I cant believe that we’re in the third month of the year. A few weeks ago I decided to write about some of the “First” memories and experiences some parents have had with our kids but life got in the way. Here we are in March and I’m just now getting it done. All parents have these special memories of our kids, you know the ones that I’m talking about, the ones that stay with you for years where you remember every little detail. These are the ones that always make you smile or elicit some other emotion.
You guys know that I’m a shy one so since I didn’t want to make this all about me, I decided to reach out to Casey Palmer, Julie Elsdon-Height, Angela van Tijn, and Heather Lynne, some of my blogger friends, and ask each of them one question about a first experience or memory they’ve had with their kids.
I’ll go first, this is the first (and only) time we were called in to the principal’s office.
A few years ago I was working from home and my daughter was in school, grade 3 I think. The phone rang and it was the principal’s office asking if we could come in because my daughter had just punched a boy. Needless to say we were concerned so we headed over. When we got there we saw her sitting just outside the office looking quite sad.
The principal brought us into her office and explained that the class was having a scavenger hunt and this kid was cheating big time. My daughter kept telling him to stop and when he didn’t she decided to slug him. Of course I gave her the “we don’t hit” speech and took away some of her toys for a bit, but honestly I was so damn proud of her. She knew what she did was wrong but she stood up for what she knew was right and damn the consequences! If this happened again I’d want her to do the same thing.
How did you feel when you dropped off your eldest for his first day of kindergarten?
Angela: When I dropped him off at kindergarten I had mixed emotions. I was a bit sad and I knew I was going to miss him during the day but I also felt happy and excited for him. I remember him not having any separation anxiety and no tears at drop off. I on the other hand got a bit tearful on the car ride home.
Has your daughter found her first job as yet?How are you helping your daughter prepare for her first job?
Heather: We knew she wanted to babysit so we signed her up for a babysitting course. She started practicing her babysitting skills by being a “mother’s helper” for her aunt, basically it’s watching her cousins while her aunt is at home but busy. She’s pretty responsible at home and her teachers have said the same thing about her at school. Once she’s gone through that preparation, we think that she’ll be as ready as she will ever be, and it’ll be time to take the leap.
Tell me about the first time your kid made you really laugh.
Casey: So my kids are really into “telling secrets” these days. They’re not great – they just want to come whisper stuff in our ears to get reactions. So one day ‘I’ comes to tell me one and it’s genuinely hilarious! He tells me and I crack up. Now Sarah, who’s across the table, wants in on it too. She says “Hey! Why don’t you tell me too?” He says “I don’t wanna.” But she insists and finally he relents. He goes over to her and whispers in her ear, but loud enough for me to hear: “Sometimes mommy interrupts us!”
How did you know it was time for your eldest to get her first cell phone?
Julie: Ultimately it was based on who she was at the time. She’s a responsible girl who took pride in that. She naturally understood boundaries and respected rules. She was always surrounded by peers who had phones and I know how easily she would have exposure or the ability to borrow friends devices so we decided it was time.
This is just one of many reasons that parents have given for deciding to get their child their first phone. My daughter (the Slugger) got hers when she was around 13. She was at that age where she was travelling to and from school, and on some days she was at home alone after school. Recently I was talking to some of my friends at Rogers and they shared some interesting statistics they had compiled about children and their first cell phones.
They asked over 500 people how old their kids were when they got their first phone and found the average age to be 12.8 years. Another interesting point was that 61% of those surveyed said that safety and security was the main reason for getting a phone. A lot of parents did have concerns citing increased screen time/distractions and cost of cell plans as their two biggest. These were the same reasons we got the phone for my daughter and we shared the same concerns. At a certain age kids need these devices but parents need to ensure that these devices don’t interfere too much with their lives. Thankfully the Rogers Share Everything Plans address some of those concerns, with the ability to control individual user’s data within your plan.
Remember I mentioned my friends from Rogers? Well they were in an extra generous mood and they decided to provide me with a brand new Samsung J3 Prime to give away to a lucky reader. If you know someone who’s just about ready for their first phone then this is the perfect one for them. It offers a slim design for ease of operation, vivid display and a camera that’ll allow your young ones to take as many selfies as they’d like. Scroll down to enter, and good luck!!
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It was a Nokia and it was green lol
First phone was from Nokia. Can’t even remember the model
It was a Samsung flip phone.
I don’t even remember it… I’m geeting too old!
My first phone was an LG flip phone
Nokia e71 I won in a contest
My first phone was a Nokia flip phone.
A 6810 blackberry – best Christmas gift ever!
I think it was a Nokia
an old motorola razr!
It was an LG phone.
My first phone was a nokia and was a straight cell phone rather than a smartphone.
My first cell phone was a nokia phone, but I can’t remember what model
I am cellphoneless!
Author
That’s rare these days, but good luck!
startac flip phone. Loved it!!
I had a little Nokia phone before I got my super cute LG smartphone. It was purple metal with embossed flowers & looked like a makeup compact. I’m not even embarrassed. LOL
I have never owned a cell phone 🙁
My first cell phone was the Sony Ericsson T68I!
The Motorola RAZR was the first phone i had
can’t remember first cell phone – it was flip – many years ago!
My first cell phone was a Blackberry. I got to trade in my Blackberry pager!
Pay as you go nokia
Huawei Y6 was my first smart phone. Had a Nokia flip phone before that.
I won my first cell phone in a James Bond contest. It was a Sony flip phone
I got my first cell phone in the early 1990’s, it was HUGE Motorola phone and it was the size of a handset on the old home cordless phones.
I use my husbands old cell phone. Would love to have one of my own.
I still have my first cell phone, which I bought last February. Ditched the landline and went to cell.
my first cell phone was a lg cookie a long time ago i dont remember what year
My first cellphone was a Nokia POS.
I think it was a Nokia flip phone!
My first cell phone was a Virgin Cell phone.
My first phone is the one I have now, 5s it’s causing me a lot of problems, not reliable anymore. Thank you so much for the chance to win a really nice phone. Also Love some of the recipes you’ve shared. Happy St. Patrick’s Day xx <3
Nokia flip phone 🙂
I had a flip phone, pretty sure it was Nokia.
Sony Ericcson … was the hottest phone around in the day!
I had a little green LG flip phone. I have no idea the model
it was a nokia flip phone
I had a Motorola!
I think it was a Motorola……so loooonggg ago now.
I want to say it was the Motorola StarTAC 130 but it might have been the Nokia 3310
My first phone was a Nokia and it withstood so many falls!
Motorola Razor , I will never forget that phone, I was so happy to have a great phone (at the time) lol but they have come such a long way since then. My current phone is Samsung Note 1 which I’ve had since they came out 6years ago,time for a replacement. Thanks for the chance
My ffirst cell phone was a flip phone I think but can’t remember more than that!
First was a Nokia cell phone
I don’t remember what my first cell phone was, only that I got it when I was 13.
I can’t remember what it was. It was an LG something or other. A hand-me-down from my wife. About 3.5 inches big. So small!
It was a Nokia phone that has a small screen in black and white text.
My first phone was a Nokia, that I thought was the best thing out there!
It was one of the models that fido carried when they first opened nokia??? ericsson ???
My first cell phone was a Nokia flip phone and I thought it was so cool back then!
I got my first cellphone was only 10 years ago and it was a Nokia Flip phone. Texting took forever, especially when mad at someone. AaBbCc…
Author
Oh yeah, I can totally relate!
My first phone was a Samsung flip phone!
I believe it was a Nokia! I still have it somewhere. It weighs a ton! 🙂
Author
I still have all of mine also, and they all work.
It was a tiny samsung phone , forget what kind though
my first cell phone was a motorola razor
I think it was a Nokia.
My first cellphone was a Nokia!
My first was a Nokia back in 2000. Amazing how small phones are now compared to then.
Nokia was my first cell phone!
I can’t remember my first phone, but I think it was an old heavy clunker…..probably Nokia. I even think it was a pay-to-go. I (not so) fondly remember texting when you had to his the keys that had 3 letters assigned to them t get the letter you want and it took forever to do a simple sentence!
I got a flip phone; my husband got it for me through his work. I was almost embarrassed to own it, as it seemed like such a luxury. I can’t remember what year it was — mid/late 90’s I guess? or maybe it was even later than that, early 2000’s — can’t remember!
my current cellphone is over 10 years old… I am always behind the times!
Author
Then you definitely need to win this one. Best of luck!
a nokia 3695 or somthing like that, but it was the first phone with a color screen
Don’t even remember my 1st phone but I currently have had an iPhone 5 for the last 5 or so years and would love to win this! Thanks for the chance!
Author
This is an Android phone, are you willing to take the jump over?
My first cell was a Nokia 6110
My first cell phone was a Nokia
Don’t own a smartphone so this would be so so AWESOME
Excellent write-up. I don’t have children myself yet, but I look forward to having these “first” memories too. My Mother does not have a phone herself. I think a Samsung J3 would be a very useful phone for her. My first one was a Samsung S3, hand down from a sibling.
Author
This phone is a perfect first time phone. Good luck!!
Samsung Galaxy Ace in 2002 – it was a tiny flip phone, and it was red – very sexy!
i think i had a motorola flip phone and i was 19. my parents bought it for me because i was heading to live at university.
My first cellphone was a Nokia.
Hmmm … so long ago. I remember it was a flip phone … a Samsung I believe.
My first cell phone was a Samsung!
it was a Motorola in the early 90s – a flip phone – and huge compared to the ones today!
My first cell phone was a Blackberry and I loved it!
Author
Not many bells and whistles but so damn reliable!
My first cell phone was a Samsung G3 and it’s still going strong.
My first cell phone was in 2001 and it was a Nokia that had the worst reception.
My first phone was an LG flip phone. I can’t even remember the actual name.
I had to look this up but my first cell phone was an orange Nokia phone (I think it was a Nokia 8310?)
My first cell phone was a Motorola flip phone.
If I won, this would be my first cell phone
Author
Good luck to you. This is a good phone for a first timer.
My first phone was a Motorola flip phone
A Motorola flip phone
It was a Motorola flip phone.
The first cell phone I had was a red Samsung flip phone, the Z240, using the pay-as-you-go system. And I still have it in a junk drawer! Time to let it go I guess. haha.
Author
I say keep it for the memories.
My first cell phone was an LG flip phone, it was great.
It was a flip phone by Nokia, I believe.
I have never had a cellphone…yet.
Author
Never? That’s rare these days.
My first phone was a Phillips in year 1999 , but I don’t remember which model
My first phone was an old Nokia brick 🙂 I played a lot of snake, hahahaha.
I’m still using a flip phone (Samsung). Need to get caught up with everyone else.
My first was an LG and it had a Querty keyboard….lol
My first phone was motorola.
A Motorola flip phone 10 years ago give or take!
One of those Nokia ones that everybody had…
My first cell was the Motorola “peanut phone” in 2001. I remember buying the interchangeable color plates for it.
Motorola flip phone, with telus
I can’t remember the brand but it was a little flip phone
I can’t remember the model or brand. However, my first phone was a big flip phone.
My first cell phone was a flip phone … don’t remember the brand.
Nokia flip phone
First phone was a grey Motorola flip phone.
motorola razer – pink!
It was a Nokia of some sort
My first phone was an LG Rumor!
I bought my first cellphone from Telus in 2000 but, truthfully, I don’t recall what brand it was. It wasn’t very user-friendly, though :).
I had a Samsung cell phone which was my first one.
a motorola razor phone
First phone was Nokia flip phone! Thanks for the chance to win!!
My first phone was a Motorola.
My first cell phone was a navy Samsung flip phone and I loved it!
I had a Samsung flip phone
My first was a Samsung Galaxy SII
My first cell phone was a Samsung…a flip phone.
Motorola Startec
It was some kind of a really big flip phone with a pull up antenna
I can’t remember the brand of my first cell phone, but it had a slide out keyboard and I loved it!!
My first cell was a Nokia in a hideous leather case.
My first phone was a Nokia.
My first was an ALCATEL one touch,
My first phone was very basic (before smartphones) but I don’t recall the make. Only that I was with Bell and the service was out more than in.
My first cell phone was a Motorola.
i dont even remember lol
My first phone was an old LG flip phone from 2002.
My first phone was dopod
My first cell phone was a Motorola
It was a Motorola flip phone. I remember it has green writing when I dialed.
A very large nokia phone the size of a brick
Some old motorola phone
My first cellphone was a Qualcomm model
My first cell was Motorola Razr.
I didn’t get my first cell phone until I was probably like 20 or 21.. I think it was an LG, but I can’t remember what exactly.
Author
I was 25. I know kids who are around 10 and they have their own.
It was a Nokia. I can’t remember the model. It was big and clunky.
My first was a little red Samsung clamshell. Great little phone.
Gosh it was sooo long ago I forget…sorry
lg one, can’t remember specifics..it was 20 years ago!
A Samsung flip phone.
Samsung flip phone
First phone was a Motorola flip phone.
A Samsung flip phone.
My first cellphone was an iPhone 4s.
I have never had a cell phone
Author
Well I think now is as good a time as any. Good luck!
It was a nokia…and it was BIG!
I actually don’t remember what brand – but it was this heavy blocky thing!
Author
Sounds like the block phone was a popular one back then.
Some kind of Nokia flip….still using it. May be time for an upgrade.
Author
Did you say you’re still using it? You can definitely say you got your money worth!
I had a Motorola flip phone!
My first phone was a blackberry torch!
My much loved Samsung s4
My first phone was an iphone 4
What’s a cell phone??
Author
Two cans connected by a string.
I used to have one of those old school Nokias.
Nokia flip phone!
My first cell was Motorola Razr.
My first cell phone was a pink Nokia with an antenna lol.
My first cell phone was a blackberry
a flipphone made by Erickson
Some kind of Nokia with Clearnet
A flip phone, but at the moment I wish for even that because I do not have one now.
Author
Good luck in the contest.
My first phone was an Indestructible Nokia 3310.
My first and current cell is an LG GW525g phone. I loved your blog post. Each year seems to pass much more quickly than the previous ones.
Author
Thank you for the kind words. And yes time flies by too fast.
Had a Nokia 5190, solid as a rock. A lot of SNAKE played on it.
My first phone was the Kyocera Slider. Wow, haven’t heard of that brand in a long time.
My first cell phone was a Nokia 5190.
LG Rumor 🙂 good memories
my first phone was a motorola startec flip phone.
My first cell phone was a Samsung Galaxy S3
Ah my old flip phone….I shared that with my husband for a long time! We’ve come a long way I guess but it worked just fine…
Author
I’ve always loved my flip phones.
my first cellphone was the lg neon, such a crappy phone haha i went through 3
My first cellphone was a huge Motorola phone which needed two hands too operate.
My first cell phone was an LG flip phone.
moto flip phone, left my phone on my desk and the crazy office mate put on the iphone skin on it
Author
That’s just wrong, funny but wrong.
Mine was a Motorola brick. I was a little behind.
My first phone was a Nokia
My first cell phone was a Sony Erikson
I had the Nokia 5190….1 word – SNAKE!!
Author
I won’t tell you how much time I spent playing snake.
It was an old Nokia
I can’t even remember the brand name , it was a chunky flip style phone , the call id was just numbers , one step above the Zach Morris , lol
Author
We’ve come a long way from there but sometimes I miss those simpler times.
Yeah its like its amazing , but its taken over a little to ! Sometimes i wish people were on them just a little less
My first cell phone was a Motorola flip phone.
My first cell phone was the Motorola Razr.
My first and only cell phone is my Moto X
My first cell phone was a Nokia 5190.
my first cell phone was a nokia that I won from muchmusic
Author
Winning phones are the best!
My first cell phone was the first generation of cell phones with a colour screen! It was one of those indestructible Nokia brick phones!
Author
And I bet the reception was amazing.
My first phone was the razr flip phone way back like 10 years ago!
My first phone was a pink flip phone!
Pretty sure my first phone was an old Nokia phone.
I had an old Nokia I think for my first phone.
My first phone was a Nokia
Author
That’s a common one. They were good phones though.
Thinking it was a Sony Erikson, that was a few phones ago!
LOL i STILL remember my very first phone was like a brick.. I don’t know but one of them was the sony erikson
Author
Oh man, those bricks were HUGE! I remember them well. Big and pricey!
I actually have never owned a cell phone… I know in this day and age its shocking.
Author
Never? I’m surprised and jealous at the same time!
I had some kind of a big flip phone
Author
Flip phones were amazing. I think I got better reception on those than I do on my current one.
Pretty sure it was a Nokia and it had a jingle bells ring tone.
Author
Yep, my first one was a Nokia also.
My first was a Motorola flip phone. It is old now but back then it was great!
Author
Seems like everyone had a flip phone as their first one.
My first cell phone was a Motorola from Rogers back in 1998 but I don’t remember the model. It looked a lot like a cordless phone does today.