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Opinion on Kid tracking apps

Listing the many ways a child can circumvent your attempts to monitor them is not the question. Of course as we all know there are many ways to circumvent the laws of the land for adults. Does that mean there should be no laws? does it mean there should be anarchy leaving only the assumption that if these grownups were raised right the laws and prisons would not be necessary?

Just the discussion with one's child about the use of gps, and the phone in general will tell you a great bit about your child's activities in a peripheral way. the loudest voice of opposition has something to hide.

the grandstanding on "good parenting" skills ignores the original question: Is it useful? is it ethical? My answer is Yes, and Yes. And I'll choose not to defend my quality or lack of it as a parent, and refer to my own good judgement on that matter. No one else is required or welcome to criticize my quality as a parent.

And for all you "Perfect Parents" you should adopt, because the rest of us have our hands full trying to be as "Perfect" as you are. There are a great many orphans who could benefit from your "Perfection" and all your "Perfectness" and deserve as "Perfect" a life as you have had and shown your "Perfect" children...lmao :rolleyes:
 
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byteware said:
That's not very difficult to suss out believe it or not. And then the (you ditched your phone rule applies).

And no child likes the idea of being cut off from society for a month.
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It's common for kids to go out and share a non-sanctioned phone or two in the group.

Cleverly crafted dropping off schemes to fool the parents if tracking is enabled will be done, count on it. ;)
 
Frisco said:
It's common for kids to go out and share a non-sanctioned phone or two in the group.

Cleverly crafted dropping off schemes to fool the parents if tracking is enabled will be done, count on it. ;)
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This ^
Kids are going to find a way to get around it if they really want too.. If my parents had done that to me, I would just have turned it off, and told them since they were using gps constantly it killed the battery and I could not call them because of it.
 
Frisco said:
It's common for kids to go out and share a non-sanctioned phone or two in the group.

Cleverly crafted dropping off schemes to fool the parents if tracking is enabled will be done, count on it. ;)
Click to expand...

If it is, they will be caught, and then the world really comes crashing down on them.
 
VegasOnAcid said:
This ^
Kids are going to find a way to get around it if they really want too.. If my parents had done that to me, I would just have turned it off, and told them since they were using gps constantly it killed the battery and I could not call them because of it.
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The phone would be confiscated regardless of the story, and mobility limited to school, and parental supervised trips only.

No internet, no cell phone, we don't have a land line, so no real social contact for a month.

You see, we also have to BELIEVE your story.
 
byteware said:
The phone would be confiscated regardless of the story, and mobility limited to school, and parental supervised trips only.

No internet, no cell phone, we don't have a land line, so no real social contact for a month.

You see, we also have to BELIEVE your story.
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Your child is home schooled? How would that be no real social contact for a month.. I would just go without a phone and internet. You can just use friend's phones.

And why is that not a believable story.. lol GPS tears batteries up on smartphones.
 
@byteware
I understand you supporting these apps and agree to a limit. Your posts seem like you don't trust your kid and you already plan on watching their gps signal as intently as the superbowl. And to me (not a parent) that crosses the line from parenting to monitoring. If you need to keep that close tabs on them why are they out of your sight? You pretty much say "no matter what they do, I will catch and punish them." If thats the case why aren't these limits already imposed?

@stainlessray
No one is questioning your ability as a parent, I believe most are simply saying that tracking shouldn't be your primary means of finding out where your kid is.

I personally believe that kids need to mess up and when they are set in the wrong ways they need that smack in the face called reality. The one that shows that there are consequences in the home, outside the home, and mommy and daddy can't always be there to help. IMO thats when their thought process and behavior changes.
 
ed_mcnasty said:
@byteware
I understand you supporting these apps and agree to a limit. Your posts seem like you don't trust your kid and you already plan on watching their gps signal as intently as the superbowl. And to me (not a parent) that crosses the line from parenting to monitoring. If you need to keep that close tabs on them why are they out of your sight? You pretty much say "no matter what they do, I will catch and punish them." If thats the case why aren't these limits already imposed?

@stainlessray
No one is questioning your ability as a parent, I believe most are simply saying that tracking shouldn't be your primary means of finding out where your kid is.

I personally believe that kids need to mess up and when they are set in the wrong ways they need that smack in the face called reality. The one that shows that there are consequences in the home, outside the home, and mommy and daddy can't always be there to help. IMO thats when their thought process and behavior changes.
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plenty of posts in here to tell me that there are plenty of people who believe that use of this tech is unnecessary if you are a "good parent" and that implies that if you choose to use it, you are a "bad parent". a coin can not only have one side.

you are missing my point. you see what i am saying is "i don't care if you think i am, or am not, a good parent"

nor do i care to quibble over all the ways kids will use to circumvent the methods i would use to maintain discipline.

i have history on my side, see i had friends of many nationalities, many class levels. fom the lower to the middle, and to the upper class, within all the ethnic backgrounds, the kids i knew with strict boundaries, grew up more successful. gps, would be only 1 tool, OF MANY.

boundaries are set to teach limitations, and play within the rules of the land and therefore life. that is AS important a lesson to teach one's kids as the recovery from their own mistakes. even if one could flawlessly eavesdrop on their kids (which they can not) the kids WILL STILL MAKE ERRORS. from which it will be my job to help them apply the lessons.

ultimately the goal is to create the kind of relationship with them, that they will not automatically write my advice off, but value it. it's just a tool in the toolbox.
 
@stainlessray

I agree with you but how they can and will try to circumvent your tools is important in judging how effective it is. Once again, I agree with use of the tool, but i also think that it is just like any other tool in the sense that should only be used when the job calls for it.
 
byteware said:
The phone would be confiscated regardless of the story, and mobility limited to school, and parental supervised trips only.

No internet, no cell phone, we don't have a land line, so no real social contact for a month.

You see, we also have to BELIEVE your story.
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_hen you go and alienate your kids for. Years to come... is that really worth it?
 
ed_mcnasty said:
@stainlessray

I agree with you but how they can and will try to circumvent your tools is important in judging how effective it is. Once again, I agree with use of the tool, but i also think that it is just like any other tool in the sense that should only be used when the job calls for it.
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one would have to be very naive not to put their imagination into the methods a kid might use to circumvent any of the tools they use. but this thread was reduced into a point and counterpoint over whether or not it could be effective based on those items.

i'm in the camp that it would still be effective. it requires well set expectations. and follow up. but then, what within the realm of parenting does not?

my kids are too young for me to use this. but personally, i'm keeping it in the toolbox.

as for those who worry about parents who are abusive, or controlling, misusing the tool.... those children have problems bigger than gps to concern themselves with. every law, or rule, can be abused. that's not in question. there are ways to fight that without delving into every little method of abuse and control there is. would you remove belts from department stores to prevent a father from beating his children? he would just find something else.
 
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VegasOnAcid said:
Your child is home schooled? How would that be no real social contact for a month.. I would just go without a phone and internet. You can just use friend's phones.

And why is that not a believable story.. lol GPS tears batteries up on smartphones.
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GPS does go through battery, but it is the CHILD's responsibility to keep it charged. If they fail that responsibility, it's the same punishment.

IOWA said:
_hen you go and alienate your kids for. Years to come... is that really worth it?
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It's part of the agreement younger children (not 17/18 yo's) agree to in order to get their freedom.

Break the agreement, lose the freedom. Plain and simple.

@ed_mcnasty: I'm in stainlessray's camp. I just get a bit more carried away on this topic.
 
Im a little late to this party (I forgot to activate my app that tells me what everyone is talking about at all times) but Ill voice my opinion none the less :)

this is quite simple really....... I personally dont buy into the whole "trust" or "pushing the kid away" theories........ if you have a kid who has to circumvent your use of an app........ and has to find a way to make sure you cant find them............ then your problem as a parent isnt really one of trust is it?

my kids that are old enough to have phones actually used this as part of their rational in needing one...... so I could make sure theyre safe when out and about
 
zappa420 said:
the parents who force their kids to have these apps, never had them growing up, so why should the kid be forced to it
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the parents who force their kids to have these apps, never had CELLPHONES growing up, so why should the kid be ALLOWED to

see how simple just change 2 words and it answers your own question
 
I'm only 17 myself, but I would be pretty pissed if my parents put one of these on my phone. (Not that they would know how XD they would try to make me do it for them LOL)

But I guess if your kid is a troublemaker, or if the parents are highly overprotective the parent should have the right to do this.
 
Another problem, this would be another step forward into our ever increasing surveillance society. Doesn't it bother anyone but me that we are constantly being watched? Purchases tracked and stored in some huge database, building personality profiles based on our purchases, activities, etc? I mean, seriously, why do you just go get your kids GPS chipped and be done with it.
 
IOWA said:
Another problem, this would be another step forward into our ever increasing surveillance society. Doesn't it bother anyone but me that we are constantly being watched? Purchases tracked and stored in some huge database, building personality profiles based on our purchases, activities, etc? I mean, seriously, why do you just go get your kids GPS chipped and be done with it.
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or you could just let your kid do as they please and not be a parent at all....... then you wont need to chip them...... theyll get an ankle bracelet soon enough :)
 
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