I got my son a cell phone Friday night. We the adults spent a month discussing it. My mom and stepdad (we’re under their contract because they have more bucket minutes than a circus could use up in a month – they were grandfathered into that contract), my ex-husband, my current husband, and I.
I then started considering the rules for the cell phone. What expectations we would have and all that jazz. I ended up writing a four page contract. Below is the contract, with names redacted for obvious reasons. Please feel free to use the contract as needed and make changes as you need to. This is used for my 13 year old son.
A cell phone is a privilege, not a right. This contract is a guideline for not only how M is to use the cell phone provided, but the stipulations in which he is to follow in order to continue having the permission to use said cell phone. Not following the rules set forth in this contract can and will result in the loss of cell phone privileges.
For the purposes of this contract, the following individuals are named:
M otherwise known as “You”, “Your”, or “He”
J otherwise known as “Mom”
SO otherwise known as “Agent”
ex 2 otherwise known as “Agent”
GPD otherwise known as “Cell Phone Account Holder”
GPC otherwise known as “Cell Phone Account Holder”
General Rules:
1) For all intents and purposes, the cell phone provided to you is to be considered a loan or rental, and must be treated as such. This means that the phone and cell phone privileges are able to be taken away from you at any time. You will have input in regards to what type of phone you have, but ultimately, the adults will have final say.
2) All communications are subject to review. This means that at any time, J or her agents (Agents subject to change as Mom deems appropriate) may access any and all phone logs, text messages, address book and pictures (if applicable).
3) Cell phone is to be kept in good working order. You will take any and all precautions available to you to ensure that the cell phone provided to you stays safe. This includes (but is not limited to) keeping the cell phone in a protective case, not flashing around/showing off the cell phone (to help ensure that the phone is not stolen), keeping the cell phone off of the floor, avoiding food/liquid spills, etc.
4) Usage of cell phone is to be regulated and your behavior with said cell phone is to be appropriate.
- Cell phone is permitted to travel with you to and from school, but not to be used unless it is an emergency.
i. No calls or texting in class.
ii. No leaving cell phone at school overnight or during the weekend.
- Curfew of cell phone is to be enforced. Cell phone is to be turned over to Mom for nightly charging and storage. Cell phone may be returned to you in the morning.
i. Curfew for school nights is 8:00 PM.
ii. Curfew for non-school nights (weekends, holidays, vacations) is 9:30 PM.
- Texting:
i. NO SEXTING.
- No sexually explicit text messages are to be sent by you.
- No pictures are to be taken of you or by you using the cell phone provided to you that are of anyone in sexually explicit / sexually compromising positions, nor any pictures of genitals/breasts.
- Any pictures of this kind will result in the IMMEDIATE revocation of any/all cell phone privileges.
ii. No harassment or bullying of other people. General rule of thumb: If you would get in trouble saying it to Mom, it is unacceptable to send to friends / acquaintances.
5) You are to answer calls coming in from Mom or her agents when called.
- Exceptions to this rule are:
i. During class time or during educational/sports-related activities
- Examples of educational/sports-related activities include (but are not limited to):
- Sports practices, games/matches
- School-sanctioned before/after-school activities such as Orchestra concerts, fundraising car washes (or other fundraising events), detentions,
- While in a movie, concert, funeral or wedding. Your cell phone should be turned off for these events.
- Any missed calls from Mom or her agents must be returned immediately once you are available to do so.
6) You must earn the privilege of continued use of provided cell phone. This is to include your behavior / attitude, grades, and chores. Chores will go towards “working credit” to “pay” for the use of cell phone service, accessories (such as cases), and if necessary, new phones. This section will outline the behaviors / attitudes we expect, grades / school expectations, and chores.
- School expectations:
i. All grades must be a ‘C’ or higher at all times.
- Two or more unacceptable grades will result in the loss of cell phone privileges until grades are brought up to standard. Once grades improve, limitations will be set on phone usage to ensure that grades stay at expectations.
ii. As outlined in 4A, cell phone will be allowed to be taken to school with you. You will follow all school rules regarding cell phones.
- No phone calls / texting during class. You are to keep cell phone turned off during class time.
- Should cell phone be confiscated by school officials (to include, but not limited to teachers, security staff, admin staff), you will owe the equivalent of $50 in chores in order for Mom to retrieve cell phone from school. If the phone is not able to be retrieved, you will be required to work / do chores to “pay” for a replacement.
- We expect behavior and attitude to be acceptable in order for you to have use of cell phone. This means:
i. No verbal or physical bullying of your brothers.
ii. No verbal or physical bullying of individuals not related to you.
iii. No stealing.
- If something has been taken away from you, you are not allowed to “retrieve” it for personal use. Mom (or agent) is to give you back anything taken away from you herself. If a brother returns a taken item to you, you are to immediately bring it to Mom (or agent).
- If you steal something, either from someone or from a business, phone will be confiscated as a part of your punishment.
iv. Crying when you have not gotten your way, when food you do not like is put in front of you at meal times, or in an attempt to manipulate a situation will not be tolerated.
v. No verbal back-talking or disrespectful sarcasm / comments to adults, peers or brothers.
vi. No manipulating or attempts to manipulate adults to get what you want. Examples include: asking a second adult permission for something when you’ve already been told ‘no’, attempting to “plead your case” to a second adult when Mom (or agent) has given you a task or given you an answer you don’t like in an attempt to get the second adult to convince Mom (or agent) to change her/his mind.
- Chores:
i. All chores will be given a monetary value and used to earn “credit” towards cell phone service, accessories (such as cases), and possible new phones (if phone is damaged, lost or otherwise needs replacing). Chore credit ratings are subject to change at any time.
- This will not include keeping your room clean or doing group chore activities (such as shopping, bringing in/putting away groceries).
- Chore credits for chores done at relatives’ homes will be reassessed on an as-needed basis.
ii. Occasionally, chore credits may be redeemed for cash for non-cell phone related things (such as movies, outings, special clothes, etc.).
iii. It will be the joint responsibility of you and Mom (or agent) to track chore credits and expenditures.
Chore Credit List: Chore list to include (but not limited to) the following chores:
|
Laundry – wash/dry
|
$1 / load
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Laundry – folding
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$0.75 / load
|
|
Laundry – put away
|
$0.50 / load
|
Laundry – match, fold, put away
|
$2.50
|
|
Dishes – wash
|
$0.75
|
Dishes – dry / put away
|
$0.50
|
|
Sweep/Vacuum living room
|
$1
|
Sweep/mop kitchen/dining room
|
$1.50
|
|
Sweep kitchen / dining room
|
$0.75
|
Sweep/mop bathroom
|
$1.25
|
|
Dust living room
|
$2
|
Clean out litter box
|
$1
|
|
Clean hallway / staircase
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$2
|
Wipe down bathroom counter
|
$0.75
|
|
Wash windows – inside
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$0.50 / each
|
Wash slider glass door – inside
|
$1
|
|
Wash windows – outside, bottom
|
$1
|
Wash slider glass door – outside
|
$1.50
|
|
Clean stovetop
|
$1
|
Clean microwave
|
$1
|
|
Wipe down walls
|
$0.75 / wall
|
Wipe down running boards
|
$1 / wall
|
|
Wipe down heating registers
|
$1 / wall
|
Wipe down doors
|
$1 / each
|
|
Organize bookshelf
|
$0.75 / each
|
Mow lawn
|
$5
|
|
Shovel walkway
|
$3
|
Shovel driveway
|
$5
|
|
Help move furniture
|
TBD
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Help paint
|
TBD
|
|
Watch brothers
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$4 / hour
|
Wipe down T.V. / electronics
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$0.50 / each
|
I, M, agree to honor this contract written by J, outlining my usage of cell phone. Contract may be terminated at any time by GPD, GPC, or J. If I, M, fail to follow the terms of this contract, I will be subject to punishment not limited to what has been outlined in this contract. In signing this contract:
¾ I understand that a cell phone is a privilege, not a right.
¾ I understand that when using a cell phone, my age does not prevent me from being charged with crimes committed with said cell phone (such as bullying, taking pictures of naked or partially naked individuals under the age of 18, sending or receiving sexually explicit pictures of individuals under the age of 18, etc.)
¾ I understand that taking, sending and/or receiving sexually explicit pictures of an individual under the age of 18 is considered child pornography and is illegal and is punishable by law.
¾ I understand that the cell phone I use can be taken away at any time for any reason.
¾ I understand that there are limits to the amount of time I am allowed to talk per month on cell phone.
¾ I understand that I must work to earn credits to pay for my use of cell phone.
¾ I understand the restrictions to cell phone (school hours, curfew, etc.).
¾ I understand that I am to answer all phone calls coming in from Mom or her agents, and if I am unable to answer, I am to call back as soon as possible.
¾ I understand that I am not to access the internet or download games, music or ringtones onto cell phone without the express permission of the Account Holders and Mom.
Cell Phone Brand/Model: __________________________________________________
Cell Phone Number: __________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ _____________
M Date
_____________________________________________________ _____________
J Date
_____________________________________________________ _____________
GPD Date
_____________________________________________________ _____________
GPC Date
We are using a chore chart system to help him earn credits to pay for his cell phone. $9.99 a month, plus any extra credits to download ringtones, screens, buy cases, and save for new phones. Plus he needs to reimburse us for the hook-up fee, and the original phone. If he goes and helps relatives somewhere (i.e., the grandparents move, or an uncle paint), he will be marked for his hours worked, and the credits will be counted towards his cell phone credits. If he has enough saved up, he can make a withdrawal of cash for other things (not cell phone related).
G wants to get in on the credits too. He wants to use it towards seeing movies rather than a cell phone (deal on cells is not until 13). We have agreed.
I’m going to go broke, but my house might look spotless!
From This Alaskan's Point Of View 