help with iPhone app keeping track of kids

[blessedby3]

I am looking for a good app for my daughters iPhone. She is going to be driving soon, and for our peace of mind we wanted to have some sort of app on her phone so we can keep up with her.
Anyone use one that they can recommend?

 

[pryncess527]

well, it's not a GPS app, but if your goal is to know where SHE is (as opposed to helping her navigate her way around) -- we use Find My Friends

 

[blessedby3]

well, it's not a GPS app, but if your goal is to know where SHE is (as opposed to helping her navigate her way around) -- we use Find My Friends

That is what I am looking for. Maybe I posted it wrong. Thanks Anyone else?

I edited my original post

 

[wenrob]

Does she have the Find My Phone app? When my daughter started driving I just logged into Find My Phone with her iCloud credentials to check up on things. I still do sometimes if she's running late or I want to know how far out she and my husband are to time dinner etc. Or as mentioned Find My Friends. It's essentially the same thing except you invite her and she accepts the invitation so you don't have to always log in.

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

We use Find My Friends. It's not always 100% accurate (at least in my experience) but it's awesome for those times that DD is "missing" and I can open the app and see where she is. Sometimes it puts her in weird locations, like across the river where she couldn't possible be unless she swam over there. It usually corrects itself shortly thereafter, I'm guessing it's still triangulating her location when it pops out the odd location. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-friends/id466122094?mt=8

When DD had an android (& I had an iPhone) we used MamaBear. It's available in Google Play and the Apple AppStore. It's a one way tracker, I could see her and she couldn't see me unless i clicked a button that sent her my location. http://mamabearapp.com/

 

[usd2bmd]

We used find my iPhone. We are all on the same iTunes account so it made it easier.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Our whole family is on the same iTunes account so we have the Find my iPhone app on all the phones. We can quickly see where everyone is at all times. It is freakily specific and accurate!

 

[3boymthr]

Our whole family is on the same iTunes account so we have the Find my iPhone app on all the phones. We can quickly see where everyone is at all times. It is freakily specific and accurate!

BUT there is one caveat to this, she does have to have location services and data turned on. If not it won't work. If she goes wifi only it won't find her.

And if you want her to know that you know where she is, especially if it's somewhere other than where she's supposed to be sound the signal. Yup, I did that one day as DS was late getting home and he told me he was going to be somewhere in the opposite direction of where he actually was and man oh, man DS was on the phone apologizing in about 1 minute.

 

[Hofmanns4]

Our family of 4 also uses the Find my iPhone App. We all have separate iTunes accounts but we know the login and password. Works great!

It was great when DD15 lost her phone and since we were already familiar with the app was able to track and find the person that took it.

 

[blessedby3]

Thanks everyone!

 

[drinkme]

BUT there is one caveat to this, she does have to have location services and data turned on. If not it won't work. If she goes wifi only it won't find her.

And if you want her to know that you know where she is, especially if it's somewhere other than where she's supposed to be sound the signal. Yup, I did that one day as DS was late getting home and he told me he was going to be somewhere in the opposite direction of where he actually was and man oh, man DS was on the phone apologizing in about 1 minute.

I use this too. And when my ds doesn't answer his phone I send the signal.

 

[NinaBella]

As soon as your kids know you are using an app to track them, they will be smart enough to disable it or turn their location services off.

All four of my kids have iPhones and for their safety, especially my daughter who is always on social media, I have them keep their location turn off. Too many stalkers and child predators can track and locate kids through Geo Tags from pictures they post.

Google Geo Tagging and kids safety to learn more of why the location feature should be turned off. You can customize the settings so maps and some location features still work.

http://resources.uknowkids.com/blog/what-is-geotagging-and-is-it-safe-for-my-teens-to-be-doing-it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vARzvWxwY#t=153

 

[wenrob]

As soon as your kids know you are using an app to track them, they will be smart enough to disable it or turn their location services off.

All four of my kids have iPhones and for their safety, especially my daughter who is always on social media, I have them keep their location turn off. Too many stalkers and child predators can track and locate kids through Geo Tags from pictures they post.

Google Geo Tagging and kids safety to learn more of why the location feature should be turned off. You can customize the settings so maps and some location features still work.

http://resources.uknowkids.com/blog/what-is-geotagging-and-is-it-safe-for-my-teens-to-be-doing-it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2vARzvWxwY#t=153

Location services do not have to be on for photos to have it on for Find My Phone. You can them on and off for different things. If my kid wanted to drive my vehicle she played by my rules which meant Find My Phone on at all times. I can take vehicle privileges and the phone away. You can also put restrictions on the phone and can keep them from turning things on or off or deleting the app.

 

[JanaDee]

Location services do not have to be on for photos to have in on for Find My Phone. You can them on and off for different things. If my kid wanted to drive my vehicle she played by my rules which meant Find My Phone on at all times. I can take vehicle privileges and the phone away. You can also put restrictions on the phone and can keep them from turning things on or off or deleting the app.

So you trust your child to drive a car, but you don't trust her to be where she says she is going to be?

How did our parents ever survive not knowing where we were every second of the day?

FTR, no, I don't track/stalk my children or my husband on their iphones (17 and 13).

 

[lauradis]

So you trust your child to drive a car, but you don't trust her to be where she says she is going to be?

How did our parents ever survive not knowing where we were every second of the day?

FTR, no, I don't track/stalk my children or my husband on their iphones (17 and 13).

I'm sorry op but what your thinking of doing is wrong. How would you feel if your spouse or your parents did this to you?

 

[aprilchem]

I'm sorry op but what your thinking of doing is wrong. How would you feel if your spouse or your parents did this to you?

Why is this wrong? DH and I both have the "find my friends" app on our iPhones and can track each other whenever we want. I don't care, because there's no sneaking around in our relationship. Why would it bother me for him to know where I am? It's super helpful when I want to know what time he'll be home for dinner, or for him to know that I've gotten to work safely. We'll do the same for our children when they're old enough to have kids; as long as they're good, honest kids I can't see why they'd care.

 

[wenrob]

So you trust your child to drive a car, but you don't trust her to be where she says she is going to be?

How did our parents ever survive not knowing where we were every second of the day?

FTR, no, I don't track/stalk my children or my husband on their iphones (17 and 13).

If you read to OP the subject was for a NEW driver, meaning very nervous moms. It isn't about *where* they are or trust it is about making sure they got there safely, nothing more. If I didn't trust my kid I wouldn't have let her drive my vehicle or go out. No need to make this into something it isn't.

 

[lauradis]

Why is this wrong? DH and I both have the "find my friends" app on our iPhones and can track each other whenever we want. I don't care, because there's no sneaking around in our relationship. Why would it bother me for him to know where I am? It's super helpful when I want to know what time he'll be home for dinner, or for him to know that I've gotten to work safely. We'll do the same for our children when they're old enough to have kids; as long as they're good, honest kids I can't see why they'd care.

Why not ask husband to shoot you text when he is leaving work, or when you get there?

It just scream insecurity or control to me.

What if it bothers your daughter to the point she leaves her phone where she says she is going and forwards her calls to her friends phones when they are someplace else. The app would be no good then.

You never lied to your parents????? You really think your children will never lie to you????

 

[pryncess527]

Why not ask husband to shoot you text when he is leaving work, or when you get there? ?

because he prefers that I can just check myself without him having to send a text. We don't think it's creepy. We find it helpful, and have nothing to hide or be insecure about.

 

[descovy]

I don't get what the big offense is to using Find My Phone.

We use it in my family. It's very handy to know how far away dh is (no, he does not want to text me every time he departs/arrives)

My kids are involved in drill team and are often carpooled to games. A basketball game could end at an indefinite time. So I find it handy to check in to see if they have left yet, or how far away from home. They are not allowed to be on their phones while performing, so its a way to check in without disturbing them.

I find it to be a tool. I trust them, and honestly, dh and kids have nothing to hide, so they shouldn't be offended.