When my kids first got phones, we had open conversations about safety and agreed to use location-sharing apps like Life360 and Find My Friends.
I expected some pushback because what teenager wants their parents tracking their every move? But to my surprise, they were open to it.
At first, the tracking apps worked exactly as I expected. I could check if they arrived at school safely, see when they needed to be picked up, and later, when they started driving, confirm they made it to their destination without constantly texting, “Did you get there OK?”
It was a useful tool and a small way to ease my worries while giving them independence.
After a little while, something unexpected happened. One afternoon, I was sitting in a Panera booth when I got a text from my daughter: “Can you get me a cookie?”
Confused, I asked, “Why are you asking me that? You’re at school.”
“I just feel like a Panera cookie,” she replied.
That was when it hit me. She knew exactly where I was. My daughter was tracking me.
It was odd knowing that the tables were turned. The realization that my kids could also track me made me more aware of how I used the app. I know there are workarounds where kids can turn it off or mask their location, but overall, the app was good for me as a worried mom. Apparently, it was good for them, too.
The app I got for my peace of mind was now being used to track me
Soon, I realized all my kids were using location tracking — but not in the way I had originally intended.
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At first, they tried to mask it with casual “Where are you?” texts, but I knew better. I did the same thing when they first got phones, pretending I didn’t already see their location before asking. I started getting texts while I was at the grocery store: “Can you grab some snacks?”
It quickly became a family joke. If I took a different route home, stopping to see my parents, they’d text a quick “Say hi to Grandma and Grandpa!” If I made an unexpected stop at Walmart, my phone would buzz with a list of things they needed. I was no longer the one keeping tabs; they were.
The app has fostered communication and consideration
More than just safety, location sharing has reshaped how we communicate. My oldest checks if my husband and I are out for a walk before calling, not wanting to interrupt. If my kids see I’m working at the library, they send a text instead of calling. If they notice my husband is en route to the hospital with a patient in the back of an ambulance, they know he’s busy and can’t pick up.
What started as a tool to keep tabs on my kids has evolved into something more — a way for our family to stay connected. It has become less about supervision and more about convenience, consideration, and even humor.
As my kids, now 16, 18, and 20, have gotten older, we’ve talked about the role of tracking apps in our family. Despite the shift in who’s tracking whom, they still agree to keep them.
There’s something comforting in knowing that my kids check on me just as much as I check on them. It’s a reminder that no matter how much independence they gain, family is still at the core of their daily lives.
In the end, it’s not about control. It’s about knowing we’re all OK, no matter where we are.
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