Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Do you track your dc?

56 replies

Workyticket · 22/08/2022 01:00

DS is 10, nearly 11 and has just started walking to and from school a couple of days a week with his friends

they sometimes play out for an hour after school too, on a park that's on their way home

School is a 20 minute walk away

I've put snapchat on his phone so I can track where he is but it's not ideal as the app has to be in use to see him on the map

We're Android users so no 'find my iPhone '

Are there any better alternatives?

OP posts:
Frequency · 22/08/2022 01:01

We use life360. We're all on it. It sends you notifications when they arrive at a new destination.

JustLyra · 22/08/2022 01:07

I don’t allow my 12yo to have Snapchat. Far too risky an app for me.

we don’t track him anyway. In an emergency we could do find my iPhone as he has my old phone, but we don’t use it as a checking thing.

Ive always found that my friends who do track their children are crap at checking in when they’re meant to. They all rely on someone, usually Mum, to do the checking so she can plan dinner etc. Mine are expected to check in at set points and let n my e know if they’re running late etc.

RedToothBrush · 22/08/2022 01:09

Yes. Teaching your child to be responsible and learning not to be creepy parents.

You don't need to track your kids. It's unhealthy.

Original poster
Workyticket · 22/08/2022 01:14

We've just started allowing him some freedom, his pals' parents have too

I agree snapchat isn't ideal but it showed that they'd gone to a shop off the agreed route the other week

We had a chat about sticking to agreed places while we're all new to this and they've been great since

OP posts:
Frequency · 22/08/2022 01:14

My kids were the ones who suggested it, btw. I was the reluctant one as I didn't like the thought of them knowing where I was 24/7. I used to turn on power saving mode as the app cannot track you with power saving mode on but then I remembered I don't go anywhere anyway so it's all a bit pointless. I now have power-saving mode turned off so they can see me on the app.

It's handy when I want them to meet me places or I am meeting them as it tells you how far away they are in minutes from getting to the meeting place.

I'm not sure I would track them if they didn't want to be tracked. Maybe if they were the kind to go missing frequently but they never were.

lailamaria · 22/08/2022 02:05

i find tracking tricky because once they get to 15/16/17 and want it off their phone they'll be met with an interrogation of why they want it off but of course you aren't there yet, my mum put a tracker on my phone the first time i went to the shopping centre alone and then we deleted it because we thought it was too weird

TheLion · 22/08/2022 04:02

You can do it on Google maps with location sharing. I track DH and my sister and it's very handy. When DC get their own phones (many, many years away) I'd set it up for them but I'd tell them about it and why I like it and then let them choose whether to turn it on. I'd always have it so they could see where I was.

pinheadlarry · 22/08/2022 04:27

I just thought of the black mirror episode when the mum is tracking her daughter and then accidently sees her doing things at a party 😂
I've thought about it but only because my dd is autistic

Pennywalks · 22/08/2022 05:38

My DD and I use the Life360 app which is great for knowing where she is, I think as long as I’m happy for her to see where I am as well it’s fine, she can look and see if I’m on my way home from work if she needs to.
It gives her a little bit of extra freedom that I might not be comfortable with if she didn’t have the app, not that I don’t trust her.

EntertainingandFactual · 22/08/2022 06:00

My DC (very late teens) all have me on ‘find my phone’ and I they share their location with me too.
They track me so see where I am - on my way home from work, at home and fully use it to their advantage - lifts, pick up groceries, parcels etc.
I use it to see how far away they are getting home on the train.
They share their location on Snapchat maps with their close friends only and they all know where each other is!

Sswhinesthebest · 22/08/2022 06:09

We have it with extended family too. Teenage ds didn’t want to be tracked and we respected his right not to be fir several years, but when he passed his driving test he agreed to it to stop me worrying. He’s not since bothered to take us off but we rarely look anyway.
Its handy to have but it’s not used for general nosy purposes - well except for my parents who do seem to have fun knowing where everyone is,

adhdforme · 22/08/2022 06:29

Can't you just use an apple air tag? We
Put one on my sons back pack, but you could easily put one on him. I'm assuming he's still young enough to want to be safe and would be ok with knowingly wearing one when he's out? They sell bracelets that hold them for easy wear with children. Or attach it to his shoe lace.

Dingfeiyu 4 Pack Wristband Compatible with AirTag 2021,Soft Adjustable Airtag Bracelet, Aairtag Watch Band for Kids Toddler Baby Children Elders amzn.eu/d/7J2vHET

Beezknees · 22/08/2022 06:52

No, I don't. I think it's weird to be honest. I wouldn't want someone doing it to me so I don't do it to my DC.

willowstar · 22/08/2022 06:57

We use family like, which is an android app linked to Google account. I use it to set screen time limits and to approve all the apps before they can be installed, as well as using it as a tracking device if I need to. It is the only way I was comfortable giving my daughter a phone and starting to allow her freedom. She got it when she was 11.

willowstar · 22/08/2022 06:58

Sorry, family link

Remmy123 · 22/08/2022 06:58

I can't believe people think it's weird.

we have the the technology to make sure are kids are safe etc why wouid you not?

my 11 year old goes out on his bike with friends foe hours and I check where he is every hour or so - he knows I do it and has no issues with it.

slati · 22/08/2022 07:00

RedToothBrush · 22/08/2022 01:09

Yes. Teaching your child to be responsible and learning not to be creepy parents.

You don't need to track your kids. It's unhealthy.

Even girls?

So healthy is choosing not to use something that is available to help keep them safe?

LondonWolf · 22/08/2022 07:00

Yes, just on Find My IPhone. I don't think it's weird at all. They'll tell me when they want it to stop and it will, no questions asked.

Beezknees · 22/08/2022 07:01

Remmy123 · 22/08/2022 06:58

I can't believe people think it's weird.

we have the the technology to make sure are kids are safe etc why wouid you not?

my 11 year old goes out on his bike with friends foe hours and I check where he is every hour or so - he knows I do it and has no issues with it.

Having a tracker doesn't necessarily make them safe.

I just don't see the need. Every other generation has managed without it.

Lemonblossom · 22/08/2022 07:04

Other generations managed without seatbelts and vaccinations too. Do you similarly shun them?

Beezknees · 22/08/2022 07:06

Lemonblossom · 22/08/2022 07:04

Other generations managed without seatbelts and vaccinations too. Do you similarly shun them?

Hardly the same thing.

LondonWolf · 22/08/2022 07:08

Hardly the same thing.

What's the difference? New technology keeping children safer.

Circleoffifths · 22/08/2022 07:10

When the DCs started secondary they moved from walking around the corner 3 mins to school to travelling for 45 mins on public transport. We got Life360. DP said it was ‘creepy’. But he’s the one who asks me to check where they are if one of them is late home from school.

Beezknees · 22/08/2022 07:11

LondonWolf · 22/08/2022 07:08

Hardly the same thing.

What's the difference? New technology keeping children safer.

How does it keep them safer though? Except in maybe a kidnapping. All it does it let you know where they are. It's not going to stop them from getting robbed, or stabbed, or murdered, because you won't know it's happening.

00100001 · 22/08/2022 07:12

LondonWolf · 22/08/2022 07:08

Hardly the same thing.

What's the difference? New technology keeping children safer.

How is it keeping them safer?

Swipe left for the next trending thread