Best Tracker for Running 5yo

• 

  oscargamer on 05/01/2020 - 21:48

  +12

  Use your eyes and hands. Be a parent.

  5 year olds shouldn't have 'freedom' in shopping centres or public places.

  At that age, your job is to supervise.

  • 

    outlander on 05/01/2020 - 21:51

    Did you miss the part about twins?

    • 

      oscargamer on 05/01/2020 - 21:57

      +4

      Did you miss the bit about 'one' of the twins? Regardless, good parenting is good parenting, regardless of number of kids.

      • outlander on 05/01/2020 - 22:01 Comment score below threshold.
        • 

          p1 ama on 05/01/2020 - 22:10

          +9

          @outlander:

          So tell me then, how did your parents fail with you, to produce such a rude and unhelpful adult?

          Sorry, but this is just a personal attack that's got nothing to do with the original point being made.

          I find it weird that you would recommend a smart watch - just goes to show you don't really have any knowledge of the things you're advocating for. GPS doesn't really work indoors, and when it does, it's not going to be accurate enough to triangulate the position closely enough for you to be able to find your kid. The smartwatch can tell you your kid is in the shopping centre, but you already know that, it's not going to help you narrow down where your kid is. Don't be silly and advocate for tech you don't know enough about - someone is going to trust you and put one on their kid and not realise the limitations of the tech.

          • 

            outlander on 06/01/2020 - 10:10

            -4

            @p1 ama: I'm just calling it as I see it. Too many people run their mouth here, which I can handle if its funny or informative or just adds anything, but the above adds nothing. It is a utterly useless contribution that just takes up space. Why dance around that?

            And I missed the part where I advocated anything. I merely pointed OP in a direction. GPS may not work the best indoors, true, but do you know of anything better? I don't, not without going into custom equipment. GPS at least has a chance of working, of giving you a direction to head in, a history of movement, and it will be especially helpful if the kid gets abducted (which, if you read between the lines, is half of what this question is asking)

            So yeah, GPS isn't perfect, but its the best positioning technology available so far, at a reasonable price.
            Its the logical choice.

            Do you have any further input to add, oh wise one?

            • 

              IceCreamBandit on 06/01/2020 - 10:42

              +2

              @outlander:

              Too many people run their mouth here, which I can handle if its funny or informative or just adds anything, but the above adds nothing.

              How does your comment (copied below) add anything to the discussion?

              So tell me then, how did your parents fail with you, to produce such a rude and unhelpful adult?

              • 

                outlander on 06/01/2020 - 12:40

                -2

                @IceCreamBandit: Its a response. If you don't make a distinction between initial actions and responses to those actions, then you'll watch a man fighting off a robber and assume they are both violent people. Also its quite funny, but you need to have a certain level of insight to get it.

            • 

              p1 ama on 06/01/2020 - 19:53

              +1

              @outlander: You're just being dense now. Come on.

              You suggested GPS tracking, the other guy suggested disciplining the child.

              Obviously the other guy's suggestion has an infinitely higher chance of success because the probability of a GPS tracker working for this purpose is ZERO. It'll tell you the kid's in Pacific Fair (or whatever), maybe it'll even tell you the kid's in Coles. It won't tell you the kid's in Aisle 14 next to the Milo.

              How do I know this? Easy, plenty of times trying to locate mates/family in a new area (indoors), I (or they) will share live location and stay still so the other side can come there. I've tried this multiple times. It's never, ever worked. If you can't find a bunch of adults with GPS indoors, you're not going to find a kid. Stop with this nonsense already.

              GPS may not work the best indoors, true, but do you know of anything better?

              Yes, teaching the child to not run away, supervising them, putting them in a trolley, using one of those bungee cords, not taking them to crowded places where they can get lost (e.g. go to the park rather than a shopping centre). Which of course, are the suggestions originally made that you attacked.

              GPS at least has a chance of working, of giving you a direction to head in, a history of movement, and it will be especially helpful if the kid gets abducted

              No chance of working. Zero.

              Helpful if the kid gets abducted is an other story. That was never part of the initial discussion. Don't make things up.

              Do you have any further input to add, oh wise one?

              Don't get snarky because you can't win arguments.

        • 

          TheBilly on 01/02/2020 - 07:06

          @outlander: LOL… cry baby.

• 

  p1 ama on 05/01/2020 - 21:54

  +8

  I might be a bit of an "old school" parent, but hear me out before jumping to conclusions.

  Does anyone have any recommendations how best to go about keeping him safe but giving him some freedom to roam?

  I don't like to give parenting lessons (it's not my place), but what I'm saying here isn't to judge your parenting, but rather, it's for the safety of someone else (i.e. your son), so I'll say it. Please don't take any offence.

  You need to find a way to teach your son that this is not appropriate behaviour and that he can get lost, which is dangerous for him. Kids need to be able to develop a sense of knowing what is dangerous and what is not. If you just let him run everywhere and come looking for him after the fact because he's got a tracker on, then he'll think that it's okay to run wherever mindlessly because his superheros are going to come whisk him out of trouble afterwards. This isn't good for this issue (as he'll keep running away) and it won't be good for his decision making skills in the future.

  The reason I say this is because, at some point, he's going to go out of your care. He will have to go to school, go on excursions, go out with his friends, perhaps go out with other family who aren't aware of this issue…etc. Not everyone who interacts with him is going to know that he needs to be tracked because he has a tendency to run away. On top of that, teachers will often have their hands full with 20+ kids and just do not have the capacity to be babysitting him like a toddler. He may well take off his tracker, forget his tracker at home, it didn't have batteries…etc. whatever the case may be.

  One of my 5yo twin sons is going through a phase where he likes to run away when out of the house.

  This is actually pretty abnormal for a 5 yo. My kid might have run away and not paid any attention when he was like 2, but definitely not 5.

• 

  outlander on 05/01/2020 - 21:58

  -6

  I'd be looking at smart watches. You just need one with GPS and 3G access. I know you said that you want to avoid a sim card with data, but you will have to accept that to access the location remotely, the device needs a way to communicate to you. Bluetooth and wifi don't go very far, but mobile internet goes almost everywhere.

  • 

    brendanm on 06/01/2020 - 11:36

    Yes, GPS works very well indoors.

• 

  ozhunter on 05/01/2020 - 22:14

  +3

  shock bracelets

  Doubt anyone was going to suggest this.

  • 

    John Kimble on 05/01/2020 - 22:30

    Didn't know these existed 🤔

    • 

      ilmenite on 08/01/2020 - 00:52

      They do, someone is advertising them as a way to change undesirable behaviour and to help quit smoking.
      Having read these forums, I thought someone would suggest something along these lines, or bikies.

• 

  elgrande on 05/01/2020 - 22:48

  Get him to carry a phone with a really annoying and loud ring tone

• 

  IceCreamBandit on 05/01/2020 - 22:51

  +2

  Does anyone have any recommendations how best to go about keeping him safe but giving him some freedom to roam?

  What about a T-shirt that says "If alone, call xxxx xxx xxx (your mobile)"? Or a bracelet for something that doesn't give your number away to everyone even when you're with your kids?

  There are obvious problems with this suggestion but if you were open to shock bracelets I don't think this is necessarily too far-fetched

• 

  scozbargain on 05/01/2020 - 23:13

  Reigns or bungy cord. You are the parent, teach him to behave. You should have made a purchase in BigW:

  https://www.bigw.com.au/product/playette-2-in-1-harness-budd…

• 

  Davo1111 on 06/01/2020 - 02:20

  Reigns. Be a parent.

• 

  ShannonN on 06/01/2020 - 02:23

  We have considered, reins

  Considered or actually used? I'm 63 and like many 5 yr olds of my era mum had me in reins. No one thought I was a dog or thought mum was a fiend for using them and I would be scarred for life.

  If you are holding the reins there is NO way the child can wander off and that's what you need isn't it?

• 

  shaybisc on 06/01/2020 - 08:46

  https://www.amazon.com/YENISEY-Children-Smartwatch-Waterproo…

  Would something like that work? It wouldn't stop a pedo or some other bogyman snatching him though. Best keep him on a leash.

• 

  brendanm on 06/01/2020 - 11:36

  Watch your kids? Get those backpack animal leash things? Don't waste 000 resources because you can't be bothered doing it.

• 

  ibelynn on 06/01/2020 - 12:17

  +1

  Use the Punish and Reward system.
  Tell him if he runs away, you will not allow him to watch TV etc, reward for Not running for a little while.
  Best have a heart to heart to him as well, and tell him if he runs away, a bad person might take him, and he will not see mum dad, and other twin again, I'm sure you get the picture. He is certainly old enough, and knows that there are rules.
  Both parents must follow through with the punish system, by taking away something that he likes
  At 5 years old, he should be aware of stranger danger, and they are everywhere, shopping centres, in the street etc.
  This is really a priority, there are too many deviants around, waiting for just an opportunity

  • 

    Waldo000000 on 06/01/2020 - 15:15

    This is really a priority, there are too many deviants around, waiting for just an opportunity

    [citation needed]

    • 

      shaybisc on 08/01/2020 - 10:27

      Most of the deviants are family or friends of family but of course that is no comfort to the parents of kids who do get snatched by strangers.

• 

  singlemalt72 on 06/01/2020 - 12:25

  OK, so apart from parenting 101, which everyone else is hitting you with, one of the advantages of the Bluetooth type trackers is that you can set an alarm for when it goes out of range, so you instantly know when junior has done a runner. Plus some offer a signal strength meter so as you search you can see if you are getting closer (once you are within range)

• 

  [Deactivated] on 06/01/2020 - 16:57

  My 3 year old used to abscond whenever he had the opportunity. We used a behaviour approach rather than physical restraint in the form of leash or tracking devices.

  We looked at the

  • Antecedents: the ‘triggers’ for the wandering
  • Behaviour: the way the child responds to the trigger
  • Consequences or ‘rewards’: what he/she gets out of wandering, like leaving a stressful situation, or getting to a favourite place.

  You can work on your child’s wandering by changing either the triggers or the rewards your child gets from wandering.

  For example, if your child loves water and always runs towards pools, rivers or lakes. If you’re going for a walk or picnic, you could check whether there are any large bodies of water near where you’re going and change your route or picnic spot to avoid the water.

  Or if you know that your child runs away from noise, you could think about how to make the environment quieter for your child. Another option might be to find a safe, quiet space that your child can go to when things get too much.

  We also used to dress our child in bright clothing and had his name and our phone number printed on all his clothes. We spoke at length of the concept of stranger-danger and I think that was the clincher for him - that there could be some bad people out there would could try to "trick" him like "the Witch in the Hansel and Gretel " or the Big Bad Wolf in Little Red Riding Hood.

  Ps: It is unusual for a 5 year old to try to run away. Is your child on the Autism Spectrum?

• 

  ensanguined on 06/01/2020 - 20:11

  Discipline. For real.

• 

  ilmenite on 08/01/2020 - 01:15

  Thank you for the advice.

  @Jar Jar Binks was right in asking the question, the underlying problem is that both boys has been diagnosed autistic so most of the classic parenting techniques don't work. I wanted to avoid too much explanation on this aspect and didn't include it, in hindsight I should have.

  It is not for want of trying, or inadequate or lazy parenting. We have tried many different strategies, reins, spring bracelets, stories about children who run away, assorted variations of both carrot and stick and other suggestions from a child psychologist. The reality is that none have worked. He can now get out of the reins etc faster than I can put them on, so that is pretty much unusable now unless we lock him in. Trying this simply lead to a very long major meltdown in the middle of the busy shopping centre and a chat with security who wanted to call the police for child abuse.

  There seems to be no real fear being away from parents and he finds it amusing to run off. The current strategy is to simply turn round, say bye and walk off, this has had some success so far. We think he no longer gets the excitement of being chased and is getting some negative feelings due the apparent abandonment. I am looking for a safety stop gap until he, hopefully, grows out of this phase.

  Of the assorted suggestions, the loud phone is probably best as this can work indoors and outdoors (GPS if necessary). We just have to find the best way to make sure he doesn't remove it.

  • 

    p1 ama on 08/01/2020 - 22:38

    Shopping centres are really not good places to take children. Kids like to be able to run around and have fun, not be in crowded places with bright lights and a whole bunch of things they're not even interested in.

    Rather than take your kid shopping, take him to the park or a play centre, somewhere he can run around, have fun, whilst at the same time, being easy to keep sight of. There are plenty of play centres for kids his age which have proper gates so that kids can't just "run away" (even though parents have to supervise their kids at all times).

• 

  TheBilly on 01/02/2020 - 07:01

  Back in the day you wouldn't dare run, because if you left the 10m radius zone it was likely a shoe or hand would hit you in the back of the head. I think your child needs some fair discipline, note the fair.

  Give them a time block every day for example 30 minutes or 1 hour at a park where they can run and go nuts and you do the whole hide and go seek thing to alleviate his feelings. Then all other times you are in public be restrictive and discipline him. It's just fair, and that's how life works in general - sometimes you get your way, sometimes you don't. So it is good practice for when they get older. Likewise you also need to cater his needs, which is resolved by going to park, you can't just discipline and then also not let him play. They go hand in hand.