Tracking for Kids: Abduction Prevention, A Necessary Evil

Alarming statistics in the US show that every 40 seconds a child is abducted ,in other words , by the time you complete this article ,another 4-5 US children have been abducted and within a couple of hours almost a quarter have tragic outcomes. These and other thought provoking statistics are available on http://www.amberalertregistry.org.

Missing and runaway kids are common in many countries, and steps have been taken by local police and national government organizations worldwide to combat the activities of those who prey on our children, whether it is strangers or indeed people that are familiar to us.

Most of these activities involve trying to find kids quickly after the event occurs ,while prevention is obviously a much more viable solution.

Preventative Methods

Be a diligent parent and always know where your children are. This is, as we all know, exceedingly difficult and once your child begins to crawl the urge to explore makes it difficult, even within the immediate living area.

Be that as it may, it is our responsibility as parents to monitor them at all times and to keep them safe. As our children grow it is important that we instill in them an awareness of the ills present in our society while at the same time protecting their innocence. This can include “don’t accept sweets from strangers “or indeed even “don’t talk to strangers”.  

Prepare an Action Pack in case the worst happens and your child is missing , a few recent color photographs (take new ones every month), medical info such as blood type (in case of accident) and also a full text description of your child. Teach your child how to use the phone and how to dial emergency numbers, write the full home address, telephone number and other pertinent info. Getting your child fingerprinted and put on the system is also useful in the event of an accident.

As a child’s social activities are limited compared to adults it should be easy to monitor them. What does their normal early routine consist of? Normally ,it will be a case of leaving home to attend school and back home again afterwards. Schools will ensure that all kids are collected by their parents or by someone who is nominated to do so by the parents.

All babysitters should be chosen carefully, and avoided completely if in any doubt of their competence in caring for your child. I have a simple rule – only my / my wife’s parents are allowed babysit ,otherwise we go on weekend vacations the whole family can enjoy. Also we take turns to meet our friends or indeed meet other families.

After homework completion your child may wish to play with friends or indeed indulge in hobbies or sporting activities. This is to be expected as part of a normal routine, but make sure that the venue is supervised by a trusted, similarly-minded parent who you are sure will provide a safe and secure area. This allows peace of mind until your child returns home. One word of caution , always make sure that your child feels he/she can bring friends home since otherwise problems may develop ,where the children sneak out to play with friends etc. ending up in a situation they cannot control.

All babysitters should be chosen carefully and avoided completely if in any doubt of their competence in caring for your child.

Supervision does not have to mean lack of freedom and, of course, excessive supervision /correction will only result in rebellion and put the child in the situation you are trying to prevent. Knowing where they are, is solely to prevent us worrying ,not to spy on them.This should be made very clear ,even asking your wife to wring out a few tears to reinforce the point during your explanation if necessary

Let’s face it, in the teenage years we are all labeled as bad parents by our kids, but at least we can all take comfort in the fact that we are doing our best for them.

Tracking Tools

There are many GPS tracking devices on the market which allow remote tracking of our children when they are away from home.

If selecting one ,then ensure that is not one which is immediately obvious as a tracking device ,as the abductor will just discard it immediately. Some have GPS tracking systems available in a watch, for example ,these are not immediately obvious as a tracking device. Best solutions are embedded in shoes or jackets.

Many mobile phones now offer this feature and you can sign up to Google Maps Cell phone tracker for free. If your child has a cell phone then ensure that they know how to operate the speed-dial feature in an emergency.

GPS tracking is a useful solution for tracking your kids, but it needs to be one that is known / accepted to both parents and kids; as a tool required in a society where some individuals prey on the weak.

If your child sees it as an invasion of privacy when they get older, you will have to discuss it and offer alternative solutions .since realistically, inventive kids can easily disable these devices.

All we can do as parents is to hope our children will be safe, and who among us will refuse to utilize technical advances that may help us all achieve that goal.

This article is meant to inform and does not criticize in any way those unfortunate parents who have had their children abducted ,or those whose children are still missing ,since we all realize that no matter how we plan, sometimes events cannot be prevented, and we are all at the mercy of those who delight in destroying our way of life.