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Once your parents have agreed to sit down with you, you'll want to explain to them how useful it can be. One of the most useful features of this smartphone is its built-in organizational tools, such as its calendar feature. Explain how you can use this to keep track of your school, work, and extra-curricular activities, and also explain how your parents can send you appointment information which will then appear in your phone's calendar. The iPhone is essentially a portable computer with easy access to internet resources; having one is like having immediate access to the best libraries, teachers, and references. Explain to your parents all of the useful features you'll have at your fingertips with an iPhone, such as free dictionary and encyclopedia apps, and easy access to your class websites. It may help to have a list of these educational apps ready to show your parents. You can also have a page to the app store pulled up on your laptop/computer, or you may even be able to borrow a good friend's iPhone to use during your demonstration. Your parents may be aware of studies which report alarming statistics, such as a recent one which indicates that as many as 1 in 3 young people had sent a nude picture of him/herself to someone else, and that more than half had been asked to do so. That same study also suggested that kids who sext may be more sexually active. Let your parents know that you won't use your phone to sext or to take sexual pictures of yourself, and promise them that you'll let them know if anyone else makes you uncomfortable or makes sexual advances towards you. Take maybe the most convincing thing for your parents to get it. Your parents may also be worried that you'll become "hooked" to your iPhone, and will stay up late surfing the web and responding to texts. Studies have suggested that sleeping with your phone near you can interfere with your sleep, and may possibly be linked to depression. Agree to turn your phone off at night and leave it in a separate room. While the iPhone does have a built-in alarm, you can get by with an old-fashioned clock. Even if your plan will come with unlimited texting, your parents may be worried that you'll spend too much time glued to your phone, sending and responding to texts from friends. This can make you less connected to your family, and could possibly hurt your communication skills. Let your parents know that you are willing to put down the phone during dinner and when you are all hanging out together, and let them know that you won't text when it's time to study. Your parents will probably be more willing to let you have an iPhone if you are open to them using the parental control features. With these, your parents can see how much time you spend on your phone, and keep track of the sites you visit, among other things. In fact, your parents may even feel comfortable giving you more freedom once they know that they can use GPS and tracking features to know where you are and who you are with. Once you've made your pitch, try something like the following: "Mom and Dad, I know that I'm asking for a lot and that I'm asking you to trust me. If you're willing to give me a chance, I won't let you down, and I'll be super grateful." Your parents may want or need to time to think things over and discuss it together privately, and demanding an immediate answer won't help your case. Let them know you are willing to wait for their answer: "Thanks for hearing me out. Do you guys need time to talk about this together?" You've made your very best case for why you can be trusted with an iPhone, and of course, you got high hopes. Your parents may say "no," though. Even though you have your reasons for having an iPhone, your parents surely have their own reasons for saying no right now. It's fine for you to ask them to share their reasons with you, and if they are willing to do so, you might be able to address their concerns and change their minds. For this to work, you have to accept it if you need it to be taken away. If your parents reject all of your suggestions, ask them if they'd be willing to reconsider it down the road, and then leave it at that. You'll have better luck getting a "yes" in a few months if you can keep from nagging or pouting while you wait. If your parents come back with a positive responsecongrats to you! You now need to live up to all of the promises you made. For example, if you promised to turn off your phone at 9 pm every night, then do it! Don't think that your parents won't know or won't care if you sometimes check it at 10 or 11 after they've gone to bed.
Explain how you can use the iPhone to stay organized. Explain how you will use the iPhone for homework. Let your parents know that you will be careful when you're online or texting. Promise your parents that you won't sleep with your iPhone. Promise to go easy with texting. Be willing to let your parents "spy" on you. Let your parents know how grateful you will be. Give your parents time to think it over. Be prepared for rejection. If so, you can suggest giving it a trial run, and be willing to give the phone up if you don't keep all of your promises. Respect their final decision. Keep your word.