what can be used instead of a phone for messaging?

[Similaresoldofa]

DD is in secondary school which is some distance from home, she takes a bus and then walks to school from the bus stop. She has a phone with her, which she then uses to send us a message that she got to school safely (the phone is then left at school office for the day). Quite a few students have their phone with them for this (and other) reasons.
However, recently there have been a few muggings in the streets just around the school where the kids have been attacked and robbed of their phones.
I quite like the idea of DD messaging us when she gets to school but obviously now worried in these circumstances and don't want her to carry her phone with her.
My question is, is anyone aware of any other technology she could use to send us a message when she gets to school? Is there some clever device that could be used without having to rely on a phone?

I would buy a very basic model just for safety/ text messaging and kept in a pencil case and only have DD use it when arriving at school. Consider carrying an old phone eg your old handset and a small wallet with a fiver in as a decoy if attacked so DD can throw at mugger and run away.

An old Nokia? Appreciate that’s still a phone though.

Message or voice note off a friend’s phone? Assume everything is okay unless you hear otherwise?

Carrier pigeon? She could take it in a little cage and release it at the school gate.

I have find my friends on ds’ phone. He can keep it in his bag but I can see he’s got to school etc.

I would leave her with the phone - if she did get mugged (which would be horrendous) and she says she doesn't have a phone, they might not believe her and might cause more harm.

PPs idea of an old Nokia is good.

Get a cheap phone for school and have her nice phone for weekends and home. You can get basic smartphones for like £20 incl topup and explain that it's absolutely fine to hand it over if it's demanded.

I haven't thought of an old phone - that's a good idea (I didn't know they still existed lol) Thanks all!

I mean, an old model like those Nokias, not old phone...

Something like this. I've got a basic Nokia as a reserve phone.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9494174?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=ec80e37c-7084-4de4-acaa-75978d50b2af&istItemId=pltitxlpr&istBid=t&$ja=tsid:72556%7Cacid:B008ZAH6%7Ccid:273141549%7Cagid:1199567223953833%7Ctid:pla-4578572625934786%7Ccrid:74972956823102%7Cnw:search%7Cdvc:c%7Cst:basic%20nokia%20phone%7Cmt:be%7Cloc:&cmpid=BPLA01&utmmsource=MicrosoftAds&utmmmedium=cpc&utmcampaign=273141549&utmmterm=default&utmcontent=shopping&utmmcustom1=1199567223953833&utm_custom2=B008ZAH6&msclkid=544128a612e51155ffdc4be6280badda&gclid=544128a612e51155ffdc4be6280badda&gclsrc=3p.ds

What about a watch connected to her phone so she could message you off of that and the phone stays in her bag etc? Could you attach an air tag to her bag and track it?

I track my DC’s phones so I know when they are at school. Maybe you could do that rather than have her text you?

you can message off an Apple Watch if you buy the cellular option- it wouldn’t need to be the latest version either.

or you could if it’s an iPhone get the location turned on and it would show where she is. She could then still keep her phone on her but not need to get it out.

air tag is also a very good idea and could be put in her purse or attached to her keys. (Also very useful if you get home and can’t find these! )

Surely she can just message once inside the school gates and (presumably!) phone-robber free?

Alternatively, she doesn't need a phone and school will call if she no shows.

How about a bond touch bracelet?

Apple Watch with sim

Or get her an AirTag and you can track her.

Whatever did we do without phones? How did my parents ever know where I was? Surely the school would notify you if she didn't turn up?

@ErrolTheDragon My teenage daughter worked at Argos in her holidays, and said the people who bought that phone could be divided into two categories: drug dealer or pensioner!

I said this on another thread: AirTags don’t have cellular service. They long off apple devices which do have cellular service. In London this probably won’t be a big deal, there are plenty around. But if the worst does happen you can’t rely on an AirTag telling you where your child it. It’s only as good as the number of apple devices around the AirTag.

I agree with burner phones, or a smart watch.

I'm not quite a pensioner yet. it's a cheap backup for if I don't want to carry my iPhone (eg cargo pocket of trousers when doing conservation volunteering) and also to stick in a rucksack when we're walking as it's on a different network so can help with coverage.

Cheap, robust solution - something an Apple Watch with a sim sounds like overkill.

My dd 9 has a watch phone from sky. You can send voice notes or pre set messages. Would that work?

I think I would let her keep the phone. I get the worry but the scary part of being mugged is not having the phone nicked but the confrontation/threat bit and I don't think not having the phone prevents that. She should keep it in her bag near school and message you just before she hands it in to the office.

I think a Smart watch would have the same problem. She'd be easily identified as "worth robbing" if she had something like that on her wrist.

Re: messaging only when inside the school gates - unfortunately that doesn't work. I have asked her 1000 times not to walk around with her phone out in plain view while whatsapping friends. She still does. Teenagers...

An Apple Watch with cellular comes under the parents’ plan. It has a school mode. Parents can disable it during school hours.