Some parents are so freaking clueless

[TwixVoy]

So a 50 something year old co-worker of mine got her 12 year old a cell phone. Hardly even knows that cell phones can be used to send what is called text messages. Was surprised a month later to get a $400 phone bill.

Started talking to me about it at work... conversation went as so:

Her: I am in a major fight with tmobile. They mistakenly billed me $400 and won't drop the charges!

Me: How did they mistakenly bill you?

Her: They charged my kids cell phone for hundreds of text messages. Can you believe that?

Me: Yea I can believe that.

Her: What do you mean?

Me: Kids love to send text messages.

Her: No she doesn't. She doesn't even know how. She told me she didn't send any messages.

Me: And you believe her?

Her: Of course! It's impossible she sent all these messages. There are multiple messages being sent per minute even on the bill, and there are even messages sent during times past her bed time.

Me: Well now you know she was up past her bed time.

Her: There is no way she could send so many messages! Tmobile just made a mistake.

Me: Trust me they didn't.

Her: So you are telling me she sent hundreds of messages in one month?

Me: Yea, I can pretty much guarantee it.

Her: No she didn't. She told me she doesn't even know how to send those messages or know anyone that knows how either. I am not paying tmobile I don't care if they send me to collections.


Guess this is what happens when you get your kid a communication device with out having a clue how it works, and then trusting your kid over tmobile when the $400 bill comes in. Problem is she didn't do her homework, doesn't know what a text message is fully her self, doesn't know you can get charged per message, and somehow is not aware kids love text messaging. Also still hasn't figured out that 99% of the time when your kid says they didn't do something bad they really did.

[reyd reid reed]

1. Oh, she's got some

good times ahead of her, doesn't she?

:P

[riverdale]

2. ha ha

I wonder if TMobile can go all Kwame Kilpatrick on her and provide a printout of those messages.

[coyotespaw]

3. If my parents saw this they'd have flashbacks

back to the days of Prodigy...

[jobycom]

4. She needs to at least figureout how to block text messages from and to the phone.

[DarkTirade]

5. You sure it was Tmobile?

With them once you run out of money for text messages you just can't send 'em anymore. :P At least that's how it is with my plan.

[billyskank]

6. Unless she was really stupid and gave her kid a contract phone.

Surely the bill was itemised? It ought to list the numbers texted and the number of texts sent to each.

[lizerdbits]

7. That stuff isn't mine, mom I'm just holding it for a friend

:rofl:

[Lyric]

8. I'm getting a cheap prepaid cell phone for OktoberKid

He's eight (almost nine,) but he spends a lot of time riding his bike around our neighborhood and playing with his friends. Because I like giving him some limited freedom to go play (like *we* had as kids) but I also like knowing that he can contact me with the push of a button if something goes wrong, we decided to get him the phone. However, I *do* understand the technology; he will only have 60 minutes of talk-time, and will only be permitted to call the numbers already pre-programmed into his phone--which does NOT include any other kids. Just me, ThinkBlue, my mom and stepfather, our local DU'er friends leftyclimber and Betaben (as emergency contacts if he can't reach us) and our friend Jeanette (again, just as emergency backup if he can't reach family.) He will be able to call for help if he needs it, but he won't be able to call friends just to goof off.

I am going to PIN-lock the "settings" feature on his phone, too--he won't know what his own phone number is, so he won't be able to give it to friends, and he also won't be able to erase the received/dialed calls or the received/sent text messages, so we can easily see what he's been using it for.

Teaching kids responsible cell phone usage is important, I think. In a few years, he'll be a pre-teen and under pressure to use it recklessly, but he'll have had several years of OUR teaching in advance to help him withstand it.

[MineralMan]

9. Good idea, and get an ugly one, too...

A phone so lame that the kid'll never take it out for fear of embarrassment. I have one like that. I carry it in my car so I can call in an emergency. I don't even know what the number is for that phone.

[Lyric]

11. We're getting him this one:

About as boring and ugly as it gets, and it's only thirty bucks (and includes a 300-minute card, but we'll take that and replace it with a 60-minute one.)

[MineralMan]

12. That's a good one. It looks cheap.

Looks like mine, actually. I bought a one-year card for mine so I don't have to keep messing with it. My old cell phone, which was the second one on the plan, cost $30/mo. I used it three times in two years. Dumb. I think I only charged it twice the whole time I had it.

I like prepaid much better.

[AwakeAtLast]

10. There should be a record in her daughter's phone

at least for the last few messages sent. She didn't even check the phone? :shrug:

It's a great evidence gathering tool, LOL!

[NV Whino]

13. The good news is...

if the bill isn't paid, the account will be canceled. No more text messages.

[arcadian]

14. Kids aren't that smart either. They don't know about paper trails.

But a cell phone is a magical device that works on the concept of thin air so denial is as good a defense as any. :D