The Dos and Don’ts of Using Phone Trackers for Kids

So, it’s no wonder that phone trackers for kids have become so popular—with a full 16 percent of parents reporting that they already track their children using them—and that number is only expected to grow. After all, a good location sharing app will go a long way to boost your peace of mind—allowing you to see your child’s location on a map, save the places they visit the most so you know where they are at a glance (“guitar lessons”), and even get alerts as they come and go.

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While they can be excellent tools—kids should never feel like you’re spying on them or quashing their independence—especially when it comes to teenagers. So, before you download any GPS tracking app, here are some “dos and don’ts” that can help you achieve a mutual level of trust:

• Be open about the tracker. First and foremost, be honest about the fact that you’ll be using a tracker on their phone. If they find out you’ve been tracking them without their permission, resentment will likely set in and trust will quickly diminish. Let’s face it: teens are often way more technically savvy than most parents. If they feel deceived, they just may find a way to fake their location, disable the tracking feature, or simply leave their phone behind—giving you false sense of security.
• Make sure to discuss the rationale behind it. Trackers for kids shouldn’t be used solely for the intention of “catching them in the act”. Talk about why you want to use the app and ensure your child that it’s safety, not lack of trust, that’s the number one issue. For example, your child was supposed to be home from school an hour ago but she’s late. A quick glance at your device shows that she’s at guitar practice, which you totally forgot about. Or maybe you’re worried because you tried texting them multiple times—but they never responded. Sharing situations like this can help you demonstrate why you’re considering using a phone tracker.

• See it as an opportunity to give your child more freedom, not less. Explain to your child that, if anything, the peace of mind that comes from knowing where they are may actually lead to fewer texts and phone calls and more freedom for them. After all, most parents would love to let their kids spread their wings and enjoy new experiences, providing they know that they’re safe.
• Use it sparingly. Tracking your child’s every movement is not the best use of these types of apps, especially if the point is to alleviate some of the worry that you feel as a parent. Ensure your child that you’ll check the app as little as possible and only for convenience and safety reasons.
• Make it mutual. These apps are all about location “sharing”, which means you can share your location with the family, as well. For example, instead of wondering why mom is late, they’ll be able to see that you stopped at the grocery store. By being willing to share your location, too, it can help you achieve a mutual level of trust.

With all that out of the way, you may be wondering how to choose a good phone tracker. One easy solution is to use a family app that already has a location sharing feature included. That way, aside from keeping tabs on the family, you’ll also get extras like comprehensive safety features that span across all your devices, apps, and games, plus tools to ensure safer driving, not to mention access to an all-in-one family hub for things like creating to-do lists, recipes, organizing vacation plans, and more.