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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you to share which “tracking” app you use with your teens

220 replies

toetheline20 · 26/08/2020 11:32

If ppl can let me know which they prefer that would be great thanks. Son starting Y7 next week and he’s as ditsy as they come!

OP posts:
McT123 · 26/08/2020 11:41

Just use the same one that your parents used on you.

BakedBeeeen · 26/08/2020 11:49

Am I allowed to say don’t use one? If he has to rely on himself it might make him take responsibility for things. Not to always have parents to remember things for him. Year 7 is the right age to start teaching responsibility. And are you an anxious type that always needs to know exactly where he is?
I don’t like those tracking apps, I know people that use them on their (grown up) kids and partners and I think it’s weird.
PS - you have posted in AIBU you know Wink

CoRhona · 26/08/2020 11:52

None with any of mine. How will they learn if you're there to pre-empt any issues?

Let him grow up as he does, he might surprise you (and I say that as someone who has a very ditsy, disorganised DC1 age 18 who has not only been in a healthy relationship for a year, held down a good part time job but is also going to uni to study Law in October...) Wink

titchy · 26/08/2020 11:53

@McT123

Just use the same one that your parents used on you.
Grin
Angelina82 · 26/08/2020 11:55

Why do you need to track him? Do you think he’ll get lost?

beautifulmonument · 26/08/2020 11:56

My son (14) and I both have iPhones so I can use "find my phone" to see where he is.

seayork2020 · 26/08/2020 11:56

Op what happens if your child leaves the phone at school so the tracker makes it look like your child is?

My son would forget his head if I didn't remind him where it is but he is not tracked

OddBoots · 26/08/2020 11:56

Mine opts in to Google Maps location sharing as and when we decide between us it is a good plan. She has control of turning it on and off though. There are times when I will location share with her too. Neither of us do it often but sometimes it comes in handy like the first time she went to the West End with friends and I could help direct her when they went the wrong way for the theatre.

PhilCornwall1 · 26/08/2020 11:59

Nothing at all. It's not something we've ever thought about doing.

AngelicInnocent · 26/08/2020 12:02

Never had any form of tracking. DC will happily share their location with me if they are on longer journeys, so I can see they have arrived safely, but that turns off when they want or after an hour.

RoseMartha · 26/08/2020 12:04

qustidio but not as a where they are tracker as dc not responsible to be out alone as has SN but because I can not trust what one of my dc will do ie download inappropriate content and join adult sites.

SisyphusDad · 26/08/2020 12:07

Don't use one. Never have and don't expect to.

PrimalLass · 26/08/2020 12:11

Apple Find my Friends. My kids have loads of freedom and this is one of the conditions. They can track me too and it's handy.

Jizzle · 26/08/2020 12:12

Why on earth would you track your children? How are they supposed to have any independence or grow up knowing that their every move is being watched?

formerbabe · 26/08/2020 12:15

I use one...life 360.
I see no issues with doing this. It would be unreasonable at 18 imo but I think it's fine. It's helpful for me to locate my ds if he asks me for a lift....it was very useful when he lost his phone. Or he has sports practice and has forgotten to tell me.

beautifulmonument · 26/08/2020 12:16

"Their every move is being watched"?!

Hardly Grin I do have a life of my own

formerbabe · 26/08/2020 12:16

I'm pretty sure our parents would have used this technology when we were growing up if it had been available. My mum used to drive behind me when I was walking somewhere!

treeeeemendous · 26/08/2020 12:17

We have live 360 on our phones. I can't see the problem with it. DC get buses to school, it's great when you have to pick them up after a school trip and you can judge how far away they are.

formerbabe · 26/08/2020 12:17

I also don't watch his every move. I check he's got home from school if I'm not in

GADDay · 26/08/2020 12:18

I dont track my children. No app needed... a bit bemused that this is a thing.

GADDay · 26/08/2020 12:20

@formerbabe

I'm pretty sure our parents would have used this technology when we were growing up if it had been available. My mum used to drive behind me when I was walking somewhere!
I think this is why you track your children. Family norm?
ZarkingBell · 26/08/2020 12:21

I don't track my teenagers but we all share our location on google maps. We did it for two reasons. Firstly it was a bit of fun and secondly a phone got lost, and we hope it gives us a bit of an extra chance to find the next lost phone!

formerbabe · 26/08/2020 12:21

I don't get the outrage over this. As a parent if I want to know where my 12 year old is, then that is perfectly sensible and acceptable

formerbabe · 26/08/2020 12:24

I think this is why you track your children. Family norm?

Not really but when I was 11 and walked home for the first time my mum was following me. It's reasonably sensible and I don't feel like my privacy was violated.

I find it really helpful especially if my ds goes to the park after school...I'd rather check that than panic about why he might not be home yet

LEELULUMPKIN · 26/08/2020 12:28

I use a great one called "trust & independence"