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I don't know that I would use these shoes on most children, but they would be a real help to parents of autistic wanderers. Note how many stories we see of these kids wandering off and taking many hours of worry and searching *if* they are found.
This would be a very positive use of GPS tracking.
(I can also see it being used for elderly wanderers.)
reading through the responses in this thread is pretty funny. people seem to think the idea is crazy but its perfectly normal to put chips in your pets, gps collar on your dog, lojack in your car. i guess, to those people, their dog or car are more important than their child.
Pet microchips aren't GPS trackers...they store info on the owner and get scanned by a vet or animal shelter to bring up the info. I think the human equivalent is teaching your child their name, address, and phone number. All of my pets are microchipped, since they are unable to tell people their info in case they get lost.
I think GPS tracking would be very useful for autistic wanderers who may be likely to get lost and be unable to communicate and get help from people.
This would be a very positive use of GPS tracking.
(I can also see it being used for elderly wanderers.)
We just had a silver alert the other day when a elderly woman found the car keys that were hidden from her and went for a ride - driving the wrong way down the freeway. Luckily they got her to pull over before anyone was hurt, but yes, it does make sense in that sort of situation.
Seriously, I vote, "No". Seems to me it would just instill fear in a child that the world is a dangerous place.
Well I think it would if she got into the dark specifics of why she wanted her to wear it. I'd turn it around. Make more like, "So its easier for you to know where **I** am." Rather than be like, "Wear this so YOU don't get lost."
And I wouldn't have her wear it on every trip out in public. But a trip to Disney World or Six Flags? Or you live outside a major city and decide to go into the city for the day? Not familiar with the stores/malls/vicinity? Sure, why not.
Well I think it would if she got into the dark specifics of why she wanted her to wear it. I'd turn it around. Make more like, "So its easier for you to know where **I** am." Rather than be like, "Wear this so YOU don't get lost."
This is one of the threads I've been thinking about. I'm wondering what happens when she's the only child in school who wears one. (If it's a constant thing.) How would that affect her mentally?
Just this morning there was a report that a city in AZ is going to start a GPS tracking program for older people who wander. I caught just the tale end of the report, so I didn't get all the details, but apparently the police in that city feel there is a need for it and want to run a trial pogram.
I think the human equivalent is teaching your child their name, address, and phone number.
thats wonderful, but id be more comfortable if i can just go to my child rather than counting on whoever they approach with that information. im not really sure why someone wouldnt want to have that ability. i guarantee you that everyone who has had their child kidnapped or missing for an extended period of time wished they had a gps on the child.
thanks for that link. i signed up to be notified when the product is available but it looks like its not going to come in child sizes. i want to get something now so i will make a decision and get the best available today and keep my eye open for something smaller, less conspicuous and more convenient.
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.
I agree with you but only to a certain extent. Yes it will make the child paranoid as they grow up but that depends on how old they are when you follow them everywhere they go. At age 7-10 I could see using it for their safety but let them know and teach them not to tell anyone. After that I would stop or dare make them living their lives never really trusting anyone, including the parents and siblings. Big Brother watching, so to speak, is one thing but when singled out from everyone else and by someon (people) they know, are close to, anyone who is an authority figure in their lives, makes it way too personally violating.
Now about kidnappings. Well to me the only difference between kidnapping and being obducted, and stolen is demanding money. Millions of children disappear everyday though they aren't kidnappings, per se., but they are still missing either way and that is reason enough to want to monitor your childs every move while they are too young to fight back and truly know when not to trust. Children are taught to respect authority and they can be easily fooled we know this from what society has learned from the few who are found alive.
Maybe it's time to have all newborns micro chipped from birth. Have it downloaded to a police, FBI, missing persons site/computer or whatever and use their Social Security Number to locate the exact micro chip that belongs to them when trying to locate a child/infant that has gone missing. Had this been implanted in Jahessye Shockley, and baby Lisa they wouldn't be missing. Caylee Anthony might have been found sooner had this been done for her. I say go even further and make the chip capable of triggering an alarm to the authorities if, God I hate to say it, if a pulse is not present to indicate child is in emergency medical need.
Last edited by Lolipopbubbles; 10-28-2011 at 10:09 PM..
I think a leash would be more practical and cheaper.
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(If it's a constant thing.) How would that affect her mentally? 
