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View Poll Results: Do you think tracking your children/family is right? | ||||||
No, it's completely unnecessary | 7 | 25.93% | ||||
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Yes, every parent should do this | 5 | 18.52% | ||||
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Only if absolutely necessary; i.e. missing child etc... | 15 | 55.56% | ||||
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Voters: 27. You may not vote on this poll |
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Magnate
Member Since Oct 2007
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Posts: 2,798
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#1
So I just saw a commercial for a phone on Verizon that tracks your family 24/7. Am I the only one who thinks this is a little overboard? What ever happened to privacy and trust? Are kids today really THAT horrible that we have to track them at the mall? I'm just a little furious at this insane over-parenting lately? I feel like it just creates a situation for your kids to go way overboard when they finally have some freedom. What do you guys think?
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mafub, susan888
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Sep 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 1,728
16 |
#2
I'm a parent and I'm probably a little over protective, and I think this is insane. I won't do that to him.
__________________ "School is shortened, discipline relaxed, philosophies, histories, languages dropped, English and spelling gradually gradually neglected, finally almost completely ignored. Life is immediate, the job counts, pleasure lies all about after work. Why learn anything save pressing buttons, pulling switches, fitting nuts and bolts?" Bradbury, Ray Fahrenheit 451 p 55-56 |
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Guest
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#3
I can see using it with younger children (having lost one or two along the line once or twice -- horrible feeling). But then again, I don't give my children cell phones, so that is sort of a moot point. I can see using it on an older kid if they were causing trust issues, but then again, I probably wouldn't let them have a cell phone at that point and they would be under my nose at all times until they re-earned that trust. Again, not a problem I have ever had with any of my kids, so this is all supposition on my part. As a teacher, you'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't) at what kids are doing while their parents aren't looking. Scary, scary. So glad I had pretty good kids.
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Pet Lady of Psychcentral
Member Since Sep 2005
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 4,564
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#4
It's really not about trusting your kids, it's about not trusting the perpetrators out there. The are rapists and murderers not to mention the child traffickers, ya the ones who will turn your kid into a sex commodity to be sold over ane over again. Know how many kids are stuck in this hellish life in the US alone? 100,000. The automotive industry has a way of stopping a car that has been reported stolen yet people don't feel comfortacle tracking their kids. What does that say about our priorities? Cars can be replaced, and your kids?
Last edited by sabby; Mar 21, 2010 at 03:58 PM.. Reason: added trigger icon |
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Anonymous29402, lynn P., mafub
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#5
Totally agree with you nucking....
If I had my way I would chip them but hubby would never allow it. lol. |
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Legendary
Member Since Oct 2004
Location: Ga
Posts: 13,936
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#6
I think it is a good idea myself. supposing someone kidnapped your child and they had a cell phone with that feature....it might actually help find them.
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Anonymous29402, lynn P.
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Magnate
Member Since Oct 2007
Location: Fayetteville, AR
Posts: 2,798
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#7
I guess I feel the opposite because I'm only 22? Maybe my opinion will change whenever I have kids but I feel like if my mom would have done that to me I would have just stashed my cell phone somewhere and left anyways. I got a cell phone when I got my license because my dad wanted me to be able to call for help in emergencies.
I guess, I know I did a lot of stupid stuff when I was a teenager but if you look at the stats, most abuse/kidnappings/rape happen between people that already know each other. Most kids are not in danger of being snatched up by a random person. It's something like 80% of girls who are raped are raped by someone they know so I just don't see complete strangers as a threat. And I grew up in Dayton and Cincinnati. I guess I just feel like it would make more sense to have your child take a self defense class than track their phone? I took one and am quite confident that if someone tried to attack me I could fend them off to at least get away. My dad has always been very pro-freedom and rather just teach me how to defend myself so I guess I don't see the point. Good points from everyone though. It's always interesting for me to see the complete opposite side of my thoughts. |
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perpetuallysad
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Elder
Member Since Sep 2006
Posts: 5,677
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#8
Even though I think "yes", I really couldn't do this. Believe me, I have a 14-year old daughter, and I can only imagine what I may discover. But I won't do it, absolutely not. I have to trust her, and respect her decisions to a point. I strictly limit her socialization outside the home/school because that is something I can control, for now.
I just couldn't do it...sorry __________________ Parce que maman l'a dit |
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susan888
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#9
Quote:
The tracking device is, more than anything, to put the parents' minds at ease at the expense of trust and freedom. And... Who's to say the same technology couldn't be used against the victims? For example, an abusive man/woman could use it to further control his/her spouse. It's my humble opinion that the phone companies are capitalizing on parents' fear. |
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perpetuallysad, salukigirl, susan888
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Magnate
Member Since Nov 2009
Location: Independence, MO
Posts: 2,609
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#10
I agree with Myers. In fact, one of the things we are taught, from the DV shelter, is to turn off the GPS tracking feature on our cell phones. I am a very over protective mom. My daughter isn't allowed outside without me, and she is almost 9. Of course this has to do with the neighborhood we live in. She does NOT have a cell phone, and will NOT get one until she is driving. Children do not need the distraction of a cell phone. If we, as parents, cannot be responsible enough to know where our children are, what they are doing, and how to contact the other parent; then I do not believe we should be parents. When I was growing up, my mom would never allow us to go to a friend's house if their parent was not home. Shoot, we couldn't go out with friends unless there was a parent chaproning us. In this day and age, I think it is more important than ever to know what your children are doing. The world just is not as safe as it once was. If my daughter had a cell phone, I would use the tracking device as a tool to check up on her. If she can prove that she is always where she says she is going to be, then I would slowly stop tracking her. Children have the right to have their own boundaries while still in our safe keeping.
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salukigirl
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#11
If we, as parents, cannot be responsible enough to know where our children are, what they are doing, and how to contact the other parent; then I do not believe we should be parents.
With a nine year old child I know this is possible however remembering that with most high school children are allowed out at lunchtime. That they are likely to be transporting themselves to and from school you may find this a little more of a challenge ! |
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#12
My 9-year-old son could disable a GPS tracking device in a cell phone faster than I could install the software. I imagine a teenager could do the same. I vote in favor of teaching the teenager about dangerous situations and what to do if faced with that situation instead of attempting to track their every move.
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susan888
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#13
Would still rather chip the child ! We chip dogs we chip cars why not something even more precious ?
Its not the child disobeying me I am worried about its the perverts out there who will stop at nothing to kidnap and abuse a child. |
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lynn P.
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Legendary
Member Since Feb 2009
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 12,269
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#14
I'm sorta on the fence on this one because 1st of all I don't support giving young kids cell phones - worried about the brain cancer risk. But I do wish there was some sort of wrist band tracking device a parent could use at places like Disney World. When my youngest was 3 we all went to Disney World. You know how they have the rides and at the end there's a gift shop. Well I'm very safety oriented, but somehow my 3 yr old went out the door while we were in the gift shop. I turned around and she was gone and my heart sank. I ran out of the gift shop and thank God there was a Disney employee holding my daughters hand. So in cases like this I would have loved to have a tracking device. I don't think it's practical for parents to monitor teenagers for 'trust' reasons because kids will just disable the device.
__________________ This is our little cutie Bella *Practice on-line safety. *Cheaters - collecting jar of hearts. *Make your mess, your message. *"Be the change you want to see" (Gandhi) Last edited by lynn P.; Mar 24, 2010 at 12:26 PM.. Reason: crazy spelling mistakes |
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Anonymous29402
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#15
Quote:
And, teenagers need freedom and trust from their parents. It's a part of the development process for them to make their own choices and become more independent. You can say, "I'm only doing it to protect you," but they usually don't perceive it that way. When they are denied that freedom and trust, they will rebel. And when they rebel, they run right into the hands of those you're trying to protect them from. |
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susan888, Typo
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#16
You have not convinced me ! Given the choice I would still chip them however hubby is againts it.
As for 'organised' crime most of the kids taken in the uk are by the local pervert. As for tracking their every move well thats just not done if chipped. It would be held by a local company who would track your child IF they go missing. And the police would be alerted. |
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#17
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Something needs to be done, but not chipping people. I mean, if they start chipping younger kids, they might start chipping senior citizens with dementia, then convicts who are out on parole. Will they eventually just start chipping everyone? Will overbearing employers start using tracking devices to spy on their employees? Where would we draw the line, and say this is unethical? |
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susan888
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#18
Chipping convicts wouldn't in my mind be a bad thing especially if they are on the sex register ...
Also people with dementia as this past winter two pensioners went missing one of whom died of exposure . |
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Guest
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#19
Quote:
And if it's strictly a company that monitors the chipping, having the chip call 911 if necessary, then I would be concerned with misuse of that information among the company workers. Yet again, you don't think these potential murderers/rapists would actively try to get a job at one of these companies so they could get that information? And I wouldn't be surprised if crime syndicates were the ones running the company. |
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Guest
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#20
No I dont think they would try to get a job there why bother ?
Why burgle a house with a dog barking when the one next door has no dog .... |
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