Dateline: Somewhere in Texas
Mom Invents App that Disables Kids’ Phones If They Fail to Answer Phone Calls
When I call my boys’ cell phones and they don’t answer, I’m 99% sure they didn’t hear the phone. I’m positive too much time won’t pass before they’re calling to apologize for missing my calls.
Even with that, I understand the Texas mom’s frustration over not being able to reach her teens when she called their phones. It led her to invent the “Ignore No More “ app.
I tried to imagine how far my parents or any parent of my generation would go to get us to do exactly what they wanted and the answer is not very far.
Were they wrong?
And if not, why are so many parents today willing to negotiate with their children about things.
In our house it’s a no lying zone. It’s a crucial time for letting my pre-teens know that honesty is the right choice, even though it comes with consequences that aren’t always favorable.
I’m still working on getting them to throw away empty food and beverage containers instead of leaving them in the cabinet or fridge.
What things in your house were non-negotiable?
In an informal poll most people said breaking curfew and taking the car without permission would land them in big trouble.
When asked what they only had to be told once some of the top responses were:
- Wear clean underwear
- Don’t wear chipped nail polish
- Shave under your arms
- Speak to adults when you enter a room
And even though for most of us cell phones weren’t part of our childhoods, there was something even better. A simple rule that transcends technology and generations: “Come when I call you!”
That never goes out of style.
