One Ringy Dingy, Two Ringy Dingy

The other day Biscuit came to me and requested a cell phone. She said now that she was 11 years old and almost a responsible teenager it was time, and besides all her friends had one. Not being a huge fan of cell phones for teenagers, this threw me for a loop, so I told her I would have to think about it and get back to her. I will admit though it was hard to ignore those puppy dog eyes.

In thinking about this, I realized I am probably not the only dog parent who is wrestling with this issue, and so thought sharing some of my decision making process might be helpful to others.

We Don’t Talk Anymore

My husband and I went out for dinner the other night. Both our food and conversation were excellent. This is mainly because our restaurant rule is no cell phones at the table, but as we were ready to order, I started to look around the restaurant. To my surprise we must be among the few couples who have a similar rule, because everyone was looking at their phones. Couples just sat there looking at their screen and did not make any eye contact with each other. Maybe they were actually talking to each other via their phones, perhaps texting? I hope so.

On the way home, we discussed Biscuit’s cell phone request and how what we had observed in the restaurant was of concern. We decided that, if Biscuit did get a phone, we would have to put a “no cell phones at the table rule” in place. We did however agree that if she had a phone she would be able to arrange her social life herself instead of us having to make arrangements with her dog friends’ parents and she would be able to contact us at a moments notice if she found herself needing a ride home or found herself in a compromising situation with a bulldog. Score one in Biscuit’s favor.

Leave Me Alone

Those of you who follow the blog know that one of my absolute pet peeves is people bringing their phone to the gym. For me the gym is my sanctuary, and I look forward to a workout after a long day at work. I like to escape from my phone because at work my phone rings off the hook. And then there are the people who insist on talking on their phone so everyone in the gym can hear their conversation. I don’t care to know what your plans are for the weekend or why you’ve decided to quit your job. Just leave me to enjoy my workout in peace.

I don’t think this would be an issue for Biscuit as she doesn’t have a gym membership. And her main cardio exercise is going for walks, and running around in circles while chasing her friends at the dog park. She is, however, very conscious of her girlish figure and does home YouTube workouts on a regular basis. A cell phone would certainly allow her to continue her workouts when she is travelling and we definitely want her to maintain her healthy lifestyle. Score another one for Biscuit.

Walk This Way

I’m sure you are aware of the safety issue of people walking on the street and not paying attention to where they are going because they are looking at their phone. The other day I stood and watched at a street corner and an unsettling number of people didn’t look up as they walked and just assumed everyone would get out of their way. And don’t get me started about those who also wear their earphones while navigating the sidewalks. A recipe for disaster if you ask me.

Initially, our thinking was that this wouldn’t be an issue for Biscuit because she obviously wouldn’t be able to operate her phone while walking and I don’t think they yet make earphones big enough to fit dog ears.

But then, Hubby suggested that perhaps we could buy a cell phone case that would allow her to carry her phone around her neck. This would not only be convenient but would make it necessary for her to stop and text in complete safety. (Hubby is so creative😉) So, I think we can eliminate the safety issue in Biscuit’s case, and score another point in her favor.

Yes Or No?

So here we are, decision time….does Biscuit get a cell phone or not? Well, overall it would seem that she did score a lot of points in favor of one but we’re well aware that she can be unpredictable, emotional and susceptible to peer pressure. On the other hand, I have to ask myself if it would be fair to punish her because of my “anti cell phone bias.” Fortunately, Hubby and I are in agreement that this is a very serious dog parenting issue and we concur that it’s necessary to proceed with caution.

We weighed all our options and possible scenarios, and in my humble opinion, our final decision is brilliant. We will gift Biscuit with a Marvin the Martian home phone for now and if she can prove that she is capable of using it responsibly, we will consider a move to a cell phone. This is proof of our faith in her judgement and of course a strong testament to our parenting skills.😉I highly doubt that she will be happy with this decision, but hopefully, she will rise to the occasion. Fingers crossed and problem solved.