So while most schools already have policies in place that restrict the use of mobile phones in school, these should be extended to these child GPS trackers and wearables. Of course, what parents do outside school is not something that we can directly control.īut when their children are in school this should be a time for parents to relax slightly, knowing their child is cared for and educated. Given that it seems at times as if there is an arms race between parents as to who can be (and be seen to be) the most committed, even the wariest are likely to be sucked into this new trend through parental guilt, lest they be condemned for poor parenting. Sending the children to school or on a play-date at a friend’s house should provide welcome respite and downtime. It is hard enough for parents to cut the apron strings as it is without having the ability to remotely monitor their offspring 24/7. My concerns here are not just for children either. These innovations will have a significant impact on parents Perhaps the greatest danger here is that children and young people are not going to have the important opportunities to make mistakes, to learn to manage their own risks and find their own way towards independence without a parent swooping down to carry them off to safety - just as it was getting interesting. That was when we got ourselves into scrapes, found ways to interact with each other away from the intervention of an adult, and learned to take responsibility for ourselves. Those times when we were “off-radar” were the most formative. It was an age when my friends and I would head off out for the day on a bike ride with a packed lunch, a puncture repair kit and a 2p piece (to make an emergency telephone call from a red telephone box). It was much simpler when I was growing up 40-plus years ago. But these devices raise a number of questions about how adults manage that process. Together we are trying to equip the children and young people in our care with the social skills that will take them into adult life. Ultimately, one shared aim of both parenting and schooling is to bring a child to independence. So, does this new trend cross the line? Always-on parenting? However, a crowded beach or a festival is a very different context to the one where the child is put on a school bus that delivers her to the gate or is on a play-date at a friend’s house. Much of this may be highly useful in everyday life, of course.Īfter all, losing a child at the beach or in a large crowd at a parade or a festival is every parent’s nightmare, so a simple device worn on the wrist could go a long way to avoiding the trauma and angst for child and parent alike. Geofencing - Some products can be set to alert the parent if their child enters or leaves the pre-set boundary.Panic button - A child who is lost or scared can simply press the panic button and the device will contact the parent or other designated adult.
Parents can choose whether they want location updates every five minutes or every 10 seconds… Alerts and notifications - Child GPS tracking devices come with different alert and notification settings.Two-way communication - Parent and child can contact each other at the press of a button.Depending on the model, other features are also available: The devices are lightweight and are designed to connect with the parent’s smartphone and allow parents to track their children in real-time. There is a range of wearable devices designed for children on the market, but, essentially, they are all simplified smartphones with a GPS tracker as part of their functionality. This latest trend just fills the gap between the video baby monitors, which allow parents to keep an eye on their sleeping children whilst catching up on their latest box set, and parents tracking their teenagers on their smartphone using the “My family” settings. To some extent, we should not be surprised. Parents here in Hong Kong are turning to technology so that not only are they able to check that their children have made it safely to school, but they are also able to communicate with them throughout the day. Welcome to the next chapter of helicopter parenting.
She enters the building in her shiny new school uniform weighed down by her oversized backpack, touches the device on her wrist and says, “Mummy, I’m at school.” “I know, dear - have a very good day,” comes the reply. We’re a month into term and the four-year-old Reception girl has started catching the school bus for the first time.
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