[blparent] cell phones for kids

Fri Dec 21 08:09:46 UTC 2012

With the cochlear implants you are going to want to stick with cell
phones (make sure you get him one that will work with his implant. Ask
about t-coil). I know that for parents the cell phone issue is a hard
one but your younger son has different needs and you have to put those
first. If you give the younger one a cell you have to give the older
one a cell too. You can get phones that have keyboards for texting
really cheaply now a days. The other thing to consider is a smart
phone, the cheaper Android models work well and more and more apps are
made for both iOS and Android. You can load the phone with educational
apps and just make sure you keep the phone charged. You might want to
stick with the cheep phones and look into a Nexus 7 Android tablet as
an alternative to the iPad. The Nexus 7 supports different users so it
can be the whole family's tablet and the accessibility is getting
better all the time (explore by touch and speech are fully accessible
now for the blind).

Thanks,

Beth Koenig
bethko at gmail.com
(714) 699-DEAF (3323)
Director of Deaf Blind Services
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center
1525 Durant Street 303
Santa Ana, CA 92706
http://www.deafadvocacy.org
Health, safety, and productivity are the cornerstones of independence.
At the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center we provide the training and
services necessary for the deaf and disabled to achieve equality and
independence in all areas of life.

On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 4:13 AM, Jennifer Jackson
<jennifersjackson at att.net> wrote:
> The boys are 8 and 6. I do not really expect the 6 year old to be out on his
> own, though sometimes he goes further a field with his brother. My six year
> old uses cochlear implants and is much more likely to be aware of a
> vibration or a sound coming from his wrist or body, than to the sound of my
> voice from down the street even if he is in normal hearing range. He is also
> developing some basic reading skills which means texting some basic phrases
> that we practice at home will also likely be an option. His future needs are
> part of why I am considering the cell phone, and why I do not want to by
> really cheap kid walkie talkies with their poor sound quality.
>
> I think our families particular needs may be best met with the cell, but the
> idea of kids that age having cell phones is off putting to me. On the other
> hand it might be a good beginning to being responsible with his own
> communication device before I turn the 6 year old loose with an i-pad or
> pod. There is a great communication program and several learning ones that
> his team believes he can really benefit from. I just have to come up with
> the money for the device and the $200 for the program. Another reason it can
> be so helpful to go over this stuff with others as I had not thought about
> that connection until I was responding to the question about their ages.
>
>
> Jennifer
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dianna
> Alley
> Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2012 6:15 PM
> To: Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blparent] cell phones for kids
>
> Cell phones are a good tool for anyone these days track phone would work how
>
> old are the kids?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jennifer Jackson" <jennifersjackson at att.net>
> To: "'Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2012 2:46 AM
> Subject: [blparent] cell phones for kids
>
>
>>I am considering getting some cell phones for my two younger kids. Really
>> more as a communication tool for me. I started out looking at walkie
>> talkies, but that quickly moved into actual two way radios with the
>> durability and distance issues figured in. I am still considering both
>> options and wanted to get some other thoughts on the matter.
>>
>> The walkie talkie solution  is more expensive up front, but will have
>> minimal ongoing expenses other than electricity to recharge the batteries.
>> They would have enough range for Henry to play in the neighborhood and be
>> called home even if he goes in someone's house. I think they walkie
>> talkies
>> might also be more difficult to use because they have 22 channels and some
>> other controls. Once set up though you can talk at the push of a button. I
>> also have not heard anything about research showing that radio waves cause
>> brain cancer like I have with cell phone transmissions. I also think my
>> kids
>> would get a kick out of the wrist watch versions of these. There are also
>> head set ones that I think kids would enjoy, but they could also be
>> misplaced more easily.
>>
>>
>>
>> Cell phones. In principle I am opposed to cell phones for kids. As a blind
>> parent though, I see the benefit to being able to call my child and
>> confirm
>> he is just up the street. Am I using my blindness to justify this? I am
>> thinking of a $20 track phone and then just buying minutes as we go. Of
>> course this could quickly add up even if we stick to texting.
>>
>>
>>
>> I am really open to other thoughts and opinions on this subject. I know
>> some
>> of this could be accomplished with an electronic locater, but those do not
>> have much range for my older kids. I am not thinking of these as Christmas
>> gifts, just my families various communication issues in the upcoming year.
>> It just occurs to me that maybe what I want is one of this GPS locater
>> wrist
>> bands. Something like they use for the house arrest kids. :-)
>>
>>
>>
>> J
>>
>> Jennifer
>>
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