Phone and Internet Can Come and Go

Recently, one of Coraline's teachers called to report that she was text messaging while in class and refused to give up her cell phone when the teacher asked her to hand it over. The incident with the teacher resulted in my calling Sprint and having her phone line disconnected for two weeks or more, depending on her behavior. A day later, school security called to inform me that my daughter was detained in their office because of an altercation with one of her female classmates.

I am fairly certain that she and her friends have been spending too much time on Facebook and the exchanges are becoming more than she can handle. She is in over her head. I am not sure if she is a bully, a victim, or both.

Because of my children’s inability to set their own limits on the computer and the internet access that accompanies computer privileges, I have removed all personal computers from their private bedrooms. Lately, computer access is limited to a shared PC in the family room. Even so, my daughter’s difficulties suggest more internet access than I can observe.

In the security office with school security, vice principal, my daughter and the classmate, we discuss the reasons for the conflict. The reasons for the conflict began with both of the girls having unqualified personal opinions about the others behavior or appearance. The comments were hurtful and mean. The words were posted and viewed by other classmates on facebook. The other classmates volunteered their opinions and posted them. It was inevitable that this would escalate and become more than what these adolescents could manage when they saw each other at school.

The vice principal and I came to the conclusion that the social networking was occurring on school issue laptops that were supposed to be filtered. I asked the school to take my daughters laptop. She needs to be disconnected for a while.

I want my girl to have internet access and her cell phone. Hopefully, she will manage her behavior and I will reinstate her privileges. We shall see how it goes. I can always call my friends at Sprint if she is not ready.