Like many other parents, Janell Burley Hofmann of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, gave her son an iPhone last Christmas. But her gift to 13-year-old Gregory came with strings attached-a long list of rules that he must follow.

The mother of five covered everything, curfew, porn and all-from "I will always know the password" and "Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads 'Mom' or 'Dad'" to "Do not send or receive pictures of your private parts or anyone else's private parts."

The 18-point iPhone contract, which she first posted on her blog (www.janellburleyhofmann.com), was picked up by the Huffington Post and has gone viral since. Janell and Gregory have even appeared on TV.

In an interview with ABC, Gregory said, "My first reaction was why, why did she have to do this?" But he did say he would have followed those rules anyway. On Twitter, Hofmann said, "He says that making the contract was 'so my Mom.' We had some laughs, talked seriously and he signed!"

Although she admits that some parts were written in jest, Hofmann does make great points. And now, she says she's gotten a lot of requests from other parents who want to use her contract as well.

Hyperwired adults

But kids aren't the only ones who can pick up lessons from Hofmann's list of rules. Hyperwired adults can learn a thing or two from the contract, too. Hofmann wrote, "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… 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."

Hofmann has received a lot of love from people who see the importance of her agreement with her son-they continue to share it in their social networks and throw praise her way on Twitter.

But not everyone appreciates Hofmann's list, with some people accusing her of being a helicopter mom.

One Huffington Post reader wrote, "I would recommend this teen to get a hammer and to destroy the phone in front of his mother. She cannot be changed but he will train himself to deal with insane requests from people in the position of power."

Another said, "My mom was quite strict, when I was a child, but now I see, that she is an angel comparing to this 'mother.' Sorry, but you can't force your child to trust you, you have to earn it."

But other people came to her defense. "How can commenters have anything negative to say about teaching your children accountability?"

"There is nothing wrong with showing your children how to be responsible for their own actions and to strive to be better human beings."

"Can someone please get Greg's mom a 'Mother of the Year' award NOW?!"

In an e-mail, someone accused Hofmann of wanting attention and accolade. "You shared the contract with the world for a giant pat on the back."

Her reply? "Ummm, no. But I'll take it! Parenting is hard work! Thanks!"

She said it perfectly in her TV interview, "What I wanted to do and show him was how you can be a responsible user of technology without abusing it, without becoming addicted."

Here are the points in mum Janell Burley Hofmann's letter to her 13-year-old son.

1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren't I the greatest?

2. I will always know the password.

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.

4. Hand the phone to one of your parents promptly at 7.30 p.m. every school night and every weekend night at 9:00 p.m. It will be shut off for the night and turned on again at 7.30 a.m. 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.

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.

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.

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.

8. Do not text, email, or say anything through this device you would not say in person.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

16. Play a game with words or puzzles or brain teasers every now and then.

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.

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 and I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together.