How many of us have given a gift that ends up being a curse in the end?  Take for instance the iPhone.  While it is a remarkable advancement in technology, it often leads to problems between parents and their children.  Adults have learned to deal with the technology, mostly, but children can find it hard to balance that "shiny fun" of an iPhone with life and family.

Janell Burley Hoffmann, a blogger and Mother of five, is attempting to solve the I-Phone gift problem by making her child live up to an 18 point contract.  It might just work.

Check out the full contract.

Here are some of the main points in the contract:

  • The phone remains property of "MOM" and is loaned to her son.
  • Don't "ever" ignore phone calls from Mom or Dad, and always use proper manners.
  • The phone will be handed in at 7:30pm on Weeknights and 9:00pm on Weekends, no exceptions.
  • The phone doesn't go to school.
  • The child will have to pay for the phone if it gets broken... Janell wrote,   "Mow a lawn, babysit, stash some birthday money.  It will happen, you should be prepared."

The full list.

I think this list is GENIUS.   Deal with all of the expected problems up front, on a written contract, so there is no grey area.  That way, you can always refer to the contract when there is a dispute.

And, it gives you the added benefit of teaching your children about contracts and responsibility!