cubreporter

i'm a reporter working on a story about new ways parents are ''watching'' their kids....e.g. with a gps locator phone, instant message monitor (free through IMSafer), or alltrack, a gizmo that tells you if kid is speeding and lets you honk horn or flash lights until the kid slows down (i kid you not). anybody out there use any of this stuff?

unmanaged

I don't, but ever since I saw these in the stores I felt very, very sad. Your kids are living, breathing, thinking beings. They have judgement of their own, which you should help them develop. I cannot believe anyone would actually track their teens. Imagine if YOU were being tracked, how horrible it would make you feel, and how untrusted. You have to let your teens know you trust them and you have to let them make mistakes, if you've raised them well, they'll be pretty good and learning how to do things the right way. Please, don't ruin your teens future.

Aunt

I agree. adolescence is in part about making errors and learning from them. Having every move followed is not that healthy

ntbuddy

Although we do monitor the Internet of our kids I don't feel we will do this unless we find out that they're doing bad things and feel the need to track that they really are where they say they are. I would hope that by the time they're able to drive that they can be trusted and if they can't then I would say they probably won't be driving and if that's the case and they go with their friends the GPS won't really matter as the GPS is typically tied to the car as the portable GPS tracking units can easily be dropped off at the place their supposed to be and go elsewhere. A car is harder to leave behind.

musicmom

Illumination

How would you have felt if your parents were listening to your phone calls when you were a child?
Please don't monitor his or her AIM conversations. Honestly, I don't think it is a parent's business what their child is saying to friends over AIM. Not only that, but if your child finds out what you've been doing, what will he or she think of you? It could ruin your relationship, and it will be your fault.

ntbuddy

It can only ruin a relationship if you're hiding it from them. If you're up front that all activities on the computer are monitored then they should be okay. Each of our children when they log into the computer system are informed that what they do can and may be monitored. If they go to a local library or in school the activities are monitored and if they weren't then we wouldn't allow them to use them as we had to sign an approval list that we authorize them to use it and that we acknowledged that the computers are monitored and controll ed.

Kaytee

I wouldn't monitor it at all. They won't be on it. And when they are teens and on it, you better be sure that I will be in the same room as her. I may not stand over her shoulder and read it word for word. But I might pop my head in at any moment.
Kids should be allowed to make mistakes, but not with their lives

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Illumination

Sorry, but isn't any mistake they make a mistake with their lives?
I'm wondering why you don't (or won't) have more trust in your kids. In the end, there is no way to have complete control over them. By not allowing them to have freedom, they're only more likely to rebel. It always seems to me that the kids who've had overprotective, nosy parents are the ones who get in trouble, because once they're teenagers, they won't want to be "under control" at all times. And don't assume that just because they don't want you to see something means that it's something they shouldn't have done. Maybe it's a note to a boyfriend/girlfriend! Would you have wanted your parents reading every note you ever sent to your childhood crush?
Please, give your kid some space! You don't want to end up the enemy. And also, you didn't answer... how would you like it if your parents had tapped your phone calls?

SuperMario

People need to be careful. It is all good you do not want your kid to harm themselves but if you impose yourself on them they resort to sneaking and doing even stupider stuff then if you let them be.