Beam me up!

Stardate 10906.13.

Where, oh where, has my little child gone?

Skibbie has been sucked into the screen of the cell phone that we gave her for graduation. We have concluded that it is actually a Star Trek like portal that transports her from sleepover to sleepover.

Skibbie had been begging for a cell phone since 4th grade. Big Daddy and I made a deal with our A/B honor roll Skibbie - make straight A's in any one six weeks and we will buy you a cell phone. For seven six week grading periods in a row, she came home with 6 A's and 1 B...AND...the B had been 1 point from an A every. time. The A's were low A's, but still A's.

Sorry, no cell phone.

As the end of school approached, she starting questioning us about what would happen if she NEVER got all A's. Is it bad to have 6 A's and 1 B?

She knows how to phrase a question and just cut you to the bone.

She might grow up to be an attorney.

With much debate among us, Big Daddy and I decided that we would give her the cell phone for graduation. We knew her average for the year would be an A, and we could see she was getting discouraged (this is an unreachable goal with my soccer schedule). We decided the A average for the year would be good enough..........we are raising a well-rounded child, and she shouldn't have to give up her sport when she is actually meeting our overall expectations.

Next came the rules of engagement for the phone:

1. Phone must be turned off at 9 pm every night.
2. No phone at church or school or the dinner table.
3. I have FULL audit capabilities, meaning, I could pick up your cell phone at any time and read what your friends are typing.
4. Must maintain A/B average to continue to have service for the cell phone.
5. If phone is lost or broken, it will not be replaced by the parents.
6. Phone will not be loaned to anyone.
7. Talk time is for mom (we share phone minutes). I don't want your friends wasting my minutes when they are calling to say, "whatcha doin?"
8. If I deem a friend to be using inappropriate language, that friend will be "deleted".
9. No texting to anyone who is physically in the same room.
10. No photos are to be taken or sent - ever!

I actually take cell phones away from the peeps when they sleepover. The phones go on the counter in the kitchen, so the peeps can use them if they need to call parents or text other friends.....but they are required to do it in a public space in our home.

What rules do you have for your peep's phones? I need all the advice I can get.......I'm boldly going where I've never gone before.