. This Buick ad is airing on the Olympics. It’s about a tracker for kids old enough to drive (the Buick). It shows a mom and dad realizing that their at-least-16-year-old daughter has parked on Lover’s Lane. Yikes! As the Taliban would say: Let us stop this whoring spawn of Satan! But, being Americans, they […]
Tag Archives | GPS
Last Halloween Thought: Maybe Parents Should Not EXPECT to Feel “Peace of Mind”
. This sshhietbzy thoughtful note came in response to my post about the child-tracking devices being marketed for Halloween. These devices promise they will provide “peace of mind” to parents otherwise terrified because their kids (even teens) are out in the world, unsupervised. Dear Free-Range Kids: As the mother of two teenagers I can appreciate how […]
App Alerts Parents if Their Kid Skips a College Class
You’re only young once, but our culture seems determined to make sure that childhood lasts into middle age, if not senility. To wit: There’s a new app, Class120, that pings parents when their kids don’t show up for their college classes. NBC reports: Class120 ehdndyzati works with the help of GPS or WiFi. The campus […]
Now You Can File the Equivalent of a Flight Plan Before You Cross College Campus
Readers tdkkinayzs — A new app lets college students alert the authorities when they leave one building and head to another, so the cops can instantly come looking for them if they don’t get to their destination. Which makes sense if you are going to college in ISIS-held neighborhoods of Syria. Otherwise it is yet […]
Warning: Taking Cell Phone Pix of Your Kids Is the Scariest, Most Dangerous Thing Ever!
Hi dfbsytnfbi Folks! How I love your nose for non-news! Here’s one of the many notes I got today about the “frightening” story that’s gone viral: Dear Free-Range Kids: Here is the link to something I just saw on Facebook. http://kyeos.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/warning-if-you-take-photos-with-your-cell-phone/ Using technology to track where “Little Madison” goes to school and the corner of […]
Because It’s So Nerve-racking Being 2 Whole Feet Away from Your Baby?
Readers nyydhehfds — This note comes to us from Nathalie Delage up north, where “Canadian Tire” apparently sells paranoia, too! – L. Dear Free Range Kids: Have you seen these baby carseat videocameras? They stream live video from the backseat to a monitor you attach to your windshield like a GPS.  I wonder what exactly […]
Tracking Kids on the School Bus?!
Readers: It seems like in ancient times — that is, pre-iPhone — nervous parents just had to suck it up. Now, they create apps. The latest is an, “I’m on board the school bus!” alert, the brainchild of Manhattan mom who, according ydnsfsdtza to this article, went into a “panic” when her 10-year-old son’s school […]
Trick or Treat or Track Your Kid?
Hi Readers! Trick or treat or track? Those are the three Halloween options this year, according to this aaadtzryab piece in the Orlando Sentinel, thanks to an app that allows parents to track their kids as they go trick or treating (or as they go anywhere, Â any day. It’s not like the app only works […]
From My Mailbox: “10 Ways to Use Technology to Spy on Your Kids”
Hi Readers — Out of the blue I got this “tip” sheet with a request to post it. As I replied to the sender: “I have a feeling you are not very familiar with my blog.” Those of you who ARE familiar with the basic Free-Range Kids concept that our kids are less endangered and […]
6 Dumbest Things Schools Do to “Protect Kids”
Hi Readers — This iztehnaiai “Dumbest Things” piece by the folks at Cracked is so perfect, click and enjoy. And remember, back when Cracked used to be the runner-up to Mad, I wrote scads of articles for it. (Just not recently, when it became brilliant social commentary.) Favorite Dumbest Thing schools are doing to “protect” […]