Parents are buying landlines instead of cell phones for their kids

[signalmankenneth]

Landlines are ringing in homes again. Why parents are happy about that​

Something unusual and exciting has been happening in Alison Lundberg’s household lately: Her landline has been ringing.

There’s “an actual thrill that runs through our household when the phone rings,” said Lundberg, a San Diego-based communications executive.

Part of the reason is that her family has no idea who’s calling since they don’t have caller ID.

It had been decades since Lundberg had a landline. She got one recently to protect her 4-year-old daughter, Ava, she said.

Last summer, Ava’s preschool camp did a lesson on safety, teaching her to call 911 in an emergency.

At home, Lundberg reiterated for her daughter that she should call 911 if someone’s sick, there’s a fire or there’s another kind of an emergency.

“All of a sudden, I had this realization,” said Lundberg, whose family members only had mobile phones. “How would my 4-year-old actually do that?”

So, Lundberg got the landline about five months ago. Now when she travels for work, she doesn’t have to worry about what her daughter will do if something happens to her husband.

But it’s not the only reason Lundberg is happy about the situation. She is among many parents who say bringing back landlines is benefiting their kids, making the adults nostalgic and bringing them all joy.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/23/health/kids-using-landlines-wellness

 

[Yakuda]

Landlines are ringing in homes again. Why parents are happy about that​

Something unusual and exciting has been happening in Alison Lundberg’s household lately: Her landline has been ringing.

There’s “an actual thrill that runs through our household when the phone rings,” said Lundberg, a San Diego-based communications executive.

Part of the reason is that her family has no idea who’s calling since they don’t have caller ID.

It had been decades since Lundberg had a landline. She got one recently to protect her 4-year-old daughter, Ava, she said.

Last summer, Ava’s preschool camp did a lesson on safety, teaching her to call 911 in an emergency.

At home, Lundberg reiterated for her daughter that she should call 911 if someone’s sick, there’s a fire or there’s another kind of an emergency.

“All of a sudden, I had this realization,” said Lundberg, whose family members only had mobile phones. “How would my 4-year-old actually do that?”

So, Lundberg got the landline about five months ago. Now when she travels for work, she doesn’t have to worry about what her daughter will do if something happens to her husband.

But it’s not the only reason Lundberg is happy about the situation. She is among many parents who say bringing back landlines is benefiting their kids, making the adults nostalgic and bringing them all joy.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/23/health/kids-using-landlines-wellness

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I do miss it. When I was really young we had a party line which means more than one customer had access to the line so you had to listen for your ring. So when I was a kid our ring was one long ring and one short ring. When it was two short rings that me want the call was for someone else on the party line. Same with two two long rings. Or short ring first or short ring second. What's funny is even if the call wasn't for you you could pick up the phone and listen to the call. You never knew how.long a call would last so you would pick up the phone to make a call but someone else might be using the line so you had to wait. You could tell them it was an emergency or urgent and the lesson could hang up. I had forgotten all about that until I saw this. It is nostalgic. Thanks.