tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post5218815686284633125..comments2023-07-22T04:25:04.122-05:00Comments on Not Quite What I Had Planned: I’ll text you my answers. Ha! Kidding! No I won’t.Kristiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18325715096763265816noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-81071638363328947292008-07-07T10:45:00.000-05:002008-07-07T10:45:00.000-05:00According to my kids, I am a charter member of the...According to my kids, I am a charter member of the Meanest Mom Club! And when they were younger and asked me why I was so mean, I always replied "When I was leaving the hospital after giving birth to you, the nurse placed you in my arms and told me 'Remember - you must be mean'! Case closed - I was just following instructions! Now - what can I bring for the first official meeting?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-74271445717542843482008-07-07T08:57:00.000-05:002008-07-07T08:57:00.000-05:00I have never posted, but thought I would reply wit...I have never posted, but thought I would reply with this. I am 27, when I was in HS, one of my good friends had a cell phone, back then we didn't get cell phones until we could drive, incase we got stranded somewhere, etc...Anyways, her parents did not tell her the cell phone number, not sure if you can still do that or not. She could only call out and her parents could call her. That way she couldn't give her number out to friendsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-70332086993343313732008-07-05T11:14:00.000-05:002008-07-05T11:14:00.000-05:00Kristie, you are so funny!I have been in the 'Mean...Kristie, you are so funny!<BR/>I have been in the 'Meanest Mom' club for over two years now because I won't give Madie a cell phone, wireless laptop, or the latest game gadget. Although she did save her money and buy her own Nintendo DS a few weeks ago! (Yeah!)<BR/>And, it's so funny because now my son has a little girl and I have to keep telling him that he has to be her dad, not her friend! She is going to have lots of friends, but only one dad! (ha!ha!)<BR/>I have conceded a slight bit, in that when we go out shopping she gets to carry my cell phone in her purse. So far, that has kept her happy!<BR/>HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-15564399199711338882008-07-04T22:53:00.000-05:002008-07-04T22:53:00.000-05:00Well, my response to your entry regarding cell pho...Well, my response to your entry regarding cell phones and texting is causing me to eat crow. My son just broke his jaw in an accident and now can only communicate with us via text as his mouth is wired shut (the silver lining in all of this; a teenager who can not speak for four months!) So in spite of my objections to cell phones and texting I guess this where I step in and say technology can be wonderful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-66623270784188862912008-07-04T22:17:00.000-05:002008-07-04T22:17:00.000-05:00Well said. I used to be the meanest mom. Then my b...Well said. I used to be the meanest mom. Then my baby turned 18. Suddenly I have become smarter in my children's eyes. Your turn will come.Mama Bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16745443257891824715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-91348190705819175732008-07-04T17:26:00.000-05:002008-07-04T17:26:00.000-05:00I'm in the club. I didn't let mine have cell phone...I'm in the club. I didn't let mine have cell phones until high school. long after their friends had them.<BR/>The first week we should discuss limiting phone time to 10 minutes a day HAHAHA.katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17344546666806346254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-61941831631483999292008-07-04T09:09:00.000-05:002008-07-04T09:09:00.000-05:00Sign me up for that club! I know I'm definitely i...Sign me up for that club! I know I'm definitely in the running for meanest mom according to my children. It's also nice to hear that my children are not the only ones who think they need everything & they need it now!Stacie from MNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16593280395250175507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-61307778819286491202008-07-04T00:22:00.000-05:002008-07-04T00:22:00.000-05:00Oh yeah-by the way, I founded the meanest moms clu...Oh yeah-by the way, I founded the meanest moms club years ago. My older two girls are just now to the point that maybe I'm not so bad after all. It does get better and they do eventually come around to "Mother knows best!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-64158641032120481522008-07-04T00:20:00.000-05:002008-07-04T00:20:00.000-05:00I'm with Cate...I'll join the club, I just don't h...I'm with Cate...I'll join the club, I just don't have a kid either. Is that a prereq? <BR/><BR/>The mom I babysit for sometimes has ME do certain things with the kids because she knows they'll respond differently to me. How do you think I ended up sitting in on piano lessons every week? <BR/><BR/>I love how you took all of this information and put it out there for your readers. To succeed, kids need structure, and often times (although they may not admit it at the time), they love it. Too often I have seen parents want to "give independence" at too early an age, and unfortunately, adolescents typically don't know how to handle the freedom. <BR/><BR/>So, call it the meanest mom club, but one day your kids (and their teachers!) will love you for it.Haleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08712911573307343283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-86002809755397408172008-07-04T00:17:00.000-05:002008-07-04T00:17:00.000-05:00Okay just curious and hope its okay to ask for fee...Okay just curious and hope its okay to ask for feedback on your site? How do you activate the GPS on a phone and how do you make the phone keep a record of all incoming and outgoing texts even if they erase? For us, cell phones have been a mixed blessing. Our kids (20,18 and 16) text incessantly, but we can also get ahold of them at any time and visa versa. We made them check their phones in to us at 10PM if they were home. When they graduated high school, which two of them have now, they get the privilege of keeping them, still with the understanding of no texts after 11PM. As far as I know, we have avoided any of the uglier problems with cell use- I think only one ugly message has been received by one of my children. Brian and I text quite frequently, especially during the school year when I am teaching and can't answer calls. I just got our youngest (10) a pay as you go phone a few months ago only because she was going on a school trip, we had a funeral and couldn't go, so I wanted her to be able to call if she needed to. It went right back in the drawer when she got home where it will stay until and if we have to be separated again. <BR/><BR/>Kristie-Brian and I (especially me) really enjoy your site. We really laughed at your post about Sonic and Steve. I have been "lurking" since you all's 20 year reunion. Thanks for the laughs and info.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-78845344307072197832008-07-03T22:57:00.000-05:002008-07-03T22:57:00.000-05:00I haven't read the replies from the last post, and...I haven't read the replies from the last post, and haven't even finished reading this post. Still, I wanted to chime in on the age thing. My oldest, who is now 15, has talked about a cell phone for a couple of years. What finally made me break down and buy her one was a class trip to Quebec for her grade 8 end of the year trip. She was going with 3 or 4 adults, and 2 classes of kids. They would be left to walk around the mall, as well as Old Quebec City by themselves. I chose to drive to Quebec and stay with a friend, and to buy her a cheap, pay as you go phone. She was in a French speaking province, and knew very little French. For my own piece of mind, she got the phone. I would have just loaned her mine, but I needed it for the trip, myself. She now just uses only once in a while, and just if she's going somewhere that I'd like her to have it for safety reasons.<BR/><BR/>My then 11 year old also went to Quebec last year, and I was at home. I sent my phone with her.<BR/><BR/>Those are the only reasons I think my kids have needed a phone, and I'm still sticking to that with them.<BR/><BR/>OK, back to read the rest...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-26286912687017955712008-07-03T22:08:00.000-05:002008-07-03T22:08:00.000-05:00When I was 11 I decided that I absolutely HAD to h...When I was 11 I decided that I absolutely HAD to have a cell phone, and spent the entire summer begging, pleading, and harassing my parents to please, please, please, get me one "in case of an emergency". I was convinced that all of my friends in middle school would have a phone, and desperately didn't want to be left out. Granted, I did have a few more legitimate reasons than Brayden to have my own phone -- I took the subway to school, walked by myself to ballet and soccer after school, and generally had a fair amount of freedom to hang out with friends. <BR/><BR/>FINALLY, my parents agreed to get me a cellphone before I started sixth grade that fall. My school was only about three blocks north of the WTC, and the third day of school ended up being September 11th, 2001. When we evacuated the building, everything was absolutely crazy (the smoke was literally suffocating, people were jumping out of the north tower which soon after collapsed, the streets were completely chaotic, etc) and many of us ended up spending the night in the lobby of a downtown hotel. What do you know...my cellphone was the *only* one that worked. Not only was I able to contact my parents and make sure they were ok, but many of my classmates and teachers were able to call loved ones as well. Although not a funny subject, I still joke with my parents that all of my nagging led to me being able to perform a real public service.<BR/><BR/>Of course, now that I am about to head off to college in California, things have turned around. My mom just bought a new plan with more minutes and unlimited texting with some kind of hope that we'll stay in touch every five minutes. Riiiiight. <BR/><BR/>ANYWAY, after that long saga, my 18-year-old advice would be to get Brayden a phone whenever she does start spending more time away from a parent. My little sister had a disney phone for a while that only let her call/receive calls from my parents and a couple of other adults they trusted. I think it gave them some piece of mind more than anything.<BR/><BR/>-Sarah (a lurker who followed you over from CB)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-38129570676430928792008-07-03T21:22:00.000-05:002008-07-03T21:22:00.000-05:00Oh, Anonymous, tsk tsk .... did you not read the v...Oh, Anonymous, tsk tsk .... did you not read the very remark I made about how great it was we had this discussion with no snarky comments? And then you had to go and say something like that .. (sigh) <BR/><BR/>Let me guess, you were a fat, unhappy kid who punched clowns, too?<BR/><BR/>I strongly suggest if you don't like my fantasy world, you exit it by hitting the little red button in the top right corner of your computer.Kristiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18325715096763265816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-55626586346507935432008-07-03T20:58:00.000-05:002008-07-03T20:58:00.000-05:00I think you are living in a fantasy world and shou...I think you are living in a fantasy world and should try to get ready for having three teenagers, which WILL happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-43905710278668726042008-07-03T19:46:00.000-05:002008-07-03T19:46:00.000-05:00I'm in for the Meanest Mom Club, too! I'm a stay-...I'm in for the Meanest Mom Club, too! I'm a stay-at-home mom, too...and sometimes "mean" just translates into "me doing my job"!!<BR/><BR/>I'm not sure if I'm being redundant in answering this, because I haven't read through all of these posts...but yes, we're in the 21st century still. The 22nd starts in the year 2100...and I'm fairly certain that NONE of us will be here to enjoy it!!! So enjoy the 21st, girlfriend!!!! :)<BR/><BR/>Julie H.<BR/>Bucks County, PAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-36068595485246573462008-07-03T19:04:00.000-05:002008-07-03T19:04:00.000-05:00I would like to join the Mean Mother club. Oh yes...I would like to join the Mean Mother club. Oh yes. And I'm all for Diet Dr. Pepper from Sonic being the official beverage.<BR/><BR/>I told my kids (ages 15 and 12) a long time ago that it was my job to be their mother and not their friend. Fortunately... my daughter is being my friend but she still understands the limits. <BR/><BR/>Sign me up.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13293831414380058340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-61717442616043847192008-07-03T18:48:00.000-05:002008-07-03T18:48:00.000-05:00Can't help it, had to pop back in ... I'm chucklin...Can't help it, had to pop back in ... I'm chuckling while I'm typing this so please nobody take offense ... quite a few people have stated they don't understand how and/or why kids use texting so much to communicate. Could it possibly be that texting is to kids what blogging is to their parents?? <BR/><BR/>Just one of those things that makes me go 'hmmmmmmmm .... ' ;-)<BR/><BR/>I'll just go pop back on out now!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-42674577078608845972008-07-03T16:45:00.000-05:002008-07-03T16:45:00.000-05:00You go girl! I love your blog and highly agree wi...You go girl! I love your blog and highly agree with you about cell phones for young kids and texting in general! My children will not have cell phones until either they can pay for them or there is some reason necessary. There was ONE instance when I let my daughter borrow it for a GS trip I couldn't go with her on. I knew she was with a very trusted adult but still felt safer giving it to her just in case. As far as texting, the abbreviations are annoying and it takes too long to text! I don't understand why people have to be doing it all the time!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-89323191748783178562008-07-03T16:09:00.000-05:002008-07-03T16:09:00.000-05:00Count me in as a future member of the Meanest Mom ...Count me in as a future member of the Meanest Mom Club!!!!! Since my daughter is only five (and the all important 3/4) she still thinks I'm the coolest person in the world. I do anticipate that once she realizes that she has parents who set boundaries and care about things like manners, respect, responsibility, etc., she's bound to, at one time or another, whine about how "everyone else on the whole entire planet" except for her gets to have "so much fun!". This is the exact quote that my my recently reminded me that I gave her too many times to count as a teenager. What goes around comes around I guess!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-74144687769359177932008-07-03T15:35:00.000-05:002008-07-03T15:35:00.000-05:00I have to be President of the MMWC!! My children w...I have to be President of the MMWC!! My children will insist:) My oldest son (26) asked me (when he was about 15) if I woke up every morning thinking of ways to make his life miserable. I told him it was my duty and right as a Mother, and if I pissed him off or embarrassed him at least once a day, then my goals for the day had been accomplished! So there.....can I be President??<BR/>~Debbie~Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-82917576791960406462008-07-03T15:16:00.000-05:002008-07-03T15:16:00.000-05:00I didn't read all of yesterday's comments so I mig...I didn't read all of yesterday's comments so I might be repeating what someone else said. My son got a phone when he was on his own. He started walking to and from school in 6th grade (we live in Manhattan) and he got a phone then. Before that, it wasn't necessary -- he was always with an adult or in a house.<BR/><BR/>The other benefit of texting is that its more anonymous. Not only can the child text the parent and say "this party is terrible, call me and say I have to come home" but the parent can text and check in without the kid being embarrassed because their parent interrupted something. Since the kids text each other all the time, no one knows when he's responding to me or when he's texting someone else.<BR/><BR/>LASTLY, his school does not permit use of the phone during the day (makes sense). But a text message is displayed on the screen of his phone when its received without having to press any buttons. So if I have to get an urgent message to him during the day, I know he can just glance at his phone in his locker, not break the rules, and get my message. The school isn't always interested in relaying messages!<BR/><BR/>But given your situation, no phone seems to be needed now.Little Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06874800042362532113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-26418454135591527022008-07-03T15:07:00.000-05:002008-07-03T15:07:00.000-05:00I promise I will be short this time!!I am in on th...I promise I will be short this time!!<BR/><BR/>I am in on the Meanest Mom Club. Back in the day, when my mom was the meanest mom in the world, my sister and I came up with an acronym for Mom.<BR/>M.ean<BR/>O.ld <BR/>M.om<BR/><BR/>Because we were smart like that. LOLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-5662680774858105922008-07-03T14:55:00.000-05:002008-07-03T14:55:00.000-05:00MMWC - I am so IN!!! I love DDP and we can get sn...MMWC - I am so IN!!! I love DDP and we can get snacks that we tell the kids are only Mommy snacks because they are "diet food" (that works at my house).<BR/><BR/>Anyway - great post!!Sallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14508517928857162790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-23152860353748804982008-07-03T14:46:00.000-05:002008-07-03T14:46:00.000-05:00I didn't know about the GPS feature on the phone. ...I didn't know about the GPS feature on the phone. My oldest kiddi-kin is 17, and has not been a model teenager in the past. IE, a couple of weeks ago she was supposed to go over to her boyfriends house. Imagine my surprise when I checked out her myspace page a few days later, and saw that she actually had gone to Lake Lanier *and was stupid enough to post the evidence on the internet*. I got my own myspace page for the express purpose of keeping of with what she is posting on there. Its also pretty useful for spying on her.But, I digress.<BR/><BR/>After she finished being grounded for the Lake Lanier incident, she wanted to spend the night at a friends. We have known this friend for a long time, like the mom, etc. So, I felt okay about her going. <BR/><BR/>Being the smart mom that I am, I told her that she had to call me from her friend's house phone at 11pm. That way I could verify through caller ID that she was where she was supposed to be. "Foolproof plan!" I thought proudly, and congratulated myself for being so clever. LOL <BR/><BR/>She made her obligatory 11pm call from her friends house, and *then* left there to go back out. Went to Dawson Forest with 11 other friends. Got arrested for underage drinking. Got to wear bright orange jail clothes. Etc. Etc. Etc. <BR/><BR/>To make a long story short (too late!), if:<BR/>1) she is ever un-grounded again, and <BR/>2) IF she ever gets the cell phone back<BR/><BR/>then I will be activating the GPS feature! That is valuable info!<BR/><BR/><B>THE END :)</B>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36095574.post-28127629039413070952008-07-03T14:40:00.000-05:002008-07-03T14:40:00.000-05:00I'm in on the meanest mom club. I know I qualify ...I'm in on the meanest mom club. I know I qualify because I just took the ps2 away from son before he even got to play. Why, you ask? Since he hasn't played in like one/two weeks? He assumed that younger brother "lost" his star wars ps2 game and punched him in the arm. Found the game. Lost the ps2. And son and hubbie leave for a mission trip to Peru tomorrow a.m. at 4:30 a.m. For 12 days. No ps2. <BR/>So, I'm in?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com