[jewel]

As an alternative to the VoIP phone: Redpocket has a $2.67/mo plan. We loaded that SIM into a small android phone (Unihertz Jelly phone).

It works great as a home phone but has the additional advantage of being able to wander if a pre-cellularized needs to go somewhere. For example, my 13-year-old takes it when going on a long bike-ride with his friends.

We keep it in our closet and only comes out when needed. They aren't allowed to give the number out to friends.

[ale42]

Well, the point of the landline phone (at least to some parents) is also that it has no screen, and has actual buttons, and stays home... for cell phone, we have prepaid SIM cards that are actually usable (in many EU countries credit doesn't expire and you must just use it every few months to keep them active, not sure about US).

[Kirby64]

Pretty much all phones have screens, even landline ones. They communicate at minimum caller ID, or what phone number you dialed out.

Using an old flip phone (they still make them that have 4g/5g connectivity these days!) gets you a similar ask, with the benefit that it’s portable if you need to.