Texting

Dear Alli,
My mom gave me a cell phone but I can only use it to call people, no texting! But EVERYBODY texts! And all my friends are going to think I’m so out of loop. I keep telling her how much I need to text but she won’t listen. What can I do to convince her?
Jamie, age 13
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Dear Jaimie,

You got a new cell phone! Whoa that’s great! You’re really blessed; I didn’t get a cell phone till I was almost 17! Can you believe that? My family just didn’t think it was necessary for me to have a cell phone, or that I wasn’t old enough to act responsibly with one. So when I got a cell phone it was a pretty big deal.

Maybe that’s how you should look at having your cell phone, look at it as an opportunity to show your mom that you can act responsibly! Instead of trying to convince your Mom of something you want, like texting, see if she is willing to help you grow and act with more maturity and responsibly. Maybe ask for a set amount of texts per month, see how that goes, and then move forward. That way this is something you can both work on together instead of it being a conflict.

Hope that makes it easier for you! And remember, if your mom decides to stick to her guns, not having a cell phone and access to texting isn’t the end of the world. I sure made it okay! =)

Much love,

Alli