perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Yes this could cause drama but i really don't want it to be the case, i want it to be a discussion of NON PARENTS that might be parents and THEIR views on this.

I read on parenting about putting a GPS device on your kid and I am really puzzled that so many people said they would.

Now yes parents will read this and go your childless you don't know, etc. I am stating as of right now I can't even fathom putting a device to track my kid.

I get if you have one of those kids that just walk off (my co-worker has to bolt the doors with specialty locks so her kid doesn't walk out of the house) then perhaps this would be the time to use it but in general I just see it as being way overbearing. MY OPINION!

SO as of right now for those you might be parents in the future - would you do it?

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

i can't say for certain that i were a parent that there's anything i would or wouldn't do

my feeling is you really don't know till you're in it yourself.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

I ventured over here bc I had read everything else and saw this from parenting over here.

To each his own, for sure. I can see how it would make people, even people WITH children uncomfortable. Its certainly not for everyone.

For me though, pre-child, I wouldve thought NO WAY, thats too "big brother" for me.

Now with child, without hesitation, especially since DS is a runner. Id go to the ends of the earth to keep him safe and of course its worst case scenario if he were to be kidnapped or something. However, in the case that we ever became that worst case scenario, this hypothetical device would bring him safely back to us and I cant think of a greater reason to use it. Think of how many children couldve/wouldve been saved if something like this had existed. Wanting to keep my child safe from imminent/possibly life threatening danger (we arent talking a scraped knee here) is not what I would consider overbearing.

People put GPS devices on far less precious things, their cars for instance or pets (which I know MAY be your most precious thing, so dont anyone go there). So if its OK to do it to your car or pet to keep them safe, why not your child? Thats how *I* see it at least.

Just offering some perspective from the other side.

Message edited 6/16/2010 12:22:37 PM.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Posted by eddiesmommy

I ventured over here bc I had read everything else and saw this from parenting over here.

To each his own, for sure.

For me though, pre-child, I wouldve thought NO WAY, thats too "big brother" for me.

Now with child, without hesitation, especially since DS is a runner. Id go to the ends of the earth to keep him safe and of course its worst case scenario if he were to be kidnapped or something, but in the case that we became worst case scenario, this hypothetical device would bring him safely back to us and I cant think of a greater reason to use it. Think of how many children couldve been saved if something like this existed. Wanting to keep my child safe from imminent danger, we arent talking a scraped knee here, is not what I would consider overbearing.

People put GPS devices on far less precious things, their cars for instance or pets (which I know MAY be your most precious thing, so dont go there). So if its OK to do it to your car or pet to keep them safe, why not your child? Thats how *I* see it at least.

Just offering some perspective from the other side.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

I don't know. Our parents didn't have tracking devices on us and somehow we all survived just fine.
To me this is taking satellite parenting to an almost insane level.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

I bet those parents of Kyron in Portland would give anything to be able to find their child and perhaps if the technology existed he would be home already.

As a parent I would do anything to protect my child. It may seem like "big brother" put when a piece of you is living outside your body all bets go out the window.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Message edited 6/16/2010 11:52:03 AM.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Thank you parents for informing my why you made your decision, i do not knock you for that! I am curious what non-parents think if they would do it.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Message edited 6/16/2010 12:03:27 PM.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

thank you for the explanation i do appreciate it, it makes sense.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Not getting involved in any drama...

I see the appeal of this (GPS/tracker)

I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

When I have a child it is something I would probably consider.

Even now, as someone CF, I do not see what is wrong with a parent wanting to do this. I understand the reasoning.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

What will they thinnk of next? Sheesh...I remember when I was younger they made the Blockbuster kidprint videos to keep track of kids. Now they are looking to implant them on kids?

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

The closest I will ever come to making this decision is with my dogs. They are both chipped, not with a GPS device, but if they had that, I would do it. Sure, a dog is not the same as a child but I love them like part of my family and they are my responsibility to protect.

My first thought about this is a positive one like in situations you cannot control such as abductions and kidnappings. I look at it like a digital fingerprint that has a much better tracking possibility.

The thing that makes me feel creepy are the not-so-innocent possibilities of such a thing. What happens when the child is older? Will there be a central database to track all of them for criminal activity?

I think there are good and bad points to this.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

im sure a GPS chip would have helped my mom out a few times when i was younger... she wouldnt have had to have the cops come and close a few stores because i was hiding in the middle of the clothing racks!

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

I probably would not do it on a regular basis, but perhaps under some circumstances, such as if the child had a tendancy to wander, or had learning disabilities or perhaps if we were traveling. A childs safety is paramount and if that's what it takes then it's worth considering.

I am amazed at the parents who thought it was OK to barge into the conversation despite the fact that you commented on how it was discussed extensively on the parenting board and you wanted the opinion of NON-PARENTS. One even went so far as to say it was her "right" to interject her say because the topic came from parenting. What part of NON-PARENTS don't they understand? You already had the parents point of view and specifically asked for a different point of view.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Posted by KLSbear

I probably would not do it on a regular basis, but perhaps under some circumstances, such as if the child had a tendancy to wander, or had learning disabilities or perhaps if we were traveling. A childs safety is paramount and if that's what it takes then it's worth considering.

I am amazed at the parents who thought it was OK to barge into the conversation despite the fact that you commented on how it was discussed extensively on the parenting board and you wanted the opinion of NON-PARENTS. One even went so far as to say it was her "right" to interject her say because the topic came from parenting. What part of NON-PARENTS don't they understand? You already had the parents point of view and specifically asked for a different point of view.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Posted by eddiesmommy

Posted by KLSbear

I probably would not do it on a regular basis, but perhaps under some circumstances, such as if the child had a tendancy to wander, or had learning disabilities or perhaps if we were traveling. A childs safety is paramount and if that's what it takes then it's worth considering.

I am amazed at the parents who thought it was OK to barge into the conversation despite the fact that you commented on how it was discussed extensively on the parenting board and you wanted the opinion of NON-PARENTS. One even went so far as to say it was her "right" to interject her say because the topic came from parenting. What part of NON-PARENTS don't they understand? You already had the parents point of view and specifically asked for a different point of view.

It was perfectly civil???? No one came down on anyone, why try to start drama where there is none? Why can we not speak to one another?

Message edited 6/16/2010 8:54:03 PM.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

are we talking a child of any age or small children? Either way I think it depends...

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Posted by KLSbear

Posted by eddiesmommy

Posted by KLSbear

I probably would not do it on a regular basis, but perhaps under some circumstances, such as if the child had a tendancy to wander, or had learning disabilities or perhaps if we were traveling. A childs safety is paramount and if that's what it takes then it's worth considering.

I am amazed at the parents who thought it was OK to barge into the conversation despite the fact that you commented on how it was discussed extensively on the parenting board and you wanted the opinion of NON-PARENTS. One even went so far as to say it was her "right" to interject her say because the topic came from parenting. What part of NON-PARENTS don't they understand? You already had the parents point of view and specifically asked for a different point of view.

It was perfectly civil???? No one came down on anyone, why try to start drama where there is none? Why can we not speak to one another?

Yes, it's perfectly civil, but she asked for the opinions of non-parents - NOT a reiteration of what had already been discussed on the parenting board with lots of statistics about missing and expolited children, etc. She already knew how parents of children felt. She wanted the opinions of non-parents as to how they felt about the possiblitly of doing it. This was NOT the place for the parents to push there opinion again, that had already been done on parenting and if she wanted that opinion she could head over there to read those posts. Exlcuding the comments from the OP, half the posts were ignoring her request for responses from those without children.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

One day I believe I'll have kids....

Right now I can't see myself micro-chipping or GPSing my child.

I won't say never, but it's just one of those things I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to do...but who knows.

Like another poster said, our parents didn't have all this technology when we grew up.

While yes I know that tons of children are abducted/exploited everyday, I think because of the internet we see & hear about stories all the time. So of course the apprehension and fear is elevated and everyone is terrified that their child is next....which it's great to be aware....but sometimes I think it can terrify more than anything.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

While I don't have kids and do not plan to, I have to say that its may not be such a bad idea in certain cases. I think its a very smart decision for parents to know where their kids are when they are not with them. Look how many kids go missing each year. I think it would be much less if devices like this were available.

I do not agree of the use of it in all cases, say it was to keep track of their teenager , but yet in certain instances it would be great.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

I hope to be a parent very soon. I hate it when people say oh our parents did x and y during their pregnancies or growing up we didn't have x and y and we're fine. As pp stated there are so many that aren't fine, that didn't make it. There is so much more we know now, why not do the best we can.
Also, any dog you get from the SPCA is microchipped now, so it certainly doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

Re: perhaps its because i am childless but...(GPS)

Boy am I glad they didn't have this when I was a teenager

Seriously speaking--I might. It depends. I do not know much about it.