Would you use GPS to track your child?
- Thread starter ~Jessie~
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or it would at least be found where they where snatched from and that area would be searched first. that is my kidnapping reasoning. better than hey he was supposed to be in this area lets sweep wide area and try to pin point the last place he was and THEN start the search from there. so in my twisted mind , it would at least cut out 2 to 3 hours of searching.
Exactly...it would give searchers a head start. Of course a kidnapper will search and remove the thing from the kid.
I use to ride my horse way out in the toolies when I was a young teen...far away. If I had fallen and hit my head or broken a bone, no one would know where to find me. But if I had one of those things on me, it could be helpful. Luckily, that didn't happen to me, but you hear about things where hikers and other outdoors enthusiasts get lost or trapped in the woods. It could be that the thing might not work in some areas, I suppose.
I use to ride my horse way out in the toolies when I was a young teen...far away. If I had fallen and hit my head or broken a bone, no one would know where to find me. But if I had one of those things on me, it could be helpful. Luckily, that didn't happen to me, but you hear about things where hikers and other outdoors enthusiasts get lost or trapped in the woods. It could be that the thing might not work in some areas, I suppose.
I would do it for safety purposes, not disciplinary purposes. As a kid I spent hours trail riding on horseback. I was very lucky to never have had a major accident because my parents would have had miles and miles of horse trails to search. I would be more comfortable letting my kid doing activities like camping, hiking, horseback or bike riding without me there if they had some way to be tracked if something should happen.
The thing about "if my kid got lost somewhere"... I dunno, the whole point in having a cellphone for me was in case I got lost or stranded. I could use it for it's original purpose and call home. 
But I guess if they're going out of the service range or have a medical condition, it could be pretty helpful. (Keep in mind, I live in the city, so there aren't really any "dead zones". Also, there are street signs everywhere, so you'd have to be pretty stupid or drunk not to know where you are.)
But I guess if they're going out of the service range or have a medical condition, it could be pretty helpful. (Keep in mind, I live in the city, so there aren't really any "dead zones". Also, there are street signs everywhere, so you'd have to be pretty stupid or drunk not to know where you are.)
Many of those GPS's in the cars can track speeding too (sorry if this has been said, I am scurrying out the door and didn't read the whole thread). My parents threatened to have one installed in high school if they caught me driving too quickly...definitely can see the logic in that now that I'm an adult. A young, speeding driver has no business remaining in the car.
I voted yes, I would use either if there were a reason.
Raising our children (oldest 23, youngest 13) there have been a few (thankfully only a few!) times I WISHED they had a tracker on them. Not out of distrust, but any mom knows that heart clenching fear you feel when you *think* (even for just ONE second) your child is missing.
Raising our children (oldest 23, youngest 13) there have been a few (thankfully only a few!) times I WISHED they had a tracker on them. Not out of distrust, but any mom knows that heart clenching fear you feel when you *think* (even for just ONE second) your child is missing.
I think that it depends, honestly. I wouldn't do it out of lack of trust but honestly, I WANT people to know where I am. As a dogwalker, or even walking my own dog, sometimes I'm walking in places that aren't extremely populated so I gave my dad my password to my MobileMe thing on my iPhone and he can go to the 'find my iphone' to track where I am if God forbid anything ever happened.
I know it's extreme, but think about kids like Jaycee Dugard, etc, if that technology had been around back then, and she had a cell phone or some kind of tracking device on her, she most likely wouldn't have lived 18yrs in that creeps house (again, IF the technology existed).
But yeah I think some parents could be creepy/overbearing with it and I think it depends on the age. I don't think teenagers should be followed everywhere. But then again, I never had anything to hide at that age, so I wouldn't have even cared if I had some sort of GPS on me.
Basically, I think it depends on the kid and the parent. My parents have always trusted me completely, and I could care less if they had decided to track me when I was younger for safety precaution reasons.
I know it's extreme, but think about kids like Jaycee Dugard, etc, if that technology had been around back then, and she had a cell phone or some kind of tracking device on her, she most likely wouldn't have lived 18yrs in that creeps house (again, IF the technology existed).
But yeah I think some parents could be creepy/overbearing with it and I think it depends on the age. I don't think teenagers should be followed everywhere. But then again, I never had anything to hide at that age, so I wouldn't have even cared if I had some sort of GPS on me.
Basically, I think it depends on the kid and the parent. My parents have always trusted me completely, and I could care less if they had decided to track me when I was younger for safety precaution reasons.
Yes. My parents have a tracker in my phone and one used to be in my car. When I was younger I had an independent device that looked like a watch. My parents have ones on their phones as well lol so it's not an exclusive thing or anything. The program is pretty open.. I could see where both my parents and brothers were if I wanted. It's not an "I AM THE PARENT I HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE THING" as much as a safety.
We discussed it as a family and decided we were OK with it.
My parents have NEVER misused it (/checked it every day just to call and ask where I am/what I am doing at _____, used it to spy upon my whereabouts to ground me or whatever lol)
-I texted them from a party asking them to pick me up. Frankly, I was drunk, my friends left, I HAD NO IDEA where the party was (Yes. It was a very irresponsible mistake but that's besides the point).. they were there in 20 minutes.
- When my brother was in Law school there was a huge shooting nearby where he lives, my parents were SO WORRIED he was there/hurt. His phone was off/he wasn't answering (it was finals time, he was studying) rather than raising hell.. my parents checked the tracker and saw that he was safe and sound at the library.
- My nephew's walks from school to soccer practice. He is supposed to call when he arrives but he ALWAYS forgets. It's nice to know he is there. Otherwise, it would be waiting til dinner time for him not to come through the door.. a dangerous situation.
- It shows routine. My regular walk to school, class etc.. and where I frequent. In case of dissapearance/police involvement, I would assume these kinds of things are useful.
Then again, bearing in mind.. as a family, we spend time in Haiti quite often. While being kidnapped/taken is not a common problem in the US.. in Haiti, it very much is. Especially with children/members of the larger more well known families. Criminals are not that tech savvy to check for cell phones and if anything they usually keep them to sell them. MANY a person has been tracked and found using these technologies.
Things that are important
- Discussion. I would talk to my kids about what these things were for, why we had them. It's a SAFETY THING, not a spying thing. As for teenagers (when you are have earned the right to kind of do your own thing) Unless we believe you are in danger, we won't check them. and we will ALWAYS call you first.. the tracker is ONLY USED when you cannot be reached.
- Honesty. The minute these things are mis-used/used to spy and smother kids (aka:"WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT KATHYS HOUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO MARYS HOUSE!!" "WHERE WERE YOU AT 294 APPLE STREET ON THURSDAY AT 3PM?!)...the trust is broken. Kids will stop taking them places and the whole point is lost.
and the idea of tracking your kids without them knowing.. is a HUGE breach of trust there. How do you expect them to tell you anything or trust you while you are tracking them like some kind of animal?
I mean, perhaps if the kid is already out of control or in trouble.. but there is no reason to track an otherwise good kid just because you can IMO
Speaking of..
- Inquire. Do not accuse. It's a trust thing. If you use it like a criminal tracker, your kid will act like a criminal. "WHERE WERE YOU THE NIGHT OF THE 13th AT 7 PM!!" *flashes bright light*
When I was around 16ish My mom would ask something like "hey, you weren't answering your phone and I was worried when you didn't come home after school. I was just wondering where you were on Thursday.. please don't forget to call me ok?"
I was always happy to tell her where I was. I mean, we both know she already knew where technically anyway lol but still, it was a polite and safe way to ask.. i didn't feel like I was on trial. I had a great deal of freedom so never had to play the deception game.
We discussed it as a family and decided we were OK with it.
My parents have NEVER misused it (/checked it every day just to call and ask where I am/what I am doing at _____, used it to spy upon my whereabouts to ground me or whatever lol)
-I texted them from a party asking them to pick me up. Frankly, I was drunk, my friends left, I HAD NO IDEA where the party was (Yes. It was a very irresponsible mistake but that's besides the point).. they were there in 20 minutes.
- When my brother was in Law school there was a huge shooting nearby where he lives, my parents were SO WORRIED he was there/hurt. His phone was off/he wasn't answering (it was finals time, he was studying) rather than raising hell.. my parents checked the tracker and saw that he was safe and sound at the library.
- My nephew's walks from school to soccer practice. He is supposed to call when he arrives but he ALWAYS forgets. It's nice to know he is there. Otherwise, it would be waiting til dinner time for him not to come through the door.. a dangerous situation.
- It shows routine. My regular walk to school, class etc.. and where I frequent. In case of dissapearance/police involvement, I would assume these kinds of things are useful.
Then again, bearing in mind.. as a family, we spend time in Haiti quite often. While being kidnapped/taken is not a common problem in the US.. in Haiti, it very much is. Especially with children/members of the larger more well known families. Criminals are not that tech savvy to check for cell phones and if anything they usually keep them to sell them. MANY a person has been tracked and found using these technologies.
Things that are important
- Discussion. I would talk to my kids about what these things were for, why we had them. It's a SAFETY THING, not a spying thing. As for teenagers (when you are have earned the right to kind of do your own thing) Unless we believe you are in danger, we won't check them. and we will ALWAYS call you first.. the tracker is ONLY USED when you cannot be reached.
- Honesty. The minute these things are mis-used/used to spy and smother kids (aka:"WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT KATHYS HOUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO MARYS HOUSE!!" "WHERE WERE YOU AT 294 APPLE STREET ON THURSDAY AT 3PM?!)...the trust is broken. Kids will stop taking them places and the whole point is lost.
and the idea of tracking your kids without them knowing.. is a HUGE breach of trust there. How do you expect them to tell you anything or trust you while you are tracking them like some kind of animal?
I mean, perhaps if the kid is already out of control or in trouble.. but there is no reason to track an otherwise good kid just because you can IMO
Speaking of..
- Inquire. Do not accuse. It's a trust thing. If you use it like a criminal tracker, your kid will act like a criminal. "WHERE WERE YOU THE NIGHT OF THE 13th AT 7 PM!!" *flashes bright light*
When I was around 16ish My mom would ask something like "hey, you weren't answering your phone and I was worried when you didn't come home after school. I was just wondering where you were on Thursday.. please don't forget to call me ok?"
I was always happy to tell her where I was. I mean, we both know she already knew where technically anyway lol but still, it was a polite and safe way to ask.. i didn't feel like I was on trial. I had a great deal of freedom so never had to play the deception game.
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I completely agree.
I also agree with this.
As someone who finished the teenage years not too long ago, I can say I probably would have been fine with it had it been for safety/emergency purposes only. If it was used for disciplinary reasons hell no, but there is some comfort in the idea that if anything happened to me someone would be able to find me.
I also agree with this.
As someone who finished the teenage years not too long ago, I can say I probably would have been fine with it had it been for safety/emergency purposes only. If it was used for disciplinary reasons hell no, but there is some comfort in the idea that if anything happened to me someone would be able to find me.
Well, and its so dependent on the overall relationship. I wouldve been fine with it BUT my mom and I had an open and trusting relationship. Dont get me wrong, she was definitely the mom and not "a friend" BUT I never felt the need to lie to her (ok much lol, there were a couple times) and I was also very responsible.
HOwever I had friends who I KNOW their parents wouldve used it way too much and pushed the relationship even further into disrepair.
HOwever I had friends who I KNOW their parents wouldve used it way too much and pushed the relationship even further into disrepair.
