Technology - Mobile Phones

There is no hiding from the fact that mobile phones are very much a part of everyday life and that the change in what they are used for has been rapid to say the least. Obviously as a dad I still make phone calls on mine, a Nokia Windows phone as I only use a limited amount of 'apps' and because it doesn't break when dropped. 

My older children also have phones, we made the decision that when they started High School they would need one to be able to get in touch as the school is not in the village. The eldest in fact started off with some kind of sliding Samsung pre-touch screen phone, which is still around somewhere having survived all sorts of adventures including being dropped into snow. Now of course they all have android phones, from a variety of manufacturers, with large screens just waiting to get broken at the merest sign of approaching the ground, actually one of them is shattered meaning that one of the old models that I keep in my drawer is now in use until the contract is due for renewal. 

Actually the phones are changed every two years, which given the speed that they evolve and the fact that the batteries have normally had it by this time is about right. Renewal time is a very amusing period from a dad point of view, you see however grounded your children are in real life there are two phrases that come out eventually at this time, 'my friends have all got one' and 'iPhone. These are to be ignored or/and treated with derision, depending on your mood.

This can turn into an ongoing conversation that drags on for several days, explaining that although Apple make very nice products the fact that they are very expensive and also £30 a month more than the current tariff that you are paying for does not seem to put them off. Neither it seems does relating stories of payphones or even pointing out that the only reason that they have a phone is so they can ring you, not that that ever happens, and that the additional advantages are just a bonus.

Eventually though they will understand, normally when presented with a box containing their new bought to dad's budget phone and they will be happy. Actually they will, new phones are nice, shiny and work well, so they are grateful, well for around 24 months when the whole game gets played again. 

I am sure there are plenty of people who will say that children should not get everything they want, correct by the way, or that learning the value of things is important, also correct, but if you find yourself in this situation just sit back and admire how much more advanced their skills at presenting a rational argument have become and of course never give in.

Andy