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GPS tracking gave a lot of parents peace of mind this fall. It is always difficult to find the balance between keeping an eye on a child and letting that same bundle of personality develop some independence. Do you hold Jimmy’s hand in the crowd, or let him walk alone? Do you tell Susie to stay within sight, or do you give her some broader boundaries? Do you let Tommy try that scary-looking ride alone and meet you later, or do you insist on watching the whole time?

GPS Can Keep Track For You

Tracking their children is one way parents find the balance between these two options. A GPS device can be attached as a wristband or tucked into a child’s pocket, and then the parent can know where the child is at all times. The device communicates with satellites that read the device’s latitude and longitude and then coordinate that information with a map to keep tabs on the wearer. The information is relayed to some kind of receiver, such as a kiosk or a personal computer or even a smart phone. The map can be a map of your city, the hallways of the mall, or now—the layout of the state fair.

Iowa and Louisiana Offer GPS Tracking Devices to Parents

The 2010 Iowa State Fair and the 2010 Louisiana State Fair both offered tracking devices to parents to allow them to monitor their children on the fairgrounds. Parents and grandparents or other guardians were thrilled when they learned about the devices and readily agreed that they made the family outing much more fun by reducing stress.

At the Louisiana fair, the parents’ phone number was entered into a computer system and a white wristband was attached to the child. Parents could track the location of their child on the fairgrounds anytime they wanted to check on the youngster. Each wristband also had a SOS button, so if the child got frightened, he could press the button and the parent would receive a text message communicating his or her location. The Iowa fair used similar tracking devices. These could be attached to a belt or put into a pocket and also had a SOS button. The child’s location could be seen on a smart phone or at the service center or public safety headquarters at the fair.

The same type of tracking system could be used in almost any public place. Amusement parks, malls, museums, and other attractions can invest in this technology to promote safety. Every family could have a better visit, as parents don’t have to worry about a child being lost, kidnapped, or simply roaming too far. The devices are inexpensive; in Iowa, they rented to fair visitors at the low rate of $9.99 for the entire day. That’s a small price to pay for great peace of mind.

Article Written by Greg Bartlett