To put a tracker on my son?

[maisybobbins]

DS4 loves wandering off, way more than other DC. Am feeling unnerved after yet another incident of him getting lost. Luckily he was handed into a customer services area. He's never been lost for more than a couple of minutes but it's the worst feeling in the world. Please don't berate me for not constantly having hold of him - I know that's the ideal solution.

Just wondering whether to buy some kind of gps tracker device I can attach to him. Is that insane? Has anyone tried one?

[ceebie]

How old is he?

[twinkletoedelephant]

We looked into proiximty sp? Alarms for ds2 he was also a wanderer. He's got better with age I always write my mobile number on his arm in sharpie pen if we go to a theme park though

[mrspana]

One of my biggest fears. Just ordered these for mine

www.ring-rings.com

[KingJoffreyLikesJaffaCakes]

The mum did this in the Bad Education movie.

Some kind of microchip.

[gadget1974]

I have an active GPS tracker on my 11yr old's phone. It's only so I know that he'll have arrived at school safely.

[Mabelface]

You could use reins or a wrist strap to stop him being able to wander.

[Boysnme]

Mine would be microchipped if they could!!

[maisybobbins]

Ceebie he's 4 so a bit old for reins but I'd put them on if he'd let me! And yes I'd microchip him if I could!

Thanks so much for all your replies. I will go through your suggestions in detail once dinner is cooked!

[Wolfiefan]

He needs to be told that if he can walk nicely then he can walk on his own. Or he has to hold your hand or use a wrist strap or whatever.

[lalalalyra]

Get him a littlelife backpack

[Balletgirlmum]

I've got a tracker on dss PE kit it's like a little key ring thing you attach so I guess it wouldn't be hard to say attach it to the zip of his coat.

[CodyKing]

^ link please!

[wizzywig]

Whats the name of it balletgirl?

[Sirzy]

I agree, reigns of backpack/wrist strap. Clear instructions if he can't hold hands nicely then you use them.

[Balletgirlmum]

It's called Track-r. My dad got it for me. He has one on his car keys!

[Balletgirlmum]

www.thetrackr-uk.co.uk/#&panel1-2

[PinkissimoAndPearls]

If you hold a wrist rather than a hand it tends to be harder for them to wriggle out of it, I find.

Trackers on children just seems bizarre to me, tbh.

[maisybobbins]

Mrspana the bands are a great idea, simple but brilliant.

[maisybobbins]

Am salivating at the tracker balletgirlmum!!!

Just so relieved there are solutions out there.

I will also obviously do the wrist holding and talking to as well. He just has no fear whatsoever of losing us. He looked slightly anxious when DH picked him up from customer services but not crying or anything.

[ApocalypseSlough]

He's 4. You need to keep hold of him/ have him in sight at all times. Those gadgets are great but they'll give you and him a false sense of security. They wouldn't stop him running in front of a car or into a pond.

[LilacInn]

If he can't mind an order to stay near you, then he isn't too old for reins. As others have said a tracker won't keep him from stepping out in front of a bus.

[maisybobbins]

Apocalypse and Lila I agree with you and I will be wrist holding if we are near a road or lake or out and about in town. I'm considering a tracker for festivals, holidays, airports, school trips. I just feel like I'd love an extra bit of back up technology with him.

[AnotherUsernameBitesTheDust]

He sounds like my youngest DS. He was always wandering off when we were in town, too many exciting distractions around. He wouldn't get upset either, just ask me why I'd got lost! Luckily our town is pedestrianised so no worries about cars etc, but it's so bloody worrying when they've wandered off out of sight.

He has got better, he's 9 now, and diagnosed with ADHD, which explains why he's so easily distracted and in a world of his own. I still lost him in the park the other day but found him next to the lost children tent, but he hadn't actually gone in to tell them (despite having a wristband with my number on!)

Wristbands with phone number is quite a good idea. One of those backpacks with a strap is also good, I used to use those.

Failing that, I'm up for a tracker, I always said I needed one with him.

[minisoksmakehardwork]

I'd use a tracker as a last resort to be honest. I've 4 dc 4yo twins, 6 and 8. All of them have had the threat of reins if they run off and I do carry them with me to back up the threat if needed. I'm pretty sure the thought of the 6 and 8yo's being seen by their friends in reins is worse than having to stay close or hold an adult's hand.

But imo anything which stops a child wandering too far away from a parent has to be better than something which tells you where they are when they're lost. It might still be too late!

[ApocalypseSlough]

You don't sound like you're looking for an easy option OP, but it's human nature to relax if there's a back up. At 4 physical contact/ reins/within sight is essential.