Tracker for High School child

[nosmartphone]

Hi After some recommendations.

As username suggests, DD does not have a smartphone for high school. She has a new NOKIA which she can make free calls and free texts unlimited on. Sensible child and she's happy with this. Phones are banned in school anyway.

However, I could do with some sort of way of tracking her if for whatever reason she doesn't come out on time/phone dies etc (doubt it as it's got 5 days battery life!) Her school is 9 miles away, not on a bus route so I have to collect/drop off but also have another child 3 miles from that school to collect after her.

Her phone will not take apps so the likes of Life 360 not an option.

I have an android phone so can't so Apple Tags.

Is there anything suitable for android that works in the same way? I've had a quick google but can't work out whether the tags would work out and about or they're only suitable for finding your car keys in the house!

Any recommendations would be appreciated thank you.

I think it's incredibly controlling.

It won't be long before women are being forced to accept being tracked by abusive husbands, as if they refuse they'll be accused of 'hiding something'.

But yeah, a cup of tea on the table is more important.

It isn't at all controlling in my relationship! I track my husband so I know when to start dishing up dinner. And I don't feel I should stop doing that to protect other hypothetical situations.
I even have my friends on there and almost all of my family.

@TheClawDecides

And I think in a consenting relationship it's not controlling at all.

We actually use it for more than a cup of tea. But that's up to us. We are quite happy with our decisions.

But I realise from other threads that some people have very strong opinions on this.

Each to their own.

Sketchy public transport??? 🤣🤣
What public transport would that be then?

Some of us really do live very rurally with no bus services AT ALL, no taxis or even pavements to walk on making walking home unrealistic when they're in secondary school.

I get you OP and I think a tracker is a very good idea but I rely on my DS's Apple phone as it's linked to my account.

DS catches the school bus so if the teacher lets them out late, it will have gone and he's stuffed. It's happened a few times over the last 3 years so you have to sort out a fall back option as the school doesn't run any after school clubs either.

Why does she need to be tracked? There are plenty of threads on here about what a bad idea it is- have a read.

Ignore the 'why do you need to track her' brigade. It makes perfect sense logistically. All.of my 4 dc are on life 360 with me and DP and noone feels its an invasion of privacy or that they are being tracked, they know its just a security and ease of lige things for school pickups etc. They also know they can turn it off at any time by turning off location sevices, but don't bother.

Without L360, use tile or samsung tags, equivalent of airtags that you can use with android phones. Can get both on amazon. My youngets had one in each of his schoolbag, pe bag,and instrument case in Y7. Not because we wanted to track him, but so that we cpuld retrieve them as he was forever leaving them on trains and coaches!

GPS cat tracker.

I have these for my cats.

Not cheap and ongoing subscription.

https://www.weenect.com/uk/en/gps-cat-tracker/?gadsource=1&gbraid=0AAAAADt727eLP9qeFFr3JfnN91ItguhMW&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7Ya47N6kiAMVl4pQBh0v2SUMEAAYAyAAEgKbEfDBwE

Also L360 is a godsend when they start driving, I'd rather that than them lying in a ditch dying somewhere after an accident. Was also very reassuring when DS2 went to Reading festival recently after GCSE as we could see him moving between concert areas and camping areas so we knew he was ok and consequently left him alone to get on with having fun, unlike all the 'we dont track out children' parents desperately trying to phone them all weekend and panicking and racing to the festival site in one case as there was poor mobile signal, of course.

I definitely agree with using Android tags, I'll be using that with DS.

We know smartphones and social media are actively harmful to children's brains, happiness and health. A 'dumb' phone is good parenting.

As to why you'd track your child - it's not like you'd be stalking them all day long, it's just helpful to know where they are if something happens and they're late, or hurt themselves, or are lost with no battery or signal. DH and I can track each other's phones, not because we're insecure or creepy, but because if one of us is out biking or running and we fall down an embankment or off a cliff (very possible where we live) the other will know where to look. Or I'm about to start dinner and want to see if DH made the train on time. I know lots of ppl who do this, it's not at all unusual.

Free transport isn't a statutory requirement. My children's bus passes cost nearly £800 each a year!

Why can't you say to her "do not leave the school grounds, even if I'm not there always wait" tracking her is just ridiculous. I've brought up 4DC and never checked their locations ever (all have iphones)

Would you have a signal on a tracker then?

Thank you all super helpful.

Possibly not no, hoping between phone and tracker something works.

Yes, we have already agreed a back up route obviously but this is on her request.

Many tag trackers are bluetooth which have a very limited range, particularly if looking in a rural area, so you may be better with a GPS tracker.

My daughter had this company's trackers recommended for her adapted bike, they have a range for people: www.paj-gps.co.uk/product-category/gps-tracker-people/?compare=42181,44467

I would recommend tractive which we use for our dog. We paid a one off sum of around £200 I think and it has full GPS. I can also pay a monthly amount I think. It needs charging every couple of weeks or so.

Free transport isn't a statutory requirement. My children's bus passes cost nearly £800 each a year!

Free transport IS a statutory requirement if the home to school journey (to the nearest eligible school) is over 3 miles. Obviously OP's dd's distance is way more than that.

You’re picking her up and dropping her off, so why on earth would you need to track her? Just tell her if she’s not going to be where she’s supposed to be she has to let you know, even if that’s via the school office.

What you’ve described absolutely IS spying on your DC.

No its not. Youre not looking at what theyre doing or who theyre talking to. You're just making sure they get home safe, are on the right train going the right direction, can see where the school coach is after a delayed trip so you know when to leave to pick them up etc etc. Its a logistical aid to help with busy family lives.

I don’t think it would work. I live rurally and half the time my AirTags don’t work. The tracker needs to bounce off whatever it uses for the signal eg Bluetooth. The phone your daughter has wouldn’t be able to send a signal to connect with the tracker and if there aren’t any friends around with a smartphone to help out, she’d be stuck. If there were friends with smartphones, she’d be able to contact you anyway. Any child is more likely to have their phone on them than their bag or coat or whatever you plan on putting the tracker on anyway.

You’ve decided to go for a dumb phone and I think you need to trust it to ensure contact with your child.

For interest OP, what Nokia did you get? I need something for my dc who are starting year 7.

This. The only way of tracking your child is to talk to them in person and reassure yourself. A tracker can tell you where they are, but that’s all. How would you know they’re ok in that location? A tracker will sometimes fail anyway, so then you’re left wondering. A Phone to make and receive calls on will do the job if you really must track them. Personally, I’d just go with solid arrangements and agreed pick up point or time home, phone in bag to make calls if in any sort of distress.