Do you use a tracker for your young kids?

[IWasTangoed]

My young child has an awful habit of running away at supermarkets and other busy places. They are too old to constantly be in a pram and not yet old enough to really understand the danger they are in even when I tell them off. It's frightening.

Do you use a tracker for your young kids and if so which one? Ideally, I would rather not pay a subscription. I don't have an iPhone but would consider getting one if Air tag seems the best.

Alternatively, how do you prevent toddlers from repeatedly running off if holding hands or using leads produces meltdowns?

My friends child is a runner at times and she had an airtag inside a scrunchie hair band

You say young /if a toddler I would use reins

Reins for bolters. You may have to wait out the meltdowns.

As per pp you need reins and ignore the tantrum.

At that age I would use reins. We had one of those backpack ones and DD also had to hold hands.

The danger of running into the road or similar is worse than loosing her location so it's important to teach them, tantrums or not.

So would I whether he had a tantrum or not. Who's in charge here?

A tracker wouldn't help if he ran into the road.

No. I used reins.

it’s no use knowing where they are if where they are is under a car because they’ve run into the road.

If we don’t hold hands, then I will put the reins on you have to be safe, and repeat. You ride out the tantrum, their safety is paramount. They don’t get to rule you with a tantrum, sorry and it is horrible but it has to be done. Once they realise you mean business they generally crack on. They are pushing a boundary you have to make it rock solid so they understand it isn’t one they can break. Ultimately they learn they can trust your word if you always follow through and are consistent in your behaviour.

Reins here too when DS was that age. He had some which were attached to a little backpack he could wear.

This is very helpful, thank you. You are all absolutely right about roads. Reins it is. I do need to be more consistent with using it and am way too easily embarrassed by public tantrums. I've had a bit of a shock with my kid always being glued to me to being a runner overnight. I definitely need to enforce boundaries and endure the tantrums.