Comments on: MintFamily with Beth Kobliner: When Should Tykes Become Techies? http://www.mint.com/blog/family/mintfamily-with-beth-kobliner-when-should-tykes-become-techies-042012/ The blog of the free, simple personal finance solution. Track all your spending automatically, find the best deals, save more money. And save the world. Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:28:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Katie Cunningham http://www.mint.com/blog/family/mintfamily-with-beth-kobliner-when-should-tykes-become-techies-042012/comment-page-1/#comment-135887 Katie Cunningham Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:51:11 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=33479#comment-135887 You're hardly paranoid. Try to find a pay phone in a mall today. My phone went dead, and I had to call a friend to tell her (since we were using them to coordinate). 300 stores. Not one phone. Eventually, security let me use theirs, all while reminding me that they didn't HAVE to. You’re hardly paranoid. Try to find a pay phone in a mall today. My phone went dead, and I had to call a friend to tell her (since we were using them to coordinate). 300 stores. Not one phone. Eventually, security let me use theirs, all while reminding me that they didn’t HAVE to.

]]> By: Katie Cunningham http://www.mint.com/blog/family/mintfamily-with-beth-kobliner-when-should-tykes-become-techies-042012/comment-page-1/#comment-135886 Katie Cunningham Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:49:31 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=33479#comment-135886 My son will have a smart phone, come beginning of the sixth grade, but because I actually do development for them. He knows I've tricked his future phone out for my peace of mind, and that if he tries to override what I've done, there will be hell to pay. Things on it: - Google Tracks. It tracks his location. He knows it's on, and he knows to keep it on. The compromise is that he doesn't have to call me if he decides to go over to another friend's house, or hit up McDonalds after a movie gets out. - An app that alerts me if his battery is running low. If his battery runs out, that's it: your day is over. I'm coming to get you. Charge before you leave, and carry a charger with you for longer outings. - Enough credit for him to get songs he wants, or games, but it won't be linked to the main account debit card. - An alarm for curfew. Regarding the tracking (which was met by some dismay by my friends without children), I won't have a browser up, watching my son's every movement from the time he leaves the house until he goes home. I also remember a few times when I decided to change plans as a teen, and didn't tell my mother. I would have to run like heck to get back to the meet-up point, because she wouldn't understand that one friend didn't have money for the movie, so we all went to the Borders instead. My son will have a smart phone, come beginning of the sixth grade, but because I actually do development for them. He knows I’ve tricked his future phone out for my peace of mind, and that if he tries to override what I’ve done, there will be hell to pay.

Things on it:
- Google Tracks. It tracks his location. He knows it’s on, and he knows to keep it on. The compromise is that he doesn’t have to call me if he decides to go over to another friend’s house, or hit up McDonalds after a movie gets out.
– An app that alerts me if his battery is running low. If his battery runs out, that’s it: your day is over. I’m coming to get you. Charge before you leave, and carry a charger with you for longer outings.
– Enough credit for him to get songs he wants, or games, but it won’t be linked to the main account debit card.
– An alarm for curfew.

Regarding the tracking (which was met by some dismay by my friends without children), I won’t have a browser up, watching my son’s every movement from the time he leaves the house until he goes home. I also remember a few times when I decided to change plans as a teen, and didn’t tell my mother. I would have to run like heck to get back to the meet-up point, because she wouldn’t understand that one friend didn’t have money for the movie, so we all went to the Borders instead.

]]> By: Bad Parent http://www.mint.com/blog/family/mintfamily-with-beth-kobliner-when-should-tykes-become-techies-042012/comment-page-1/#comment-135834 Bad Parent Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:54:37 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=33479#comment-135834 Some children were texting while driving and caused big car accident. Some parents lost entire life saving to settle the lawsuit.... ... ... ... ... ... All parent's future is on their children's hands when the parents allowed their children to drive and gave them a cell phone ...................................................................................... ............................................. ............................ ............................... .......... ................. ............ ................... ................ ................... .................. ................ ................. ..................... ............................ ...................................... .............. ................... ..................... .......................... Some children were texting while driving and caused big car accident. Some parents lost entire life saving to settle the lawsuit…. … … … … … All parent’s future is on their children’s hands when the parents allowed their children to drive and gave them a cell phone ………………………………………………………………………….. ……………………………………… ………………………. …………………………. ………. …………….. ………… ………………. ……………. ………………. ……………… ……………. …………….. ………………… ………………………. ……………………………….. ………….. ………………. ………………… ……………………..

]]> By: Sophie http://www.mint.com/blog/family/mintfamily-with-beth-kobliner-when-should-tykes-become-techies-042012/comment-page-1/#comment-135782 Sophie Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:24:31 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=33479#comment-135782 Maybe I am just a paranoid mother, but whenever my kids aren't with me, they have a cell phone, it isn't a fancy phone, just an entry level prepaid Tracfone, its cheap, and I have peace of mind. Maybe I am just a paranoid mother, but whenever my kids aren’t with me, they have a cell phone, it isn’t a fancy phone, just an entry level prepaid Tracfone, its cheap, and I have peace of mind.

]]> By: Alysson http://www.mint.com/blog/family/mintfamily-with-beth-kobliner-when-should-tykes-become-techies-042012/comment-page-1/#comment-135746 Alysson Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:53:46 +0000 http://www.mint.com/blog/?p=33479#comment-135746 Old enough to be trusted to be someplace without an adult. Old enough to be trusted to be someplace without an adult.

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