Anyone use a kid tracker GPS watch/phone?

[hoosierdoc]

My wife wants our kids to get one of these. You can track them via GPS and send texts to them. They can call a few predetermined numbers and 911.

Wondering if anyone uses them and what they think

 

[OutdoorDad]

Considered it.
But went the phone route instead.

No WAY is she leaving that phone at a friends’ house.

Saved two years. We didn’t go this route, but Verizon has a pretty good family plan with blocks and monitoring. I gotta think some of the Samsung etc would be valued priced lower than a dedicated gps minimal phone device.

 

[K_W]

Smartphones are an unfortunate necessity... just monitor usage with carrier/third-party apps, block app downloads (kids use picture hider and secret messengers apps), download and install Life360 and make it a condition of having a phone they do not turn it off.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Kids are 7 and 9, they can’t be trusted with a cell phone yet. 9yo lost an iPhone last trip.

samsung gear s2 may be it. Don’t think it will geofence though

 

[Trigger Time]

Kids are 7 and 9, they can’t be trusted with a cell phone yet. 9yo lost an iPhone last trip.

samsung gear s2 may be it. Don’t think it will geofence though 

They have the little key ring trackers that you can put into your kids backpacks and even glue them onto their phone case. They will ring when you are trying to locate them if you want them To.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I saw those. My wife wants them to be able to call and get messages. I think going to have to be gear s2

 

[Bucky623]

We have been using MM Guarding on our sons cell phone. We can see who is on his contact list, block users, see and block apps, view copies of text massages, see the location of the phone, lock and unlock the phone, set time limits and a few other things. When the phone is locked he can call or text my wife or me.

We have the app store blocked and he can’t install an app without my wife or me “allowing” the app to be installed.

All of the things I mentioned can be done from our cell phones. It consists of two apps. MM Guarding child app and MM Guarding parent app. You get two weeks trial and then it’s $40 a year per child app. There’s on limit on parent apps.

 

[d.kaufman]

My daughter has the gizmo watch. Believe its verizon that offers it. Works great and price is good to. The bus tracking app sucks, so this works great for knowing when her bus is about to arrive. Had it 2 years now and no complaints

Edit: got it for her before start of first grade and now finishing 2nd grade. Will use this definitely a few more years. No cell phones till shes at least a teen here

 

[Dead Duck]

Just get them implants. You'll be glad you did.
No more keeping track of because you'll always know where they are. They will never lose it. (unless they cut off their own arm) Make sure to get the Zap 3000 model with extended range. (totally worth it) You can set it in the perimeter mode or just simply push the button on the remote. No more chasing and spankings. Plus it can be very entertaining. Especially when they start dating.

 

[OutdoorDad]

Just get them implants. You'll be glad you did.
No more keeping track of because you'll always know where they are. They will never lose it. (unless they cut off their own arm) Make sure to get the Zap 3000 model with extended range. (totally worth it) You can set it in the perimeter mode or just simply push the button on the remote. No more chasing and spankings. Plus it can be very entertaining. Especially when they start dating.

What provider offers that?

im all in!!

 

[hoosierdoc]

My daughter has the gizmo watch. Believe its verizon that offers it. Works great and price is good to. The bus tracking app sucks, so this works great for knowing when her bus is about to arrive. Had it 2 years now and no complaints

Edit: got it for her before start of first grade and now finishing 2nd grade. Will use this definitely a few more years. No cell phones till shes at least a teen here

I like the geofence option on that but only four numbers is frustrating and no texting. So many decisions

 

[blackenedman]

We use a gizmo gadget as well, our son is 9. It's been great, and surprisingly durable.

 

[d.kaufman]

I like the geofence option on that but only four numbers is frustrating and no texting. So many decisions

I believe theres two styles of gizmo. Gizmo gadget and gizmo pal. The gizmo gadget is better, which is what we have.
My daughters has up to 10 phone numbers and preset text messages. It also has preset boundries you can set for the gps and if the child leaves that area you get alerts. Its $5 month. You get the app and theres a lot of functions. Lets you know when battery dying, etc.

Edit: can preload 9 text messages and you can change those at any time

 

[hoosierdoc]

Oh nice. What carrier?

 

[d.kaufman]

Oh nice. What carrier?

Its verizon. I believe it says theres an activation fee but it was waived when we got ours

We dont use verizon but our middle daughter does so we did it thru her account. Only problem with that was she had to have the app to but that was no big deal as she is a contact for the youngest

 

[d.kaufman]

Heres a link

https://www.verizonwireless.com/connected-devices/lg-gizmogadget/

 

[hoosierdoc]

Thanks, I called them. Said about $15/mo including fees for two of them. What a bargain for what you get

 

[d.kaufman]

Thanks, I called them. Said about $15/mo including fees for two of them. What a bargain for what you get

No problem. We're completely satisfied with ours over the last 2 years. Hope this helped

 

[hoosierdoc]

Strange. You can’t call 911 on it since not 7 digit

 

[d.kaufman]

Yeah. They do that cause kids tend to play with them and accidentally make calls. That is the only drawback i suppose.