Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Children's cell phones

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Children's cell phones

    Is our child's cell phone considered a Sec. 7 expense ? I have been paying for our 13 yo cell phone for 2010 with no sharing of the payments from his dad.
    Any thoughts on if I should be able to urge him to help cover half (we're no talking a lot...$40/month in total...$20 each approx.).
    Thanks !

  • #2
    Anything under $100 per month should certainly come out of CS paid, it isn't an extra payment of section 7.

    I use that figure because it is the amount stated for medical expenses (outside those covered by insurance.) It would be hard to construct an argument that $90 for a co-pay on a prescription, or dental xrays, or whatever, isn't a section 7, but $40 for a cell phone is.

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks Mess...currently we each buy our children whatever they need when we are with them (typically dad pays for most of the hockey stuff/fundraising, and I buy the boys clothing (I give him half), medical, dental, school expenses) and then we compare bills at the end of each month, and reconcile so we each have paid the same per month.

      We do not do CS as we share our children 50/50.

      He hasn't been willing to pay for cell and I wanted some thoughts as to if I should 'urge' (reluctant to say push) him to include this in the monthly reconciliation.

      Comment


      • #4
        Did he agree that your child should have a cell phone? If so, he should share, if not, you should be on your own with the expense.

        My ex has told my 10 year old that she can get an iphone and he will take her out shopping (with the expectation that I will pay the bills as I pay for most of everything). I see absolutely no need for a 10 year old to have an iphone and completely disagree with the decision....I dont care if so,e of her friends have them. Other than when at school (which she shouldn't be using a phone), she is with a parent at all times - she can use the landline to talk to friends and the family computer to email! I will not pay a dime if he gets her a phone - let the bill go unpaid.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by inseperationhell View Post
          Did he agree that your child should have a cell phone? If so, he should share, if not, you should be on your own with the expense.

          My ex has told my 10 year old that she can get an iphone and he will take her out shopping (with the expectation that I will pay the bills as I pay for most of everything). I see absolutely no need for a 10 year old to have an iphone and completely disagree with the decision....I dont care if so,e of her friends have them. Other than when at school (which she shouldn't be using a phone), she is with a parent at all times - she can use the landline to talk to friends and the family computer to email! I will not pay a dime if he gets her a phone - let the bill go unpaid.
          Can I ask you something given your stance on the subject of kids' with cellphones?

          If your ex DID get your DD a cellphone and never once asked you to contribute towards it, do you feel then you have the right to use that cell phone as a point of contact with your DD? (meaning do you feel it's ok to call that cellphone & chat with your DD, using up minutes or would you continue to call the home phone to correspond with your dd)?

          Just curious

          Comment


          • #6
            I would not use the cell phone as a point of contact with her. I would continue to correspond through the home phone and email. She calls me regularly from home. That is not to say I would not have the number in case of an emergency and I had to use it. But - at 10 - she is either at home, with a parent, at a friend's house or at school. I can get a hold of her virtually whenever needed with her having a cell.

            Comment


            • #7
              This is a bit of where my frustration is coming in. Our son is 13 and does need the phone as he is all over and we can stay in contact. His dad said he doesn't need one. I got one for him anyways, and have been paying for it on my own since January 2011. Dad contacts him all the time on his cell (via text or calling) and I would never stop that. I invoked 50/50 with dad, because I believe it is important for our boys to see each parent as much as the other.

              Dad is nickle and diming me on all expenses for the kids, such as spliting a roll of hockey tape for $1.50 with his monthly expenses which is driving me crazy. So I think I should urge (push a little) to have him split the cell as well.

              Comment


              • #8
                remember the days when there was no such thing as cell phones?? Kids didnt need them then and they do not need them now.

                Here is an idea, get the son to get a paper route or something to help pay for the cell himself. It will show him that nothing comes for free and if you want something, you have to work for it.

                As for the dad not paying for half but calling the kid on it, do you want to charge each of his friends that call him a % of bill??

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by inseperationhell View Post
                  Did he agree that your child should have a cell phone?
                  insep-He agreed he should have a phone, but he said he wouldn't agree to data. I agreed, and it does no have data. It is purely for call and text and is the cheapest unlimited one I could get.

                  Originally posted by DunnMom View Post
                  Can I ask you something given your stance on the subject of kids' with cellphones?
                  If your ex DID get your DD a cellphone and never once asked you to contribute towards it, do you feel then you have the right to use that cell phone as a point of contact with your DD?
                  Dunn-Not sure if your question was for me or reply post. I'm not upset that he is calling our son or texting him on the phone...I'm not happy with him giving me bills for $1.50 for hockey tape (etc...) when I'm paying for his sons cell and he hasn't/won't share the cost (since Jan 2010)

                  Originally posted by standing on the sidelines View Post
                  remember the days when there was no such thing as cell phones?? Kids didnt need them then and they do not need them now.
                  I appreciate your feedback, but you do not know what our family schedule is, and the activities our son is in. Hence the need for a cell. It is not our son who is asking for the cell...it's myself and his father who need him to have one.

                  Originally posted by standing on the sidelines View Post
                  As for the dad not paying for half but calling the kid on it, do you want to charge each of his friends that call him a % of bill??
                  Thanks for the humour. That would be similiar to me responding to my stbx asking him to charge each dad on the hockey team for a portion of the $1.50 for the hockey tape he lends to them when they have run out. That or his female friends to whom he might be using the tape on to tie to bedposts (ha).
                  As stated above...my issue is we split 50/50 and reconcile at the end of each month. When he is giving me silly bills for $1.50 you must see the frustration when I'm paying solely for our sons cell that he agrees he needs.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    i pay 25 bucks a month for a phone from koodo and that is 100 minutes a month, after 6pm and weekends free and unlimited outgoing and incoming texts. i am paying for my own phone and use it for a home phone also. did you shop around to get the best deal? Did you ask your ex what he thought was a reasonable price for a cell before you got it? To me it not something a kid needs. He may have agreed to one not thinking that you would get one that is so costly. Maybe before you got it you should have said to him i have shopped around and this is the best price I can get for one.

                    as for your response that I do not know your familys schedule is and the activities he is in, no of course I dont, but you do so you know where he is and at what time.

                    thanks also for recognizing my attempt at humour in my last post.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I agree with Standing on the Sidelines - kids don't necessarily "need" cellphones. A cellphone is a luxury - if you can't afford it - your kids should not have one unless they can earn $$ to foot the bill themselves. I cannot possibly see how you could force your ex to pay.

                      Between my 3 kids - their schedule is super busy -
                      1 at the hockey rink 2-3 times per week and in the pool twice a week, drum lessons once a week.
                      1 in the pool 3 times a weeks (pre-competitive swimming), girl guides.
                      1 in the pool 4 times a weeks (competitive swimming), on the school soccer team and school cross country team and guitar once a week.
                      - that does not include being at friends houses...so you get the point

                      A constant juggle - activities overlap in different towns on the same night at the same time.

                      I was just as busy as a kid with sports and work and got by very well without a cell phone.

                      Point is luxury....

                      I still don't see a need for a cell phone!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I think kids need cell phones, it makes our lives better wrt communication etc.

                        We treat cell phones as covered by CS and not section 7. We have kids 50/50, use offset CS, and therefore split the cost 50/50 for the phones.

                        2 of our 3 kids have them, I pay for one, my ex pays for the other - that way one parent is in charge of a bill and to keep it under control! I pay $25+tx for unlimited texting, no internet, and some talk time (she really only needs the texting, she hardly ever talks on the phone, and at home she uses the house phone). I text my daughters all the time, and visa versa.

                        Next year when my youngest (will be 10) is the only kid in his school (the other two will be in high school), then he will get a phone too - as cheap as possible.

                        Cell phone for older kids is not a luxury, your ex should pay for half. Tell him I said so.

                        The only exception is if your incomes are really low - then it may be something that has to be done without.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          My mum was born in a cabin at the edge of the Minesing swamp. They had no phone, no electricty, no running water.

                          My uncle was about 5 at the time, my grandma sent him out to the road to flag down any passing car when she went into labour.

                          My grampa stayed in that cabin, which he build additions to over the years, almost until he died. We'd spend weekends there in the summer. There was never a phone, never electricity, never running water. There was a well under the kitchen and a handpump right at the sink, and a huge wood burning oven with multiple warming ranges. We pooped in an outhouse.

                          According to some of the logic in this thread, we don't need electricity, phones or indoor toilets either.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            [quote=standing on the sidelines;76269]i pay 25 bucks a month for a phone from koodo ...quote]
                            Agreed and I understand your point. He does no have a 'smart phone'. It's a cheapie from CHATR. Thanks !

                            Originally posted by inseperationhell View Post
                            A cellphone is a luxury ...
                            I still don't see a need for a cell phone!
                            Thanks for commenting. I understand your opinion, but I disagree. If we had a stay at home parent things might be different.

                            Originally posted by billm View Post
                            I think kids need cell phones, it makes our lives better wrt communication etc.
                            We treat cell phones as covered by CS and not section 7. We have kids 50/50, use offset CS, and therefore split the cost 50/50 for the phones.
                            Cell phone for older kids is not a luxury, your ex should pay for half. Tell him I said so.
                            Love it ! Thanks Bill...I can imagine his facial expression, and verbal response when I tell him Bill agrees he should be splitting the cost !

                            Originally posted by Mess View Post
                            We pooped in an outhouse.
                            According to some of the logic in this thread, we don't need electricity, phones or indoor toilets either.
                            Mess-As usual you have posted a wise and humorous response ! I can't believe my comment about the hockey tape and my stbx' female friends went wihout a joke ! Thanks...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I can't believe that people think their kids do NOT need a cell phone. I mean kids need that connection to their parents and friends at all times. Without a cell phone they could not even txt someone at the dinner table or stay up all night txting, and they may have to actually plan and be where they say they will be. How are kids supposed to spend their time in school if they can't txt?

                              I thought I needed a cell phone as well up until about a week before I got rid of it, and will probably never have a cell again.

                              Comment

                              Our Divorce Forums
                              Forums dedicated to helping people all across Canada get through the separation and divorce process, with discussions about legal issues, parenting issues, financial issues and more.
                              Working...
                              X