A Phone for Christmas
What’s inside...
A Phone for Christmas tells the story of 10-year-old Luis who writes to Santa Claus asking for a phone for Christmas. After receiving so many letters asking for cell phones, Santa decides to deactivate everyone's cell phones for an entire year! He sends each family a red rotary phone and a scroll of gray listing what each family needs to do to earn their cell phone back. How will everyone cope without their screen-time? Will Luis ever get a cell phone? Find out what happens in A Phone for Christmas! P.S. What would you do without your cell phone for a whole year?
Age
5-9
Length
31 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What would you do if you received a phone for Christmas? How would you use it responsibly?
How do you think the main character felt when they received their gift? Can you relate to their emotions?
What are some rules you think are important for using a phone? Why?
The story showed both good and bad consequences of having a phone. What are some positives and negatives you can think of?
If you could give any gift to someone, what would it be and why? How do you think they would react?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to think about their personal experiences with technology and relate them to the story.
Discuss the importance of balance and responsibility when using electronic devices.
Help your child understand the emotional aspects of the story by asking them to express how they would feel in similar situations.
Use the story as a springboard to talk about gift-giving and the thoughtfulness behind each gift, emphasizing the value of non-material gifts like love and time.
Foster a deeper understanding by discussing the potential impacts—both positive and negative—of technology as portrayed in the book.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The value of patience
Explanation: In the story, the main character eagerly anticipates receiving a phone for Christmas, but learns to wait and understand the importance of timing.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by developing patience in their daily expectations, learning to wait for rewards, and understanding that not all desires are immediately gratifiable.
Example Lesson: Responsibility with technology
Explanation: Once the main character receives the phone, they learn about the responsibilities that come with owning a device, such as privacy and time management.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children understand the importance of using technology wisely and responsibly, such as limiting screen time and being aware of online safety.
Example Lesson: Gratitude and appreciation
Explanation: Throughout the book, the main character learns to appreciate not just the material gift, but also the thought and love behind it.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to express gratitude for the things they receive, recognizing the effort others put into gifting, and valuing emotional connections over material possessions.
Example Lesson: Understanding the value of money
Explanation: The story introduces concepts of saving and spending, as the character sees parents budgeting for Christmas gifts.
Real-World Application: This educates children on financial literacy basics, helping them understand why budgeting is important, and encourages them to think about saving and spending in their own lives.
Example Lesson: Empathy and consideration
Explanation: The main character learns to consider how their actions, especially with the new phone, can affect others.
Real-World Application: This teaches children to be mindful of how their behavior impacts others, promoting empathy and encouraging thoughtful interactions in both virtual and real-world settings.