Teen Parenting

Gave my 13 year old a keypad phone for his tuition bus. Now three of his friends want one

maple_balcony_8145

Our son started taking the bus to tuition across Nerul this term. We gave him a basic keypad phone because the whole point was calls, not apps. We'd agreed on that as a family, and he sulked for about a week. Then someone at the bus stop discovered it has Snake. He is now the most popular boy at the stop, there's a waiting list to play, and three of his friends have asked their parents for the same phone. One of the mothers messaged me to ask where we bought it.

7 comments

  • lagoon_lantern_1396

    Snake has a way of winning people over. My daughter found it on her grandfather's old phone last week and didn't give it back for an hour.

  • moss_pool_8254

    The best part is that a keypad phone can't be added to the class group chat. Some evenings my daughter would sign up for that alone.

  • cinnamon_sandal_9058

    Enjoy it while it lasts. My son had a basic phone at 13 as well and it was cool for about four months. Then his group moved its plans to a chat app he couldn't use, and it stopped being funny for him. We had to revisit it sooner than we expected.

  • moss_marigold_6629

    my daughter calls hers the brick. still carries it on every outing though

    • mango_balcony_1110

      My daughter had a brick too. It survived being dropped in a lake on a school trip. The smartphone that replaced it did not survive one staircase.

  • olive_tiffin_4941

    Three friends want one, or three friends' parents want them to have one? Not the same thing.

  • juniper_bookmark_2628

    Showing this to my nephew's parents. They have been stuck on the phone question for months.

  • juniper_bookmark_3346

    how does he manage messages on it. my daughter would give up after one sentence

    • maple_balcony_8145

      He types faster on it than I do now. He has also discovered that if he replies with one word, people just call him instead, which suits me perfectly.

    • coral_sparrow_9924

      Replying to @maple_balcony_8145

      The one-word reply is a teenage skill whatever the phone 😊 My 17 year old's longest message to me this month was "ok amma".

    • teal_sandal_2724

      Replying to @coral_sparrow_9924

      Mine sends "k". I have been informed that "ok" would mean he is upset.

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