My oldest is getting to the age where he wants independence and privacy. I've been using Life360 to know where he is but he found out and is furious. Says I don't trust him. But he's 12 and goes to friends houses after school and I like knowing he's actually where he says he is. Am I being overprotective or is this just parenting in 2024? How old were your kids when you stopped tracking them?
This is the hardest balance to find. My oldest is 10 and we're having similar conversations. I think Life360 is fair at 12 but I make sure he knows WHY we use it - safety, not control. That conversation matters as much as the app.
I'd be curious how you're framing it with him. Is it presented as a safety thing or more of a trust thing? The way you introduce it probably changes everything about how he responds.
Man, I get the privacy thing but also the safety concern. Maybe sit down and explain why you're using it instead of just having it running. My kids respect me way more when I'm honest about the why behind the rules rather than just enforcing them.
The tracking app debate hits different when they're getting older. We had to have real conversations about trust at that age. It's not about spying on him, it's about knowing he's safe. Frame it that way and he might surprise you.
12 is such a weird age for this. They want freedom which they deserve but also still need oversight. Maybe involve him in setting boundaries about when/how the tracking happens? Gives him a voice in it.
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This is tough. I've been trying to find that balance with screens too. At 12, they're definitely at that age where they want more autonomy. Maybe Life360 stays for safety but you negotiate which apps or times he gets privacy? Like he knows you can see location but his actual digital life is his own thing.