<p>The child with the phone was 13 - an age when I wouldn’t buy an iPhone, but that was her choice. Perhaps she wanted to ensure he had it for emergency purposes, but also didn’t want him using it at night. Perfectly reasonable. It’s her phone, and he borrows it as needed.</p>
<p>I have 3 kids, and a wireless network at home, with an internet connection. I control what devices can use the network and when. I turn the internet off at 11pm - if they need access to finish homework, they need to ask. Otherwise, they won’t be using the internet to chat all night with the friends. I reserve the right to inspect their internet history - not that I do, but I have the right as their parent. </p>
<p>caruiz - how do you teach the child the appropriate way to use technology if you don’t let them have any access until they’ve learned? It doesn’t work that way. You allow some access, and you place reasonable restrictions. It’s the same thing our parents did when we were teens. If a teen threw a party while parents were out of town, that teen wasn’t left home alone again, or worse yet, had a “babysitter” at the age of 17!</p>
<p>Your generation has access to technology we didn’t have, and if we had used the same technology, you can bet our parents would have restricted it.</p>