To Phone or Not To Phone?

[Luv2Skydive]

I think you should have the sex talk. I know it seems early, but my little half-brother nearly got suspended from school after he was found making out with a girl when he was 11. Not only was he embarrassed, if someone didn't step in, he might have gotten the bad girl pregnant. Girls aren't responsible enough to handle birth control, etc. until much older, and I think kids are experimenting at young ages now.

Thanks, I've got an application for military school now. The Alaska Military Youth Academy is looking pretty good right now.

Seriously though.....I've been asking other parents about THE TALK....they haven't had it yet either. My parents sat me down at age 9 WITH books (my dad was a nurse) and I had to pretend like I didn't have a clue even though I think I could have given them a few tips from being told things by friends and relatives.

[Kasdeja]

I voted to hand him the phone...just because he's on the phone doesn't mean he's going to want to go on a date right away. I remember talking to boys on the phone at that age and I didn't get to date until 16. I wouldn't advocate being too strict, though...I know first hand what kids do with the first taste of freedom when they've had a very sheltered upbringing. Ithink you handled it well, actually.

[Killthesmiley]

I think you should have the sex talk. I know it seems early, but my little half-brother nearly got suspended from school after he was found making out with a girl when he was 11. Not only was he embarrassed, if someone didn't step in, he might have gotten the bad girl pregnant. Girls aren't responsible enough to handle birth control, etc. until much older, and I think kids are experimenting at young ages now.

Thanks, I've got an application for military school now. The Alaska Military Youth Academy is looking pretty good right now.

Seriously though.....I've been asking other parents about THE TALK....they haven't had it yet either. My parents sat me down at age 9 WITH books (my dad was a nurse) and I had to pretend like I didn't have a clue even though I think I could have given them a few tips from being told things by friends and relatives.

Trust me Luv...YOU HAVE to have the sex talk now!!!
I really suggest parents start an open discussion around the age of six. Because usually at schools, they start sexual harrassment and sexual assault talk by the first grade. When the school starts opening doors like that, then it starts the ball rolling for questions.

[Ziola]

Well luv, he's my 2 cents. My son is 8, turning 9 at the end of March, and we've already started talking about sex with him. Not because we think he's going to loose his virginity any time soon (girls still have cooties ), but because we want him to be comfortable with his body, his sexuality and be able to talk to us about it. Both of our children know (and our daughter is only 4), that if they want to play with themselves, they have to do so in the shower when they are alone or in their bedrooms with the door closed. We call it happy time

That being said, I can remember being boy crazy at age 11. We would call boys and talk on the phone for hours, about absolutely nothing. It drove my parents crazy! So much so that they ended up getting me my own phone line so I wouldn't tie theirs up I went on "dates" at that age, but they were mostly group dates, where a whole bunch of us went out for pizza and movies together, or we hung out at someones house and played games, ate food, watched movies. I know that kids now are a bit more advanced then I was at their age, but I also think that we have to give them some sort of freedome and ability to make decisions. I think that calling the girls back is no big deal. And if he decides that he would like to spend additional time with one (or more) of them, perhaps you should have a small gathering at your house? Nothing big, just a pizza, movie and games night with him and his friends? That way, you can keep and eye on things without seeming like an overprotective or uncool mom...

[Luv2Skydive]

Those are really good suggestions Ziola. I get the feeling he isn't too thrilled about discussing anything with me so I need to approach this with extreme caution so I don't freak him out and he shuts down forever. If we got him his own phone ( was about his age, a little older when I got a phone line) it would only be $10 a month. However, he would forget his own head if it wasn't screwed on so I think we'll wait on that a bit. Plus, if he uses mine I'll know when he's talking and maybe that can help open the lines of communication. Girls are still fairly icky to him, but I think the girls are going to change that status before the end of the school year.

[betz28]

came in late on this...what did you do...let him call her back?

[Luv2Skydive]

Yeah, I asked a couple of questions and then let him call her. She wasn't home and he found out that she had lost her cell phone......at 11 years old and girl is losing her CELL PHONE!

[betz28]

hmmmmmmm.............

[Mirage]

Yeah, I asked a couple of questions and then let him call her. She wasn't home and he found out that she had lost her cell phone......at 11 years old and girl is losing her CELL PHONE!

It's freaking insane to be giving an 11 year old girl a cell phone anyways, unless it's one of those uber-cool Disney ones that tracks the kid wherever they go. But honestly, my mom would have laughed in my face had I asked for a cell at that age.

[Luv2Skydive]

I told my son he could have a cell phone when he's at places without a parent.....so basically when he's driving? Yeah, I wish......but he will be at least 14. I hardly talk on the phone so he can use mine at home. We don't have a landline, just cells. I think I'd have more to worry about it I had a girl. I talked on the phone ALL THE TIME when I was younger, but I also lived in the country so I didn't have anything else to do except talk on the phone and get in trouble.

[Mirage]

I told my son he could have a cell phone when he's at places without a parent.....so basically when he's driving? Yeah, I wish......but he will be at least 14. I hardly talk on the phone so he can use mine at home. We don't have a landline, just cells. I think I'd have more to worry about it I had a girl. I talked on the phone ALL THE TIME when I was younger, but I also lived in the country so I didn't have anything else to do except talk on the phone and get in trouble.

Ha, exactly. I got internet access at 12-13 years old. Trust me, I ran bills UP! My mom would have to take the keyboard with her when she went to work! But yeah, once you start driving it makes sense to get one. I don't even have one! I had one a couple years ago and never used it so I got rid of it. Smart, huh?

[Luv2Skydive]

Hehehe.....she called again. He was on the phone for at most :45 seconds. She asked him if he had a Valentine and he apparently said no and that's about it. Hahahaha.....girls still have cooties. Phewww!

I did, however, tell him if he wanted to get anything special for someone in his class other than a card he needed to tell me so we can go pick something up tomorrow and he just said "Ok".

[Mirage]

Hehehe.....she called again. He was on the phone for at most :45 seconds. She asked him if he had a Valentine and he apparently said no and that's about it. Hahahaha.....girls still have cooties. Phewww!

I did, however, tell him if he wanted to get anything special for someone in his class other than a card he needed to tell me so we can go pick something up tomorrow and he just said "Ok".

Ok, now that is cute! Awww.