Kids/preteens and cell phones

[Disney Stine]

This might be an unpopular opinion but... are your kids going to be with you at all times or will you be letting them go off on their own? If with you at all times, maybe give them two options - one to leave it in the hotel or two to wear it with the cross body bag. I can almost bet that they will be tired of lugging a bag around for hours and inevitably ask you to hold it for them (at least that's how I feel when I walk around for hours. Bags get heavy after a while!) This can eliminate you ending up being the pack mule because if they don't want to carry it then it's left in the room. The first day of the trip will hold some insight to how the trip goes.

 

[Phonedave]

When my girls started with cell phones, they had "non-smart" phones, which are smaller than most smart-phones (even those ones with slide out keyboards are smaller). The fit in any pockets they may have much easier. Now that they are older and have graduated to smart phones, they carry them (along with all their other stuff) in small zippered purses (soft sided fabric ones) that they wear cross body when in the parks.

I ffnd that a rubbery case helps to keep your phone where you put it - in a pants pocket, in a pocket on a bag, etc. It may not be as cool as a sleek plastic case, but it helps to keep the phone in place (I have also dropped mine many times with no damage - so I believe it helps there too)

-dave

 

[WondersOfLife]

I'd suggest only a talk and text plan with no internet data available. That way they can only use the phone for things like snapchat, instagram, vine, twitter, ect.. if they have wifi. So the addiction won't be as much as most teens (like myself, sadly).

As for your question.. Honestly, I'd say don't bother bringing the phones into the parks at all. Set a place to meet if one of you gets lost from your group. Phones destroy the magic, in my opinion.

 

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

Like @figmentfan423 suggested, my kiddo puts it in a cross-body bag. Hers is small, only holding a smart phone and money. We put the phone in a baggie, for water rides. Like me, she loves to take pictures, so that's what she uses her phone for on trips. It's fun to see our trip through all of her pictures.

 

[DfromATX]

In my family, if YOU want to bring it, then YOU must carry it. The three older ones carry their cell phones and the youngest (13) will probably not bring his to the parks, too risky. He knows if anything happens to it, he would not get another one.

 

[DfromATX]

I'd suggest only a talk and text plan with no internet data available. That way they can only use the phone for things like snapchat, instagram, vine, twitter, ect.. if they have wifi. So the addiction won't be as much as most teens (like myself, sadly).

As for your question.. Honestly, I'd say don't bother bringing the phones into the parks at all. Set a place to meet if one of you gets lost from your group. Phones destroy the magic, in my opinion.

I see you are young yourself, but from a parent's perspective, young teens shouldn't be using snapchat and the like. My 3 older kids are older than 18 so who knows what they're doing (and they would never not bring their phones), but with my 13 year old we monitor everything on his phone as best as we can. Snapchat is a big no-no.

 

[DarthVader]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

As for the type of phone (smart vs. non-smart), data plans, and what not. My wife and I have made what think is the best choice, given our daughter's maturity levels and usage expectations.

I have some great options to look into, though some sort of cross body bag seems to be the most logical.

 

[RandomPrincess]

I'm just sitting here thinking thank the lord we don't have to deal with this yet.

 

[Weather_Lady]

A tiny crossbody bag like this holds a phone and all essentials, and is effortless to wear. You don't ever have to remove it -- it easily tucks around any ride restraint system.

http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/terrace-mini-bag/94557?productid=1318683

Better yet, don't allow them to bring their phones to the parks with them. They may be surprised how much more fun you can have on vacation (and how much fun you don't miss because your nose was buried in a telephone) when you unplug.

 

[DarthVader]

I'm just sitting here thinking thank the lord we don't have to deal with this yet.

Yep. I had similar thoughts a few years wgo but the March of time is relentless. My kids have been bugging me for a phone for a couple years now. Given that they're in situations where for safety sake it's more a need, deferring this issue is no longer a luxury I can enjoy

 

[WondersOfLife]

I see you are young yourself, but from a parent's perspective, young teens shouldn't be using snapchat and the like. My 3 older kids are older than 18 so who knows what they're doing (and they would never not bring their phones), but with my 13 year old we monitor everything on his phone as best as we can. Snapchat is a big no-no.

There isn't anything wrong with snapchat. It's basically texting your friends, but with pictures. However it is a HUGE data problem, so I'm not allowed to show my friends what part of Hawaii or the Bahamas I'm in without wifi!

But it is definitely a good idea not to have the app altogether. Because snapchat is very addictive!

 

[DfromATX]

There isn't anything wrong with snapchat. It's basically texting your friends, but with pictures. However it is a HUGE data problem, so I'm not allowed to show my friends what part of Hawaii or the Bahamas I'm in without wifi!

But it is definitely a good idea not to have the app altogether. Because snapchat is very addictive!

Exactly. You will understand one day when you have a gullible preteen daughter.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Exactly. You will understand one day when you have a gullible preteen daughter.

Oh ok I see the angle you are talking about. Good call!

 

[Princess Kaylee]

We love our coach satchel!

 

[DarthVader]

Two phones for free, and $39 to tracfone for 90 days of service and minutes, texts and data. Didn't run out of anything so I bought a year of service card $79 and should last him a year. That's for the whole year not per month.

I got my kids iPhone 5s off a swappa and put them on my ATT plan - I'm not a fan of trackphones. I'm sure its a fine service but its not something I entertained.

I don't think anyone under 18 should be allowed to have a smart phone.

I think it all depends on the maturity level of the person. My kids have been on instagram for a while and they are now on twitter. I don't have an issue with them on some social media provided I'm also monitoring what they're doing.

As for my original question, A small cross body bag does seem the best for them. We've looked at other things but so far none of them have really caught their attention.

 

[DarthVader]

Most modern cell phones will fit in a pocket. I have never had a problem simply keeping it there.

I might have mentioned this, but at risk of repeating myself. Kids clothing, especially girls cloths seem rather small pockets, if they have them at all. While that may very well, I want to avoid situations where they need to take the phone out of the pocket to sit. That's where the risk of leaving the phone behind is rather high.

What about a Flipbelt?

I actually thought of this for my running, though I'd not opt for hot pink

They probably will do best with the wallet/wristband combo. It's the least intrusive and a good way to hold your phone close and still hear it:

As I mull this option over, I think the risk of leaving it behind is no less then if they had no case, i.e., getting of a ride all excited and forgetting to pick it up.

In the end, I wonder if I just carry the phones will be the best bet and then if they need/want them they can use them. Like me, they love taking pictures, so the phone is less about calling someone while in the park and more about snapping images.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I know adults who run into trouble with social apps let alone teens. I don't think anyone under 18 should be allowed to have a smart phone. The amount of **** out there is staggering, one bad move with snap chat and you could very well have something you should have never taken a picture of you doing.

Little something for you and this is not an isolated incident.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larry-magid/north-carolina-teens-char_b_8173902.html

Teens doing stupid things with smartphones are no different than adults who do the same dumb things. It's not an age thing. Teens grow up in a setting that is set by their family and school and they reflect on that. It has to do with the family. Not an age.

 

[mimitchi33]

They should put their cellphones in their purse or backpack, depending on gender. That's what I do! Although the FlipBelt looks cool...

 

[DarthVader]

They should put their cellphones in their purse or backpack, depending on gender. That's what I do! Although the FlipBelt looks cool...

That's kind of what I was originally asking

I wanted ideas on what we could do for my kids, and I got lots of nice opinions on what may work. If a backup is in order, I think it will be me carrying it. A small cross body type purse for my girlies may work the best however.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Just wanted to weigh in...

I don't think an armband is an awful idea, especially since there are a number of nice waterproof options, BUT I find it to be a pain to truly use it when I've got it on my arm. It's one thing to have it up there to switch songs, but it's an entirely different issue to take a call or text IMO. Our local temps/weather are very similar to WDW's and I've never found it to be too hot...just a pain if I want to use at as anything more than a glorified iPod while exercising.

A slim wristlet isn't a bad idea. When we were at DLR, I used a snap wristlet for our park tickets. Kind of like you get used to the feeling of a watch on your wrist, you get used to the feeling of the wristlet being there and just how heavy it should be...so, it's a constant reminder that your phone should be there. Some also have little pockets inside...so it's decent for multiple purposes (i.e. some cash, gift card, etc.)

The best option, IMO, is a crossbody bag. The pics are LeSportsac ones...which I picked because they handle water a bit better. Not saying you want to go throwing them into the water at PotC, but I'm usually comfortable with taking stuff in one of these bags on something like Splash and they're a little more, well, sturdy than something like the Dooney wristlet above. The Dooney is a good bag, but the leather won't like water as much. In any event...these are some ideas for crossbody bags. With a bag, you just get so in the habit of taking it in and out that I think it's less likely to be left behind (compared to people who put them in their pockets) and they are pretty secure with all of the zippers in a bag like this.

My older one is about a year and a half away from her first phone, and while she'll probably get my old HTC Onc X handed down to her, I still don't want her to go losing it. These are the kinds of things I'm looking to for her in the parks come the time.