Free app for tracking child

[felineweird]

Hi there

Please could I have recommendations for a good kid tracking app? Child starting Y7 in Sept so I would like this for peace of mind

TIA

We started with Life360 but nowadays use Google Maps (not that either of them is sharing with us any more ).

You will get lots of posters horrified at your intention to invade your child's privacy and control everything they do. My own suggestion is to ignore it. But also to look only occasionally (eg "did they get the bus to school ok"). And encourage them to use it to see where you are as well - which was why we got Life360 in the first place, after the third time S2 rang me and I couldn't answer because I was driving towards him!

Life 360

Our family, including primary age DS all have iPhones so Find My iPhone is our go to app.

Just to add, my 15yo DD has absolutely no problem with us being able to track her. She knows I bought and still pay for that phone. Not only am I protecting my kid but there's a large financial reason I want that bloody phone tracked.

Also, if my kids silence their mobiles or don't answer my calls, I can go into the Find IPhone app and sound the alarm to locate the device. They'll not ignore that for long.

That phone would be off and I'd have a burner phone quicker than you can say 'overbearing'.

Good job you aren't the OP's child, then, as she has no issue with it. Not sure why a mumsnetter needs a burner phone to cover their tracks but clearly you lead a very dramatic life 😂

Mine has the Google Family Link on her phone but account is not for 13plus, even though she is.

There are still screen and app locks on her phone as she'd be on it 24/7 otherwise.

That phone would be off and I'd have a burner phone quicker than you can say 'overbearing'.

Got no problem with that if she wants to get herself a job and pay for her own unlimited everything contract and latest iPhone. But as she's a 15 yo lassie who likes to be spoiled with the latest tech, I'll eat my hat if she want to go to that effort of working just to pay for a phone.

Haha. The find my phone feature gets a lot of use in our house! 🤣

@belephant I treated myself to an Apple Watch after I needed reading glasses every time I wanted to know the time. Now it's just one little swipe up and a touch and instant mobile finding alarm sounds. I barely use any other feature of that silly watch but that part makes it all worth it.

I use life 360. I have teens who walk home from school or into town, to their Saturday job. They are fine with it and so am I.

Life360 - had it for a few years now and DC 18 and fine with it. It gave them more freedom and less questioning from us if anything. They like knowing where we are too, just makes life easier.

Find My Kids and Google Family link so I can set time limits and approve app downloads - for 11 year old just going out on his own for the first time beyond nearest park.

No advice, just laughing at the thought of a teenager buying themselves a crappy £15 pay as you go burner phone from Asda and actually walking around with it, with their £700 iPhone off.

If first/ new phone use Google family. Otherwise Life360 as you can share your location do it's "fair" (tho you don't have to..)

Life360 is free and works well. Dd1 is 12 and gets the bus to school I need to know where she is.

Thanks for suggestions will look at Life360. And, for the record, my child is more than happy to do this and I think for an 11 year old walking home from school every day for the first time it's really not overbearing at all it's just safety. I'm not talking about a 17 year old A level student

My dd and I have iPhones and you can just set it to 'share location'.
My son never liked that so his is turned off. But I do have find my iPhone which was useful when he lost it in the city - I was able to send a message and staff at M&S got in touch!
But we used life360 before - though you have to have enough memory to have it work and my photo mad daughter often didn't.

Made me chuckle a bit too.
Thankfully none of my kids have an issue with me being able to find them because we have a very open and clear relationship. 15 yo is pretty much allowed to do what she wants (within reason) because she lets me know what's happening and there's a lot of trust. I get all the latest goss too Thankfully boys are still in the eye roll and "Ew they're all wee knobheads, mum" category.

I live Life360, although it's bitten me on the arse occasionally - my daughter texts me from school to say she knows I'm in Waitrose and can I buy her a shopping list of stuff!

Ds & I use life360, it's good & stops me worrying when he is out at night.

I use find my phone on our different Apple devices.

Life 360 wants to charge me after my free trial, is that right?

Just out of interest, can you explain how you are protecting your child by tracking their phone?
If you look at it realistically, knowing where someone is at any given time doesn’t actually protect them at that precise time. It doesn’t stop them getting robbed or assaulted or lost. Yes, you might be able to find out where they are / have been / where the stolen phone is, but is that actual protection?

It's not overbearing. I got up to all sorts. My parents always said leave the address you will be at. they never came looking for me, but they wanted to know where to look should I not come home. It was sensible.

Wanting to know where your child is is no more overbearing than wanting to know where your other half is.