to think you should know where your kids are when they're out?

[boosterjuice]

A local mum at the DCs' school has admitted that when her DCs (DS age 10, DD age 7) go on playdates she doesn't always know the other child's address, ie where her DCs are.

As it happens, this mum had to track her DS down yesterday after he didn't arrive home by ringing round the neighbours to find the other child's home then sending the babysitter out looking for him. (She'd gone out.) It was fine, the DS was only a mile away and had forgotten to come home under his own steam.

I tried to be polite, but last time I was there to drop something round, on a different night, the babysitter, their granddad, was fighting through the family's emails to find the address of where the DD was, when the mum went to collect her and realised she didn't know where she was.

I feel if I did this I'd look like an idiot if there was an emergency and I couldn't get hold of them. AIBU?

YANBU. If my kids are with a friend, I might not know the exact address but I would always have the other child's parent's mobile number, and would always check if everything was ok c.20 minutes after they had picked htem up from school/I'd dropped them off.

but I would always have the other child's parent's mobile number, and would always check if everything was ok c.20 minutes after they had picked htem up from school/I'd dropped them off

Well if you had rung me to ask if everything was ok, I would feel very insulted. I is tantamount to saying that you think I am not really to be trusted to oversee your DC. I can't imagine, they would be asked again.

No one has ever done this to me and I have 4 DC who are all teens and older now.

Boosterjuice, my 8 year old doesn't have a mobile, so yes.

mine (older primary) definitely dont take their mobile out with them. that would make them a massive target for mugging or they might just lose it.

In answer to your last question.
Yes - my dc didn't have mobile phones until they went to secondary. However, as I'm in the group of parents that wouldn't be letting their 7 yr old be out without me knowing where they were, then a phone is somewhat unnecessary.

When i was growing up i am sure my mother had a vague idea of where i was even if i didnt realise it , but then i didnt stray much further than a mile from home . Same goes with my middle child , if she is out i have an idea where she might be (year 6 ) but she doesn't go much further than a mile away and lets me know if she is leaving our immeidiate area .

Have really no idea where the 19 year old is , but can track him down using facebook if required

I was brought up that it is important to let people know where you are , regardless whether you are an adult or a child . So if i leave the house , the people left behind have an idea where i am going and when i will be back . Child of a policeman , not sure if that is relevant .

My mother always said it was so they knew which ditch to start looking in first