A little help. How do you get your kids off of their cell phones?

[Gnat91]

A little background on this. My son... . 17 is addicted to his cell phone to the point of banging into shit while he's walking because he can't miss a text and it's constantly five inches from his face. I've taken it away a few times but he blows up ... And it's gotten to the point where I'm kinda scared... I'm 6'1 200.....he's 6'6 275... If he wanted to beat my ass there's no doubt he probably could. But I still think he has the fear of his father still with him. I'd just cancel it but he actually needs it for school work and emergencies. Any one have to deal with this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

A little background on this. My son... . 17 is addicted to his cell phone to the point of banging into shit while he's walking because he can't miss a text and it's constantly five inches from his face. I've taken it away a few times but he blows up ... And it's gotten to the point where I'm kinda scared... I'm 6'1 200.....he's 6'6 275... If he wanted to beat my ass there's no doubt he probably could. But I still think he has the fear of his father still with him. I'd just cancel it but he actually needs it for school work and emergencies. Any one have to deal with this? Any help would be appreciated.

I think taking it is the only option, but you may want to ensure the reason is legit. Grades...etc. Your kid is older so the whole value of it changes there as they need it for social reasons as well, but you can screw with him a bit. Change the wifi password a few times a week. I'm assuming you pay for the phone so maybe change the number as well. You may as well have some fun with it. Downgrade the phone to the slowest and oldest phone possible.

 

[Obliviax]

A little background on this. My son... . 17 is addicted to his cell phone to the point of banging into shit while he's walking because he can't miss a text and it's constantly five inches from his face. I've taken it away a few times but he blows up ... And it's gotten to the point where I'm kinda scared... I'm 6'1 200.....he's 6'6 275... If he wanted to beat my ass there's no doubt he probably could. But I still think he has the fear of his father still with him. I'd just cancel it but he actually needs it for school work and emergencies. Any one have to deal with this? Any help would be appreciated.

first, cut his Verizon/AT&T/etc. service. Second, buy a Amplifi Wifi system (where you can stop wifi service by device). Third, tell him "family on, phones off". Stole that from one of my 13 year old's friend.

 

[Gnat91]

I think taking it is the only option, but you may want to ensure the reason is legit. Grades...etc. Your kid is older so the whole value of it changes there as they need it for social reasons as well, but you can screw with him a bit. Change the wifi password a few times a week. I'm assuming you pay for the phone so maybe change the number as well. You may as well have some fun with it. Downgrade the phone to the slowest and oldest phone possible.

I appreciate that. One of the reasons I never canceled his phone was because all my old phones, even if they were shut off by Verizon would still be able to connect to the Wi-Fi. But I never thought of just changing the password and not telling him.

 

[Gnat91]

first, cut his Verizon/AT&T/etc. service. Second, buy a Amplifi Wifi system (where you can stop wifi service by device). Third, tell him "family on, phones off". Stole that from one of my 13 year old's friend.

I'm gonna look into that amplifi system. Thanks.

 

[Obliviax]

I appreciate that. One of the reasons I never canceled his phone was because all my old phones, even if they were shut off by Verizon would still be able to connect to the Wi-Fi. But I never thought of just changing the password and not telling him.

Several of the wifi router providers have some cool options. For example, on my new Amplifi routers, I can go in and cut her wifi service from 9pm until 7am while I leave the rest of the families wifi still running. I linked the router but you can get the mesh system as well.

 

[Chris92]

Sounds like he needs to get a job. When you're working the loading dock, there's not much of an opportunity to be playing on your phone.

 

[mgkpsu]

How does a kid "need" a phone for school work?

 

[Gnat91]

How does a kid "need" a phone for school work?

Home school ... There's more to this than I explained in my first post

 

[Player2BNamedL8r]

I think taking it is the only option, but you may want to ensure the reason is legit. Grades...etc. Your kid is older so the whole value of it changes there as they need it for social reasons as well, but you can screw with him a bit. Change the wifi password a few times a week. I'm assuming you pay for the phone so maybe change the number as well. You may as well have some fun with it. Downgrade the phone to the slowest and oldest phone possible.

Downgrade complete...

 

[johnmpsu]

Flip Phone.

 

[RochLion]

We had all pre-paid wireless and I contributed 100 per phone to each kid. Anything above that was on them.
That said, my kids (ages 18-22 now) were never the type to be texting to their friends sitting 3 feet away from them and bantering. They were into more real-life interaction. It's really kid dependent.
Honestly, send him off to do mission work in a 3rd world country like Vietnam and he'll probably come back hating his cell phone, computer, TV etc.

 

[Beachwineguy]

Take his charger. When it runs out of juice, it’s off. Might not work as well with a 17 year old, though.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

A little background on this. My son... . 17 is addicted to his cell phone to the point of banging into shit while he's walking because he can't miss a text and it's constantly five inches from his face. I've taken it away a few times but he blows up ... And it's gotten to the point where I'm kinda scared... I'm 6'1 200.....he's 6'6 275... If he wanted to beat my ass there's no doubt he probably could. But I still think he has the fear of his father still with him. I'd just cancel it but he actually needs it for school work and emergencies. Any one have to deal with this? Any help would be appreciated.

Jesus @hrist are you a pussy!!!! You should stop giving the coc#sucker money for anything. That will get his attention. If you are incapable of growing 5 inches and putting on 75 pounds of muscle, you better start using other sources of power. If he walks around in the house "banging into things", you don't need to worry about what he can do to you. SMACK HIM IN THE HEAD WITH A BASEBALL BAT WHILE HE IS NOT LOOKING. Give him a mouthful of bloody Chicklets, NHL old school style. What is wrong with you? Didn't you discipline this punk ass when he was 8?

 

[hagberg]

A little background on this. My son... . 17 is addicted to his cell phone to the point of banging into shit while he's walking because he can't miss a text and it's constantly five inches from his face. I've taken it away a few times but he blows up ... And it's gotten to the point where I'm kinda scared... I'm 6'1 200.....he's 6'6 275... If he wanted to beat my ass there's no doubt he probably could. But I still think he has the fear of his father still with him. I'd just cancel it but he actually needs it for school work and emergencies. Any one have to deal with this? Any help would be appreciated.

The statement that your son "blows up" and you're "kinda scared" indicates a much bigger problem.

WRT the phone, tell him to put it down; if he won't, take it away. Permanently. He's too old to make a necessary change to his habits on his own...necessary because HTF will he ever hold down a job while bumping into things all day?

If you don't nip this in the bud right now, get used to living in fear of your son - who'll be living in your basement for the rest of your life.

 

[#1 Nittany in VA]

Mine aren't getting one until they start driving and it will only have call/text option. Our problem is we have given preteen kids access to everything via "smart" phones. Give it 20 more years to see how dysfunctional it will have gotten.

 

[Gnat91]

The statement that your son "blows up" and you're "kinda scared" indicates a much bigger problem.

WRT the phone, tell him to put it down; if he won't, take it away. Permanently. He's too old to make a necessary change to his habits on his own...necessary because HTF will he ever hold down a job while bumping into things all day?

If you don't nip this in the bud right now, get used to living in fear of your son - who'll be living in your basement for the rest of your life.

Yeah I probably could have worded my original post a little better. I'm not in fear for my safety I just don't want it to escalate to the point of me regretting one of my actions. It's weird because it's like nothing when he loses his charger he's fine, it's only when I snatch it from him he gets pissed. I appreciate those who responded with tips. I really liked the one about changing the Wi-Fi password to mess with him I seriously never thought of it. What I'm not going to do is "take a baseball bat to his head" or throw down with my kids in the front yard like a ****in hillbilly. Whoever responded with those tips is a GD moron. Again I appreciate those who gave me some tips.

 

[john4psu]

 

[tgar]

Pepper spray.

 

[91Joe95]

Pepper spray.

Pepper spray won't work on a phone, but a taser might.

 

[psute]

We had all pre-paid wireless and I contributed 100 per phone to each kid. Anything above that was on them.
That said, my kids (ages 18-22 now) were never the type to be texting to their friends sitting 3 feet away from them and bantering. They were into more real-life interaction. It's really kid dependent.
Honestly, send him off to do mission work in a 3rd world country like Vietnam and he'll probably come back hating his cell phone, computer, TV etc.

$100 lifetime I hope?

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

Yeah I probably could have worded my original post a little better. I'm not in fear for my safety I just don't want it to escalate to the point of me regretting one of my actions. It's weird because it's like nothing when he loses his charger he's fine, it's only when I snatch it from him he gets pissed. I appreciate those who responded with tips. I really liked the one about changing the Wi-Fi password to mess with him I seriously never thought of it. What I'm not going to do is "take a baseball bat to his head" or throw down with my kids in the front yard like a ****in hillbilly. Whoever responded with those tips is a GD moron. Again I appreciate those who gave me some tips.

With all due respect, you’re the one who brought the physical aspect into it and it certainly implied a confrontation was a concern of yours. Now, you are going to take some action to “mess with him”? What a GD disaster you household must be. How about taking charge of your minor child?

 

[Gnat91]

With all due respect, you’re the one who brought the physical aspect into it and it certainly implied a confrontation was a concern of yours. Now, you are going to take some action to “mess with him”? What a GD disaster you household must be. How about taking charge of your minor child?

How bout I don't need your advice you ****ing hillbilly

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

How bout I don't need your advice you ****ing hillbilly

How about "you asked for it"?

 

[retsio]

A little background on this. My son... is 17 and because he can't miss a text and it's constantly five inches from his face. I've taken it away a few times but he blows up ... And it's gotten to the point where I'm kinda scared... I'm 6'1 200.....he's 6'6 275... If he wanted to beat my ass there's no doubt he probably could. But I still think he has the fear of his father still with him. Any help would be appreciated.

Wouldn't you just know -- Jacksonville, FL -- redneck country.
Q&A -- Are you the parent or father that is supposed to teach their children....or a pussy that 'allows' the child to run the household? Are you just trying to have him 'like' you or giving him solutions to life's problems?

Until and unless you show some courage, integrity, experience and leadership....that 'son' will be a problem for everyone as he will attempt to get away with his own feelings toward anyone and anything for a long time. You, sir, have complicated 'the' problem by not being truthful with a close family member, rather, making excuses and maybe listening to advice from whomever. Sit down with yourself and fess-up before taking devious means to make things worse. Come clean and tell your self and your son, this is how life works. Be honest for once.

 

[Connorpozlee]

Meh, let him be. It’s the way kids interact now and he’s most likely on his own in a year anyway, doing whatever he wants with the phone. Have a reasonable discussion with him and just tell him to cut back on it a bit.
I jumped my oldest daughter’s case about her phone usage recently and she argued back in such a successful way that I had to tip my hat to her and tell her that she won.

 

[Gnat91]

Wouldn't you just know -- Jacksonville, FL -- redneck country.
Q&A -- Are you the parent or father that is supposed to teach their children....or a pussy that 'allows' the child to run the household? Are you just trying to have him 'like' you or giving him solutions to life's problems?

Until and unless you show some courage, integrity, experience and leadership....that 'son' will be a problem for everyone as he will attempt to get away with his own feelings toward anyone and anything for a long time. You, sir, have complicated 'the' problem by not being truthful with a close family member, rather, making excuses and maybe listening to advice from whomever. Sit down with yourself and fess-up before taking devious means to make things worse. Come clean and tell your self and your son, this is how life works. Be honest for once.

I think I'll just go this route. ..
". SMACK HIM IN THE HEAD WITH A BASEBALL BAT WHILE HE IS NOT LOOKING. Give him a mouthful of bloody Chicklets, NHL old school style"
But thanks for playing family counselor. I asked a simple GD question. And then re-explained my original post because I didn't word it clearly. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one with this problem. And now that I think about it ... It's just a phone. It could be a lot worse.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

I think I'll just go this route. ..
". SMACK HIM IN THE HEAD WITH A BASEBALL BAT WHILE HE IS NOT LOOKING. Give him a mouthful of bloody Chicklets, NHL old school style"
But thanks for playing family counselor. I asked a simple GD question. And then re-explained my original post because I didn't word it clearly. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one with this problem. And now that I think about it ... It's just a phone. It could be a lot worse.

Seriously, you are a GD disaster of a father!

 

[retsio]

Meh, let him be. It’s the way kids interact now and he’s most likely on his own in a year anyway, doing whatever he wants with the phone. Have a reasonable discussion with him and just tell him to cut back on it a bit.
I jumped my oldest daughter’s case about her phone usage recently and she argued back in such a successful way that I had to tip my hat to her and tell her that she won.

May I suggest the following:

"The supreme quality of leadership is integrity. Without it, no real success is possible..." -Dwight Eisenhower

"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe. And it has a longer shelf life". – Frank Zappa

OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE............... Do you see, "Opportunity is nowhere," or, "Opportunity is now here"? -- Coach James Franklin

‘Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.’ John Wooden

The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion and have others listen to it…….
The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion,
but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of….particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense.

Somewhere in my computer I have a statement about stupidity -- 'watching two people sitting side by side have an argument by phone text, rather than a face-to-face conversation'


Good luck...............

 

[Gnat91]

Seriously, you are a GD disaster of a father!

Dude..I can tell you don't have kids and if you did they were probably taken away by child services a long time ago.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

Dude..I can tell you don't have kids and if you did they were probably taken away by child services a long time ago.

Don't call me "Dude", DUDE! Your calling me a hillbilly is the heaviest pebble on the scale of this debate. The pebble tilted the scale in my favor "bigly".

 

[Connorpozlee]

May I suggest the following:

"The supreme quality of leadership is integrity. Without it, no real success is possible..." -Dwight Eisenhower

"There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe. And it has a longer shelf life". – Frank Zappa

OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE............... Do you see, "Opportunity is nowhere," or, "Opportunity is now here"? -- Coach James Franklin

‘Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.’ John Wooden

The problem with today’s world is that everyone believes they have the right to express their opinion and have others listen to it…….
The correct statement of individual rights is that everyone has the right to an opinion,
but crucially, that opinion can be roundly ignored and even made fun of….particularly if it is demonstrably nonsense.

Somewhere in my computer I have a statement about stupidity -- 'watching two people sitting side by side have an argument by phone text, rather than a face-to-face conversation'


Good luck...............

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