How did we ever survive as kids without cell phones back in the 50s & 60s?

/Stupid parents.

AirForceVet: How did we ever survive as kids without cell phones back in the 50s & 60s?

/Stupid parents.

What? You don't remember running from payphone to payphone to "stay connected" with friends?

cksewell

No pay phones where I grew up. We rode our bikes to visit.

Kids are just naturally mischievous, only with today's technology it's easier for them to get in serious trouble.

When I was a kid, we just had primitive toys like fire and explosives ;)

SpinStopper: Kids are just naturally mischievous, only with today's technology it's easier for them to get in serious trouble.

When I was a kid, we just had primitive toys like fire and explosives ;)

and cats on a rope...

oh I got in holy hell of trouble for that one...

SpinStopper: Kids are just naturally mischievous, only with today's technology it's easier for them to get in serious trouble.

When I was a kid, we just had primitive toys like fire and explosives ;)

This. If I had had access to today's technology when I was growing up, I'd probably be in federal prison right now, along with most of my friends.

I once called the police from the house phone when I was about that age, and called the operater a 'poo-head'. She told me that she was sending officers round and I hung up and cried.

This is why we can't have nice things.

Good thing the world will never experience the horrors of Officer Obnox:

"You see this, little boy? It's a tazer. Next time you do this, I'm gonna make you do the land-fish in front of all your little friends here. Awww, look at that, the little sissy is crying. Maybe I should zap you once, just for fun."

Look for my book on child-rearing in finer bookstores everywhere.

Obnox: Good thing the world will never experience the horrors of Officer Obnox:

"You see this, little boy? It's a tazer. Next time you do this, I'm gonna make you do the land-fish in front of all your little friends here. Awww, look at that, the little sissy is crying. Maybe I should zap you once, just for fun."

Look for my book on child-rearing in finer bookstores everywhere.

Yeah if my kid did that shiat I would zap him myself, and then let every cop and EMT that arrived have a zap too.

They claimed the phone as "evidence." Little did the brat know, the "evidence locker" is right up his punk ass.

/along with a sizable boot

Jesus Christ, when I was a kid, all we had was a rock. Two sticks, and a rock- and we had to share the rock with the whole neighborhood.

By the time I got to high school, cell phones existed- but the only ones who had cell phones were the rich kids, and they were about the size of your average patio brick, and the batteries lasted a whopping three hours or so. And they were the NiCad batteries, so you had to drain those suckers down before you recharged 'em.

I hated making phone calls when I was eight.

Taking the 1 p.m. 9-1-1 emergency call as a high-priority when it was received by dispatchers, the Glenn County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol and Fish and Game units sped to the Ideal Mobile Home Park in Hamilton City with lights and sirens. An ambulance was on standby.

Why would the Fish and Game unit be one of the high-priority response groups yet the ambulance was on standby?

I don't understand. The headline calls them "parents", yet they bought their 8 year old a cell phone. Does not compute.

AirForceVet: How did we ever survive as kids without cell phones back in the 50s & 60s?

/Stupid parents.

We had pay phones, not to mention we knew our neighbors and could use their phone in case of an emergency. That's not the way it is now.

That being said, if that was my kid he'd get a whupping.

cksewell:
Why would the Fish and Game unit be one of the high-priority response groups yet the ambulance was on standby?

Fish and game units to set up the tracking collar, highway patrol to chase the little shiat down, ambulance to put him back together after his parents are through with him.

/My kids would get cellphones
//Maps, 911, parents.
///Do crap like this they'll NEED 911 and a map.

dead_dangler: I don't understand. The headline calls them "parents", yet they bought their 8 year old a cell phone. Does not compute.

This.

When I was a kid, my brothers and I called the number on the Rogaine commercial when my parents were gone. We asked the poor schmuck on the other end exactly what Rogaine was for (the commercials didn't state it outright, only told you to ask your doctor).

My stupid ratfink brothers tattled on me and I got in trouble.

dead_dangler: I don't understand. The headline calls them "parents", yet they bought their 8 year old a cell phone. Does not compute.

My kids had cellphones at that age. Of course they were special little ones that had my cell number, my wife's cell number, her pager and the cell numbers of all four grandparents programed into them. They could dial no other numbers (well maybe 911, I never tried). Useful for things like "Dad, the pool is on fire, can you come pick us up?"

/really happened
//technically the buildings around the pool were on fire, not the pool itself
///maybe if they'd used water from the River Rouge the pool would have burned too

I'm surprised no one mentioned that the 8 year old kid is getting charged with two misdemeanors... the kid probably had the shiat scared and beat out of him. a criminal record at 8 just seems... a little excessive, no?

If it was my kid, I'd let the police keep it for the next 10 years, then make my kid use a 10 year old cell phone.

/actually, my eight year old never would have gotten one.
//would have gotten an ass-whooping.

i wonder how many 8 year olds got a cell phne and didn't call 911 and make up a crazy story.

mxwjs: i wonder how many 8 year olds got a cell phne and didn't call 911 and make up a crazy story.

two

cksewell:

Why would the Fish and Game unit be one of the high-priority response groups yet the ambulance was on standby?

Because they have guns and badges and it's a small town. My former father-in-law was the city dog catcher and he was required to respond to emergency calls.

They could dial no other numbers (well maybe 911, I never tried).

I could see getting a kid a phone that could only phone home but it's probably illegal to have a phone that can't call 911.

If I did that at that age, my mother would have beat my ass with a wire coat hanger, a piece of hot wheel track, or, if she was in a particularly foul mood, anything she could pick up and club me with.

Hot wheel track was the WORST.

Do you guys remember "party lines"? For you young-uns it was a shared phone line with a distinct ring pattern for each phone number, not one of those 976 numbers.

Yep, we had fire (friend burned down a field), explosives (SF Chinatown), BB and pellet guns (..down at the creek. We went through about 1000 BB's a week). We had to steal friend's dad's Playboys and occasional porn books (text), and we got 5 Channels on the TV and we liked it!

/My lawn. get off it.
//didn't get cell phones for my kids till they were 14.

If I did that at that age, my mother would have beat my ass with a wire coat hanger, a piece of hot wheel track, or, if she was in a particularly foul mood, anything she could pick up and club me with.

I think it's considered criminal witness intimidation to threaten retaliation for a police report, true or false.

Detectives did ask the child why he made up such a story.

"He didn't really say why," Goodwin said.

"Because I'm eight."

ha-ha-guy: dead_dangler: I don't understand. The headline calls them "parents", yet they bought their 8 year old a cell phone. Does not compute.

My kids had cellphones at that age. Of course they were special little ones that had my cell number, my wife's cell number, her pager and the cell numbers of all four grandparents programed into them. They could dial no other numbers (well maybe 911, I never tried). Useful for things like "Dad, the pool is on fire, can you come pick us up?"

/really happened
//technically the buildings around the pool were on fire, not the pool itself
///maybe if they'd used water from the River Rouge the pool would have burned too

It would have to call 911, or it wouldn't be able to ever reach your childrens hands.

My son has had a cell phone from the time he was 6, he never did anything this stupid. This kids a retard.

Oh, and if you are wondering why bother giving a kid a cell phone, the answer is why not? They're almost free.

Also, since in Toronto there are no more pay phones how does you kid call home these days? Walk up to a stranger in the black van?

/daughter also has a cell phone, and she is six. Again, not retarded.

From the California Department of Fish and Game Web site:

"The mission of the Law Enforcement Division is to protect California's natural resources and provide public safety through effective and responsive law enforcement."

Like our children? Or our cell phone minutes?

Frowns upon his shenanigans...

/hot as she was at the end
//obscure?
///definately Ilse seat :-(

devilslefthand: a criminal record at 8 just seems... a little excessive, no?

No. I remember kids that were on the road to ruin at 8. I remember an 8 year old that burglarized houses, he took me along with him. I quit hanging out with him. They didn't lock doors back in 1965.

dead_dangler: I don't understand. The headline calls them "parents", yet they bought their 8 year old a cell phone. Does not compute.

Okay, I'll bite.

My seven year old has a cell phone (got it at six). We got it because she has long bus commute. Some days she has afterschool activities. Some days she has playdates. For several weeks this year we worried whether she got on the bus when she wasn't supposed to or worried if we missed the bus when picking her up when in fact it was late (we have had notoriously bad drivers and route changes).

For our own peace of mind we got her a phone. It has GPS so we can make sure she's going in the right direction afterschool. We can call her to let her know if transportation plans have changed. She can call us if she is not sure what she is supposed to be doing afterschool.

BUT, we can control the numbers she can call, who can call her, and what hours the phone will work (and more like texting and downloading, but she doesn't need any of that right now).

Bad parenting is not giving your kid a cell phone. Bad parenting is giving your kid a cell phone that you don't have any control over, especially if you have reason to believe he/she is an irresponsible little shiat.

How did we ever survive as kids without cell phones back in the 50s & 60s?

I survived without a cell phone until about 2 years ago. Only reason I finally broke down and got one was because pay phones have all but disappeared.

But I still refuse to become one of the people who just HAS to jabber on the phone all the time wherever they go. I farking hate those people. There's very very rarely a time when I feel the need to make a call that can't wait until I get home.

He didn't have cell phones when I was a kid and I survived just fine. Although we were prone to wearing onions on our belts, as was the style at the time.

Veteran of the Cola Wars: If I did that at that age, my mother would have beat my ass with a wire coat hanger, a piece of hot wheel track, or, if she was in a particularly foul mood, anything she could pick up and club me with.

Hot wheel track was the WORST.

My mom tended to use the flyswatter. A few times even after the flat plastic head came off and it was just the wire handle. And people these days freak out when you slap your kid's butt with your hand.

Tarkus: Do you guys remember "party lines"? For you young-uns it was a shared phone line with a distinct ring pattern for each phone number, not one of those 976 numbers.

Yep, we had fire (friend burned down a field), explosives (SF Chinatown), BB and pellet guns (..down at the creek. We went through about 1000 BB's a week). We had to steal friend's dad's Playboys and occasional porn books (text), and we got 5 Channels on the TV and we liked it!

/My lawn. get off it.
//didn't get cell phones for my kids till they were 14.

Grew up with a party line in our house and only 2 phone prefixes. Di(amond) for Eugene, Ri(verside) for Springfield. My sister & I weren't allowed to answer the phone until we could do two things property...recognize our ring & the ability to take down a phone message if necessary. We only had two channels until the early 1970s, ABC & NBC. The only time we saw shows like Gunsmokes was if we happened to be at a neighbor's house that had a rooftop antenna that received KOIN in Portland, Oregon or if we were visiting relatives in Portland or in Stevenson, Washington.

SinisterDexter: dead_dangler: I don't understand. The headline calls them "parents", yet they bought their 8 year old a cell phone. Does not compute.

Okay, I'll bite.

My seven year old has a cell phone (got it at six). We got it because she has long bus commute. Some days she has afterschool activities. Some days she has playdates. For several weeks this year we worried whether she got on the bus when she wasn't supposed to or worried if we missed the bus when picking her up when in fact it was late (we have had notoriously bad drivers and route changes).

For our own peace of mind we got her a phone. It has GPS so we can make sure she's going in the right direction afterschool. We can call her to let her know if transportation plans have changed. She can call us if she is not sure what she is supposed to be doing afterschool.

BUT, we can control the numbers she can call, who can call her, and what hours the phone will work (and more like texting and downloading, but she doesn't need any of that right now).

Bad parenting is not giving your kid a cell phone. Bad parenting is giving your kid a cell phone that you don't have any control over, especially if you have reason to believe he/she is an irresponsible little shiat.

Did you just say that you kid is an irresponsible little shiat and you have solved that problem with a cell phone?

Tarkus: Yep, we had fire (friend burned down a field), explosives (SF Chinatown), BB and pellet guns (..down at the creek. We went through about 1000 BB's a week). We had to steal friend's dad's Playboys and occasional porn books (text), and we got 5 Channels on the TV and we liked it!

And we watched the scrambled porn channels on cable by turning the analog dial "just so" and the picture was split right-to-left and grainy.

DiamondDave: Did you just say that you kid is an irresponsible little shiat and you have solved that problem with a cell phone?

Umm, yeah...

Remove all Republicans: The parents should sue the police department. They had no right to confiscate their child's property like that.

I'll give you a 2/10. Too obvious.

troub: Veteran of the Cola Wars: If I did that at that age, my mother would have beat my ass with a wire coat hanger, a piece of hot wheel track, or, if she was in a particularly foul mood, anything she could pick up and club me with.

Hot wheel track was the WORST.

My mom tended to use the flyswatter. A few times even after the flat plastic head came off and it was just the wire handle. And people these days freak out when you slap your kid's butt with your hand.


Wooden spoons. Big wooden spoons. The kind you use for cooking. She'd break those things over my ass, and then I'd get beat even more because it was MY fault that the spoon broke.

Hello, you're beating me with a big wooden spoon, you broke it!

See also; belts, usually with the buckle at the bad end, electric cords, breadboards, wooden planks, aluminum curtain rods, a steel rod that goes into the sliding glass door so it couldn't be forced open, a chain dog leash on more than several occasions, switches, picked fresh from the back yard, and pretty much anything else you could think of.

A couple of good swats with the flat of your hand isn't going to leave any lasting harm, that little 8 year old snot needs to have some respect beat into him.

The steel rod that locks the sliding glass door was used after I brained a cousin with a big Tonka truck. A real Tonka truck. Made out of razor sharp metal and weighing probably 20 pounds. He was being a dick all day long and I finally let him have it. Had to have about a hundred stitches. I probably deserved that beating. :D

But it was so worth it. Oh so satisfying watching him cry like a little biatch.

ZAZ: I hated making phone calls when I was eight.

I still hate making phone calls and it's been a long time since I was eight.

/no cell phone

Now is the time for the dad to really shoot the mom and set her on fire.

Kid: "My dad shot my mom and set her on fire!!!"
9-1-1: "Aw, not this bullshiat again"

When I was this kid's age, I already knew that if I did something this stupid, my dad would kill me with his bare hands.

But then, I knew how to cross the road without getting run over, which puts me ahead of the average college student these days.

bingethinker: When I was this kid's age, I already knew that if I did something this stupid, my dad would kill me with his bare hands.

But then, I knew how to cross the road without getting run over, which puts me ahead of the average college student these days.

Parents were allowed to say "I'm going to KILL YOU!" back in those days with out consequences.

We need a return to those days.