GPS Device For a Child (game, clothes, son, seven year old)

[Aconite]

Well, the Humane Society microchipped my cats...

[eastwesteastagain]

Originally Posted by Aconite

Well, the Humane Society microchipped my cats...

Ha! I was just going to say that I won't even microchip my pets, let alone my kids!

[1208]

You do realize how rare kidnappings are, right? like, really, really rare. and have their been any instances of gps devices helping in the past? i can see several ways in which it could fail or go wrong.

no offense, but this kind of thing seems like a really horrible idea. i understand the concern, but i think all you are setting yourself up for is lots of worry on your end, and lots of trust/feeling smothered/rebellion issues later on. there have been all kinds of studies lately about how parental over-involvement and attitudes of fear and worry can really damage a child's brain and ability to take care of themselves and make rational decisions. honestly I think you need to examine your OWN attitudes of fear and worry.

[cc0789]

Originally Posted by DrEarth

Do you plan on implanting this device in her, or strapping an ankle bracelet to her?

*new business idea*---> Find a way to make an invisible fence style GPS system that sends a shock to the child when crossing into areas not pre-programmed by overly worried parent. The system can by changed as the child ages, builds trust, or loses it. Grounded child? Program the boundaries to the house.

Can you also include a shock collar that I can press when they whine. Sign me up!

[Baltimore suburbs]

...but we have a set of Brickhouse child locators. And yes, we do call them the kids' LoJack.

Someone gave me one for a baby shower present, and I thought it was incredibly weird, but neat in a paranoid sort of way. When the kids were babies, I would put it on their car seat or carrier in a "just in case" sort of mind set. Now, sometimes when we go hiking we play GPS hide and seek.

They look like a child's digital watch, but there is a gps thingy (technical term) inside and a corresponding parent unit.

I don't think I would ever recommend buying one, and right now one of ours is stuck to the TV remote (because that gets lost waaaaaay more than the kids do). I don't think it's a good substitute for a watchful parent, just because you know your kid's longitude and latitide doesn't mean you know they are safe --- but there are companies that make them if you have a few hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket.

EDIT: now that my oldest is a teen, I really should research that shock collar add-on

[formercalifornian]

As a daily thing, no, I wouldn't use it. That said, my second-born was a wanderer and had no fear whatsoever -- still doesn't! I can think of many theme park, museum, and zoo visits that would have been much more enjoyable had this technology been available when he was a toddler/preschooler.

On another note, when I was in college twenty-five years ago, I took a class in which I had to create a new product. My idea was a system called a "Child Alert" very much like what the OP desires. I wish I'd had the foresight to pursue it given today's helicopter-parenting trend.

[SkiScree]

I'd prefer to see parents carrying around what we in the backcountry skiing community call Personal Locater Beacons instead of looking at kids literally roped up at the end of a leash.

[icibiu]

I've thought about it, but honestly if it's a question of a child whose been kidnapped I think the kidnapper could just as easily remove the device and if heaven forbid it was an implant would they dismember your child!!? yikes no thanks.

When I go somewhere with my child I ALWAYS put a litte index card in his pocket or shoe. The note says "My name is _____, My mom's name is ____ and her number is _____ my dads name is _____ and his number is _______ we live at _________ and I have ___XYZ medical condition___.

My son knows the card is there and he knows that if we get seperated he should find a mom with children and give her the card. He's getting old enough to know this information but I still give it to him since I don't want him to fold under pressure if he's lost. I also take a picture of him on my cell phone at the begininng of the day so his outfit is visable too.

If your concern was more about keeping tabs on a slightly older child I know disney cell phones do GPS tracking and you can set parameters so that it texts you if the child leaves a certain area.

For an even older child there are tons of sneeky apps on the andriod market (probably the Apple app store too) for keeping track of where people are.

[fallingwater]

Is that a helicopter I hear?

[MOMdotCOM2011]

There is a family in my small town missing a 10 year old girl for 2 years---- (she was apparently abducted and never has been heard from or seen since)---- that has probably wished SHE had a GPS device on her person of some sort, so I would not personally, unequivocally, say "no"!