<p>I cannot fathom a world in which a pre-teen needs a data plan. My med school DD just got one in med school, my DD who will attend grad school this fall still does not feel anything is important enough to obtain instantly that she needs to pay.</p>
<p>I still don’t have an iphone. Take it away and send it to me 
Or take it away and get her a regular phone and ipod, use the iphone with internet yourself. No sense fighting this addiction battle for the rest of her teens</p>
<p>^^ I think most of the young people who “need” a data plan are not paying for it. Find out if they “need” it if the $20-30/month is coming out of their allowance or pay.</p>
<p>Like somemom’s kids, my S - a techie with an Engineering degree and making great pay - doesn’t have a data plan, because he doesn’t find anything important enough to obtain instantly at that cost.</p>
<p>I’m a somewhat early adopter myself of tech gizmos. I have a Blackberry and have had for many years. Had a data plan when I needed it for work. Don’t need it for work anymore, so cancelled the data plan.</p>
<p>12-year old needing a data plan? No. 12-year old needing a text plan? No. If the family feels the 12-year old needs a cell phone for “emergencies” (I don’t even think that is a need, but I know I’m outmoded on that), then a cheapo deapo cell phone will serve that need perfectly.</p>
<p>In our household, H has a pre-paid plan with a cheapo phone that he rarely uses (just calls to say when he’s coming home or delayed & can’t bring it in to his office in any case). S & D both have text plans but don’t use them much. Neither of them have data plans, nor does H nor I. I have two cell phones–one is pre-paid $30/mo for 1500 or 1800 minutes/texts/month. It is more than enough; that one is for all my office calls. When our cell plan expires in a few months, I’m thinking of just having us all have pre-paid phones. The kids mostly text & S won’t be able to take his phone to his workplace either. For $100/year, you can have 1000 minutes/messages or switch to $30/month for more minutes/texts/month.</p>
<p>S & H are both tech geeks but see no reason they need a data plan. My S finally got one because she finds her job extremely tedious & being able to subtly check e-mails while at her job comforts her & makes the job slightly more palatable.</p>
<p>If you’re having trouble with limits for a 12-year-old, you’re in for a very turbulent teen and young adulthood period. Our kids only had pre-paid cell phones with minimal minutes until I needed them to have them in HS so we could coordinate transportation & other details. I have needed to have some means of getting in touch with them in college as well. It really is unhealthy and limits the kids’ socialization to have too much access to tech like texting and data plans. We had computers ONLY in the family room until our kids reached college, so anyone could glance over the shoulder.</p>
<p>People have asked me when I plan to add a data plan–at this point, don’t envision it at all. Have access to computers at home & when we travel, can generally use the computers at the conferences I attend.</p>
<p>
We also had computer only available to DS in family space. We relaxed that at a slightly younger age than HImom (late junior year of hs, as I recall).</p>
<p>But for a 12 year old? No way. I cannot imagine allowing a 12-year old to have unrestricted and unsupervised Internet access on any device. There are safety issues, there are addiction issues and there are basic parenting issues of what are good and healthy activities for our kids at different ages.</p>
<p>Boy, I can top the ‘12 year old with a data plan’ thing.</p>
<p>At Christmas, my sister gave her twin 8 year olds and her 11 year old each an iPhone. My jaw hit the ground. The only reason to give kids that young iPhones is because you want them have a status symbol dangling from their hand (comment not directed at OP). One of the 8 year olds managed to leave her iPhone in the taxi from the airport (it was recovered). And then, my sister had the nerve to complain her 11 year old rang up $100 in texting charges (we were out of the country vacationing as a family). I did an excellent job of biting my tongue on that one.</p>
<p>Can’t wait to see what happens when her kids hit puberty. She’s clearly in for a bumpy ride.</p>
<p>Yup. And imagine the great lesson they’re learning in money management, while she’s at it. I suppose she’ll be shocked when they run up big credit card bills in their early 20’s fulfilling their every desire with no concept of deferred gratification.</p>
<p>Hello hhmom, know you in another thread…
Apparently your d is a very bright kid. Maybe you can reason with her. she obviously is not an ordinary 12 year old. Take suggestions from some of these posts. She trumped the SAT at age 11 compared to HS seniors and a great musician and sport and all that, she should know addiction is not good for her future. Kids are kids I know, but some kids may be able to get through a little easier…
idk, maybe exceptionally smart kids are also exceptionally stubborn.
Anyway, good luck, but be tough, and, be patient.</p>
<p>I’m so relieved that mobile phones were not that common 10 years ago when my first D hit early teens. I didn’t have to face the dilemma of what was acceptable and appropriate usage. However when she finally got a phone at 17, she was still too immature as it became the most important thing in her life! I still cringe to think of a visit to one of her potential university open days when we both attended a presentation and she could not stop ducking her head every few seconds to check on another text arriving. At one point the lecturer was actually talking to her and she still had her phone in her hand under the desk! When I challenged her with her complete lack of manners she struggled to understand how discourteous she had been. Her comment - but 'm hundreds of miles away from my mates and this is the only way we can keep in contact!</p>
<p>Needless to say the trip back was interesting and we laid down some ground rules on her use of the pone when she was with family or other adults. I said she could be as rude as she wanted with her friends and hoped one day one of them would also call her out on it.</p>
<p>We now have a ‘no phones at the table’ rule and face to face always takes precedent over phone to phone. But all three forget sometimes. </p>
<p>I do wish my children did not have the overwhelming number of distractions today - mobile phones, i pods, facebook, emails, twitter. I hate to think how little studying I would have managed with all that going on at the same time.</p>