It's a classic parenting dilemma of the digital age: You want your kid to have that shiny new smartphone, but don't want that to lead to an ongoing power struggle over how it can and can't be used.
这应该是数字时代父母会遇到的经典难题:想让自己的孩子拥有闪亮的新款智能手机,却又不想手机的使用问题跟孩子陷入旷日持久的拉锯战。
It seems Janell Burley Hofmann, a blogger and mother of five, has found a solution.
不过看起来这位叫詹妮尔-霍夫曼的博主找到了解决方法,她是五个孩子的母亲。
She gave her 13-year-old son Gregory an iPhone for Christmas. But it came with a catch -- namely, an 18-point contract outlining how Gregory's new toy can and can't be used.
她给13岁的儿子格雷戈里买了一部iPhone手机做圣诞礼物,但同时又跟儿子签订了一共18条的手机使用合同,合同中明确规定了格雷戈里使用手机时的种种规则。
Gregory’s iPhone Contract
格雷戈里的iPhone手机使用合同:
Dear Gregory
亲爱的格雷戈里:
Merry Christmas! You are now the proud owner of an iPhone. Hot Damn! You are a good & responsible 13 year old boy and you deserve this gift. But with the acceptance of this present comes rules and regulations. Please read through the following contract. I hope that you understand it is my job to raise you into a well rounded, healthy young man that can function in the world and coexist with technology, not be ruled by it. Failure to comply with the following list will result in termination of your iPhone ownership.
圣诞快乐!现在你已经是这台iPhone的主人了。太棒了!你是一名优秀而且负责任的13岁男孩了,你理应得到这样的礼物。不过接受这件礼物的同时,还是有一些规章制度要遵守的。请阅读下面所有的制度内容。我希望你能明白这些是我经过深思熟虑之后写下的,这些对你会很有帮助,让这台手机为你所用,而不会让你受到手机的摆布。如果你没能按照下面这些内容来做,那么恐怕我就要收回这台iPhone咯!
I love you madly & look forward to sharing several million text messages with you in the days to come.
非常期望在未来的日子里能和你用这台手机发消息、打电话。爱你!
1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren’t I the greatest?
这是我的手机。这是我买的,我付的钱。我现在把它先借给你,老妈我是不是很伟大?
2. I will always know the password.
手机的密码必须让我知道。
3. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads “Mom” or “Dad”. Not ever.
来电话的时候要接,礼貌地说“你好”。如果是妈妈或者爸爸的来电,不可以拒接或忽略!
4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7:30pm every school night & every weekend night at 9:00pm. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7:30am. If you would not make a call to someone’s land line, wherein their parents may answer first, then do not call or text. Listen to those instincts and respect other families like we would like to be respected.
周一至周五在晚上7:30之前要把手机交给我们,周末可以延迟到晚上9点。晚上我们会关掉这台手机,并且到第二天的早晨7:30再开。打电话给其他固定电话,有家长先接的时候要有礼貌,就像尊敬我们一样尊敬他们。不要因为对方的家庭电话会先有家长接听就不打过去,而选择给对方发消息。
5. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It’s a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
手机不能带去学校。那些跟你发短信的学校朋友,平常也要保证和他们当面的对话交流,这是基本的生活技能。(上学仅半天、校外的参观学习或课外活动等情况可另外考虑)
6. If it falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air, you are responsible for the replacement costs or repairs. Mow a lawn, babysit, stash some birthday money. It will happen, you should be prepared.
如果手机掉进了厕所、掉在地上摔坏或丢失,你需要承担更换或维修的费用。锄草、照看婴儿以及把生日拿到的钱存起来,这些都可以挣到钱,你应当提前为此做好准备。
7. Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire.
不要用iPhone发送任何相关的内容欺骗、愚弄其他人。谈话中不要中伤你的朋友,在使用这款手机通话之前,必须首先确保你是个称职的朋友。
8. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.
对于那些你无法当面说出口的话,请不要选择发消息、邮件或其他通过这款手机传递信息的方式代替。
9. Do not text, email, or say anything to someone that you would not say out loud with their parents in the room. Censor yourself.
监督好自己,那些不能当着对方父母的面大声说出来的事,也不要通过手机发消息、邮件等形式来传递。
10. No porn. Search the web for information you would openly share with me. If you have a question about anything, ask a person – preferably me or your father.
杜绝色情内容。只能搜索查看那些可以与我一起看的内容。如果你有任何问题,都可以选择问其他人,最好是我或者你的父亲。
11. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.
公共场合请关闭手机,或是静音以及收起来。尤其是在餐厅、电影院,以及和其他人交谈的时候。你是个有礼貌的孩子,不要因为你的iPhone让别人改变了对你的看法。
12. Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else’s private parts. Don’t laugh. Someday you will be tempted to do this despite your high intelligence. It is risky and could ruin your teenage/college/adult life. It is always a bad idea. Cyberspace is vast and more powerful than you. And it is hard to make anything of this magnitude disappear – including a bad reputation.
不要发送或接收你私处或者其他人私处的图片。(不要笑)未来你可能会经受不住诱惑做出这样的事。这样做很不好,并且会毁了你中学大学乃至未来的生活。互联网很庞大,远比你想得复杂,里面有很多不好的东西是我们不该去接触的。
13. Don’t take a zillion pictures and videos. There is no need to document everything. Live your experiences. They will be stored in your memory for eternity.
不要无节制地拍照、拍视频。没有必要把生活中的所有东西都用手机记录下来,对我们来说只有记在脑子里才是永恒的。
14. Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO – fear of missing out.
有的时候出去玩可以选择把手机放在家里,这样你会更有安全感。手机不是你的全部,学着抛开它。不要被手机束缚住。我们即便离开了手机一样可以生活得很好。
15. Download music that is new or classic or different than the millions of your peers that listen to the same exact stuff. Your generation has access to music like never before in history. Take advantage of that gift. Expand your horizons.
下载的音乐,不管是新潮还是古典的,都要有你自己的个性,不要流于俗套和其他同龄人都听一样的东西。你们这一代人能够接触到音乐的途径比前人广得多,好好利用这个礼物,这对扩展你的视野会很有帮助。
16. Play a game with words or puzzles or brain teasers every now and then.
可以用iPhone常常玩一些拼字、解谜和锻炼大脑的游戏。
17. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.
保持冷静,时常留意你周围发生的事,看看窗外、听听鸟叫、出去散散步。和路上的行人说说话,不要总是用手机搜索。
18. You will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You & I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.
当你因为这部手机感到迷茫的时候,我会暂时收回手机,然后我们一起坐下来谈谈。我们再从头开始,我和你都还在学习的过程中,我和你是一起的,记住!
It is my hope that you can agree to these terms. Most of the lessons listed here do not just apply to the iPhone, but to life. You are growing up in a fast and ever changing world. It is exciting and enticing. Keep it simple every chance you get. Trust your powerful mind and giant heart above any machine. I love you. I hope you enjoy your awesome new iPhone. Merry Christmas!
我希望你能同意上面每一条内容。上面的大部分内容都并不仅针对这台iPhone,更是对生活的提示。你在这个快速变化的世界里长大,这里有许多令人兴奋和诱人误入歧途的事物。相信你自己的内心,不要被任何机器左右。我爱你。最后希望你使用这台手机愉快!圣诞快乐!
xoxoxo Mom
爱你的,妈妈