it or not. She decided she'd rather buy internet time, and that's why her phone was at home.

 

Either way, it's the parent's call, and what everyone else thinks isn't that important.

 

Anne