Buying a child GPs tracker

[manalishi]

Does anyone recommend (an affordable one).

Looking at Tile. But it only gives you the location when connected via bluetooth. Once the device goes out of range it says nothing. Not as useful as a map showing continuous location.

What is the function? To track your 8 year old you’re letting out with their friends round the block? Or to locate a child from a kidnapping? Trackers can be removed.

What is the reason for the tracking ?

Not a good idea.

Developing trust and responsibility as a child is a right of passage. It’s how they grow up. Why would you need to track them?

My 11 yr old will be going to secondary school next yr and I intend to let them have a phone and enable find my friends which will mean they are trackable. They are going to have a substantial walk home and have to be home alone for 3 hours before we get back from work so I want to be able to double check they’re back etc. They are happy with this and we are, not sure what the problem is. It’s a big change going from after school care at primary to waking home alone and being home alone until 6 ish every evening for a just 11 year old.

That’s fine, but that’s not what the OP asked was it?
What you’re doing sounds fine, he’s got a long walk home fine. But the OP hasn’t given any more details. Does she want to put a GPS bracelet on her 4 year old or what?

For clarity, this is to put on my almost 3 year old when we're in crowded places. He's quite adventurous and likes to just wonder off away from mum and dad.

For example, we were at a bowling alley for a birthday and I looked away for a moment and he was gone, disappeared! I sprinted to the exits and was frozen there for fear he'd left... after 10 minutes of pure panic we found him.

So, what is the best GPS tracker not reliant on bluetooth

You don’t need a GPS tracker. You need to keep a better eye on your child.
It’s important that they learn they can’t just sprint off and have to stay in sight of mum and dad.
In crowded places he should be holding your hand, in the buggy or on reins.

Put a harness on your child if he likes to run off and you don't like to watch him closely. GPS would be ridiculous for a 3 year old!

It is scary if you have a bolter or wanderer....but the do need to learn, and the only way to do that is make sure they stay by your side, you watch like a hawk and if they are not ready to learn, or are being uncooperative use reins/buggy to make sure they stay put.

I really don’t think a 3 year old should be on a tracker. A 3 year old should be taught that running off when he fancies is not acceptable. A tracker is not going to help if he runs off into a busy road for example.

Reins

Some 3 year olds just can't be taught. My ds still "wanders off" and he's 18 and my DF who is 90 wanders off too. A tracker is not a bad idea (I don't really have a suggestion other than the bracelets that they have for elderly people with dementia). Also as a PP suggested, put a harness on him at all times in public places. I had to do this with ds. And I had dog tags made up (they do them at military surplus stores here in the US and they are metal so can survive the laundry) with my phone number that I would put around his neck when we were out in public places until he was old enough to recite my phone number to someone if he were to get lost.

Some 3 year olds just can't be taught. I get that - my ds is 8 and has complex needs and would wander off, hide and realise he is at risk. There may come a time we would consider something if it would help keep him safe .

But most children will learn, or at least be given the opportunity to do so.

We use to have a 'runner', he outgrew it eventually, you'll just need to keep a better eye in him or use a rein/ backpack with straps if you need to. My worry would be if you and a tracker you would relax and if the tracker failed you could potentially lose him or put him at risk.

Typo! Worry would be if you used a tracker!

Reins is too restrictive, he needs to be free so he'll learn what's appropriate behaviour. As anyone who has a "terrible two" knows you can't always molly-coddle them they need to learn for themselves. He's a free spirited personality so it's a challenge. Besides reins aren't practical too, 3 year-olds just try to go wherever they want... I could see several other kids getting tangled up in the reins at that bowling alley for example. Nightmare.

Thanks for the insightful advice to keep an "eye on him" - I hadn't thought that before... so 3 year olds can't be left completely unsupervised - revelation!

GPS is a reasonable tactic form those rare moments when this happens. Let's be honest this has happened to every parent on here (very rarely, but it happens). If your using it only as a fallback for safety and peace of mind it's totally reasonable.

You’re being ridiculous OP. GPS is only any good once the child has run off. You need to work on preventing your child running off in the first place. Reins teach an appropriate distance. Wrist reins etc. A bowling alley seems like an unlikely place to lose a child though- you’re sat down in front of a lane? You should have had him beside you or been watching him.
In public he need to be in the pushchair or holding your hand if you don’t want to use reins and he’s a bolster. It’s common sense

I looked into this a while ago. The most reliable ones come attached to service providers who charge a monthly fee. The best service I foubd was in the USA which wasn't handy.
Some have panic buttons, some have 2 way chat, some have a cyber boundary and if your child steps out of it then alert is issued and a warning can be set for your child.
Tile did say they didn't think their product was suitable for what i wanted but they mave improved it since.
It may be worth looking at trackers for the elderly/dementia patients similar idea