“But everyone has one.”

We’ve hit Round Two of the parenting game called “But everyone has one,” when Jeremy reminds me of all the hand-held devices his peers have and how he doesn’t have anything.

And then I remind him, yes, you do have a hand-me-down iPod nano, which he uses to listen to audiobooks at night.

And then he reminds me, but you can’t play games on it or have apps or text people or have an Instagram account.

And then I remind him, so save your money and buy what you want. 

And that’s where we remain.

Round One of “But everyone has one” happened several years ago when “everyone” had a handheld video game system (Nintendo DS or Sony something-or-other). For about two years Jeremy asked for a Nintendo DS for his birthday and Christmas, but we didn’t cave. Our children aren’t without electronics. We have the usual stuff in the house, but nothing hand-held for the boys.

I know. SO DEPRIVED.

Then last year he started pressing us for iPod Touch, which we thought would be really fun for him but still declined to buy him one. His persistence escalated and he finally got the message that if he wants a hand-held device, he will need to earn money to buy one. He will also need to earn money to buy a case and purchase his own apps.

I know. SO CRUEL.

We further explained that if he actually saves enough money to buy an iPod Touch, he will not have the freedom to do whatever he wants with it, be on it all day, bring it to the dinner table or in the car or grocery store checkout lines or any other public place without permission.

I know. SO MEAN.

And just recently, we informed him that if he actually saves enough money to buy an iPod Touch, it will not charge in his bedroom at night. It will charge in our bedroom, and there will be no passwords.

I know. GOOD PARENTING.

To date, he’s saved about $35 doing chores and extra work around the house. He’s refrained from buying LEGO sets and other things that tempt him, which is a big deal for our little impulse shopper. Instead, Jeremy is keeping an eye on the used iPod Touch devices at a local game store and hoping to have one of his own by the end of the year.

Then, just the other day he asked when he’s going to get his own cell phone, to which I replied, “Why? So you can call me when you need picked up from school?”

He just rolled eyes and shook his head. I guess he didn’t like my homeschool joke.