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A mother has sparked a debate after asking if others think that placing “trackers on a teenager’s phone is wrong”.
Writing on the British Parenting Forum momsnetthe unnamed woman shared her thoughts and asked others for their opinions.
The conversation sparked after he explained that the receptionist at his daughter’s school gave him the impression that he should have a tracker on his 16-year-old phone after he failed to show up for a lesson.
Many were quick to comment with some claiming teens have a “right to privacy” while others said tracking apps are “very standard” and “useful.”
A British mother has sparked a discussion on Mumsnet after asking if others think ‘trackers on a teen phone are wrong’ (file image)
The mother explained: ‘I received a call from my dear son’s school on Friday. They are 16 in year 11. The receptionist said that my dear son had not been marked as having attended the last lesson and she asked me if he knew why etc.
‘It turned out that my dear daughter had crossed the wires with the teacher in a mix up, she was on site, and all were legitimate reasons, etc. Anyway, that’s not the point in the thread.
‘The receptionist asked me, “Do you have a tracker on your phone?” When I said no, she gave me the impression that she should have one (not just my dear son, but all teenagers).
‘I find this so strange! Surely, there must be a certain level of trust when your teens over the age of 15/16 date. I dated a guy who had a tracker on his phone 15 years old his son was just cycling to his roommates house and was tracked which I thought was over the top.
The conversation sparked after he explained that the receptionist at his daughter’s school gave him the impression that he should have a tracker on his 16-year-old phone after he failed to show up for a lesson.
‘Reasons a parent might track down: They live in an area with a very high crime rate where security is a real high risk issue.
“Your son is known to be in a lot of trouble most of the time, often breaking the law. They go “lost” for long periods and don’t show up at home when they’re supposed to.
‘Not for teenagers just hanging out with their peers in a fairly safe city. Surely, like I said, a certain level of trust has to come from somewhere, and even if they do make mistakes, that’s part of learning as you grow. The idea of being “followed” all the time by your parents sounds weird to me!’
Many were quick to comment, stating that the trackers were “useful” and “very standard.”
Many parents were quick to comment, stating that the trackers were “helpful” and “very standard.”
One person wrote: ‘The tracker is useful, especially when the teen loses her phone! I don’t use it often, but it’s nice to know I can track it if I’m ever worried.
‘I thought they were very standard, they lived in a small town in an urban area and everyone I know can track their child’s phone. Find my iPhone etc.’
Another said: ‘Got one for my teenager’s phone. Useful if she’s on a school trip so she can check when they’re back.
‘It’s also useful for when you lose your phone. I think it will be nice when his social circle widens, if he ever gets into trouble and doesn’t know exactly where he is.
Someone else wrote: ‘I recently started tracking mine, it’s great. It means I can see with a flick that they’re where they need to be, it saves me bothering them.
Others disagreed, saying they found it “intrusive” to follow their children online and that teens have a “right to privacy.”
Others disagreed, saying they found it “intrusive” and that teens “have a right to privacy.”
One person said: ‘I think it’s intrusive. How will our children learn to be independent if we don’t give them a little freedom?’
Another wrote: ‘I don’t have one on my teen’s phone. They have the right to privacy, to make mistakes and learn from it. To be honest, the idea seems really controlling to me.
Someone else wrote: ‘No, I never had them. He feels too intrusive and a bit fatherly in helicopter. If one of mine went missing, it would be easy to locate on a friend’s Snap.
“But I also teach them responsibility about how to stay safe in the outside world.”
Meanwhile, others told stories of how tracking their children helped them find them quickly in an emergency.
Meanwhile, others told stories of how tracking their children helped them find them quickly in an emergency.
One wrote: ‘Dear daughter (14) went on a picnic with friends in a park in a nearby town. She wanted to leave and they didn’t.
She tried to find the station by herself and got completely lost. She called me crying. The tracking app gave me directions to her. Knowing that he had her location kept her calm while she waited. Thank God for the app.
While another wrote: ‘Life 360 is used by the whole family, kids and parents. It was incredibly helpful when my dear son had a serious accident and called us screaming in pain.
“He was in the fields around our town and we were able to find him quickly when he was completely incoherent.”
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