- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preteenagers today articles
- preteenagers today q&a
- teenagers today articles
- teenagers today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Slowly Letting Go
Granting Preteens Their Freedom
By Jennifer Nelson
Arranging dates, gossiping about school and sharing best friends' triumphs and tragedies is the heart of the preteen's social life. "Parents need to understand that the telephone is the adolescent's lifeline, the way he or she keeps in touch," says Steinberg. 
However, if you have a very large family or several adolescents vying for phone time, this can be an endless battle. Setting specified time limits or phone schedules may alleviate some of the problem, as will installing a second phone line. Call waiting is another option and is available from most phone companies. So long as homework and chores are finished and kids aren't neglecting anything of importance, phone usage is usually not a big issue. Surely, allowig no phone calls through the dinner hour and late at night are reasonable policies to enforce from the start.
Online