Cellphone is a luxury

Dear Annie: I am a 12-year-old who just got my cellphone. My parents are extremely controlling about the limits of my using it. For instance, once I go to bed, I’m not allowed to charge my phone in my room. They said it would make the battery worse and I should charge it for short periods of time throughout the day. I tried a compromise and said I’d charge it when I woke up in the morning and after school, but they assumed that meant I’d use the phone in the morning. But I wouldn’t, and when I said so, they didn’t answer.

My parents never listen to me when I try to suggest a compromise. What should I do? — Want My Phone

Dear Phone: Try to understand that your phone is not an entitlement. It is a luxury that your parents are allowing you to have. They get to set the rules. They wonder why you care where the phone is at night if you don’t plan to use it. Things like that make them suspicious of your motives.

Extra time on your phone and having it in your room are privileges that must be earned incrementally. What you promise isn’t as important as what you do. Your parents will trust you when they know that you will accept and follow their rules. If you show that you are responsible for several months and your parents still won’t grant you additional time, then it is time to ask another adult to help you reach a compromise.

Dear Annie: Over the years, I’ve been called to the emergency room for family members hurt in an accident or asked to rush to the bedside of a dying friend. Sometimes, it has been necessary to spend the night.

I started keeping an old duffel bag in the garage alongside my car to serve as an emergency bag. Any time I had to go to the hospital, I’d grab it. It has been helpful in many instances, and I would recommend that everyone keep such a bag for future needs.

Some things that come in handy are: comfortable slippers and socks, sweatpants and a T-shirt to sleep in, a blanket, a neck cushion, a paperback book, a flashlight and a packet of baby wipes. Tucked into the side pockets are two bottles of water, two protein drinks, two protein bars and a bag of trail mix, along with a few dollars for the vending machines. I go through the bag once a year and replace items such as water and other food as needed. — Trying to be Prepared in Connecticut

Dear Connecticut: Thank you for an excellent suggestion. While most people don’t make frequent trips to the emergency room, the point of such a bag is to have it handy for those rare instances when you need it.