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Original poster

Tracker for child - School trip

145 replies

StarStripeMama · 01/10/2024 12:19

Hello my 4 year old is going on their first school trip next week and it’s giving me major anxiety. I know they will be totally fine but it’s an hour away and an all day trip. Can anyone recommend a gps tracker that I can see on my phone, a watch or something for her shoe? I don’t want to sound crazy but it would make me feel better. It won’t be for school but just any school trips? Thanks :-)

OP posts:
LisaJohnsonsFacebookMole · 01/10/2024 18:10

Sew it under her skin that way SHE CAN NEVER LEAVE YOUUUU.

Original poster
StarStripeMama · 01/10/2024 18:26

Thanks for the feedback, it comes from a place of care, there’s no malice behind it or wanting to stalk or suffocating my child 😅. For what it’s worth my little one is confident, happy, easy going and not anxious. I do have anxiety and I am aware of not making her anxious. My question came from a place of care and also this is all new to me. I’ll work on my anxiety and perhaps a few of you can work on your kindness and being less judgmental, not everything has to be negative and trying to make someone feel bad…! 🤷🏼‍♀️🩷

OP posts:
RitzyMcFee · 01/10/2024 18:34

My question came from a place of care

I don't think it's a good idea to tell yourself this. It's not from a place of care, it's from a place of worry and your own anxiety.

Trying to normalise it can't help.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
themonkeysnuts · 01/10/2024 18:36

please try not to worry, they will be in groups of around 1 adult to 5 or 6 kids
wrist bands and / or high vis jackets over coats, counted numerous times during the day (ive been on many class trips)

BlueySchmooey · 01/10/2024 18:38

I bet you won't be the only one on the trip doing this. There's a reason they sell watches with trackers for kids. It seems a bit extreme OP, but nowhere near as extreme as the responses.

Original poster
StarStripeMama · 01/10/2024 18:40

Thank you 🩷. It’s a trip into the city, it’s a large class of around 30 with 3 classes going together so approx 90 children so I wasn’t sure how it would work. They are all in uniform but I assume they will have bands or hi viz on. It’s a lovely school and everything else seems well organised.
I could have said no to her going on the trip but I want her to go as I know she will really enjoy it. It’s just new to me, I appreciate the help, thank you :-)

OP posts:
Procrastinates · 01/10/2024 18:41

BlueySchmooey · 01/10/2024 18:38

I bet you won't be the only one on the trip doing this. There's a reason they sell watches with trackers for kids. It seems a bit extreme OP, but nowhere near as extreme as the responses.

I don't think it's helpful to suggest others will be doing that. I've taken many reception aged children on trips and have never encountered a parent sending their child with a tracking device of any kind.

It's truly not a normal response to the perfectly normal feelings of worry about your child doing things independently and presenting it as one isn't sensible.

SonicTheHodgeheg · 01/10/2024 18:45

Don’t do it.

If you can’t be a parent volunteer then it’s better to keep your child off than send them with a tracker.

I’ve been a parent volunteer on quite a few trips and it worked out fine. The parents had the easy children unlikely to bolt or behave badly while the experienced teacher and TAs had the trickier kids. The kids in my group were always well behaved and the ratio was easily managed by me.

BlueySchmooey · 01/10/2024 18:51

To be fair, you wouldn't know if they had a tracking device!

Becles · 01/10/2024 18:55

I'm a brownie leader and once during a trip we got a call from our home contact who'd got a frantic hysterical call from a parent wanting to know why their 8 year old was approximately 90 miles from the planned location.

Said child was sat next to me having seconds of pudding. We've had two Brownie holidays where tags have been pinged by a leader phone. I now tell parents in the meeting that any discovered will be deactivated and that the child will not be permitted on future trips since they don't trust me and I'm not consenting to be tracked.

TeenLifeMum · 01/10/2024 18:57

This isn’t okay!

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 01/10/2024 19:01

I think 4 is very young for an all day trip, and an hour away. I don't think I'd have been super comfortable about that and I wasn't particularly over anxious.

MinervaMcGonagallsCat · 01/10/2024 19:06

4 year olds will have a high ratio of adults to children and will be constantly checked and counted.

Use this as an opportunity to build your own confidence. And leave the tech alone.

NerrSnerr · 01/10/2024 19:07

I think this would make you more anxious.

How would you know by looking at the tracker if your child was lost or walking holding a teacher's hand?

NerrSnerr · 01/10/2024 19:09

StarStripeMama · 01/10/2024 18:40

Thank you 🩷. It’s a trip into the city, it’s a large class of around 30 with 3 classes going together so approx 90 children so I wasn’t sure how it would work. They are all in uniform but I assume they will have bands or hi viz on. It’s a lovely school and everything else seems well organised.
I could have said no to her going on the trip but I want her to go as I know she will really enjoy it. It’s just new to me, I appreciate the help, thank you :-)

The trip will be risk assessed to an inch of its life and there will be enough staff/ volunteers.

They will run trips all the time and have you heard of them ever losing a child? I doubt it. They are professionals.

CaptainMyCaptain · 01/10/2024 19:10

Procrastinates · 01/10/2024 12:21

Honestly if you're that anxious then seek help for your anxiety. Sending your child with a GPS tracker is not normal healthy behaviour.

100% this. It's totally bonkers.

grumpypedestrian · 01/10/2024 19:12

Instead of passing on your anxiety to your child or making life more difficult for teachers, have you thought about volunteering to help with the trip? Actually helping rather than lazily tracking your child from a phone.

SendHelp999 · 01/10/2024 19:13

I don't see why everyone's going on as if this is a crazy idea? How many teens these days have their phones tracked by parents?

OP I would go for an AirTag as they're meant to be quite good. You can get little bracelets for them that they pop into. Have a look on Amazon or eBay.

I know what it's like to be anxious and as long as it you're sure to not pass it on to your child and seek help when/if you think you need to

PussGirl · 01/10/2024 19:16

A friend of mine went to the same place as the primary school trips and “accidentally” bumped into the group a couple of times during the day. Madness.

BrainNotAvailableTryAnotherOne · 01/10/2024 19:16

Oh bore off, vipers. It’s perfectly normal to be anxious about a 4yo who might wander off.

Nothing pathological about this.

Thfrog · 01/10/2024 19:17

If you're concerned speak to the teacher

MiddleClassProblem · 01/10/2024 19:18

Most trackers have to use GPS from other devices (such as phones with a signal) for a signal so this can mean that they are slow to update. This think this will give you more anxiety if anything as sometimes it might not update for hours.

FennelJuice · 01/10/2024 19:19

That's crazy and quite creepy as you are also tracking his group.

MissRoseDurward · 01/10/2024 19:19

I don't see why everyone's going on as if this is a crazy idea? How many teens these days have their phones tracked by parents?

Just because lots of parents do it, doesn't mean it's a good idea.

CaptainMyCaptain · 01/10/2024 19:21

BrainNotAvailableTryAnotherOne · 01/10/2024 19:16

Oh bore off, vipers. It’s perfectly normal to be anxious about a 4yo who might wander off.

Nothing pathological about this.

It's a mad idea. Even with the tracker showing the OP where her child was
It wouldn't show where the teachers and the rest of the group were. She could have been left behind or she could be right next to the teacher - you'd never know. Just trust professionals to do their job.

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