Back To School Safety Gets Techy

It’s almost time for kid’s to get back to school and as eager as parents are to get kids out of the house, they will want to be able to keep track of them in order to keep them safe. And keeping track of their kids no longer means just yelling out the front door, “Be back in time for dinner!”

Safety has gotten complicated so technology has risen to the challenge. Whether you want to know where they are, make sure they can contact you or reach out for help, or track their driving, there are a number of apps and gadgets that can help you keep an eye on your kids as they head back to school, sports and get-togethers.

No matter your purpose, there’s an app for that.

Tracking Whereabouts

PocketFinder
PocketFinder is a small device that you can stick in your child’s backpack or coat pocket. Using a cellular network, it sends a GPS location back every few minutes. Using a smartphone, parents can access that information and are alerted if the device goes out of a designated area.

If Danger Strikes

V Alrt
With  V. ALRT, “help is only a click away.” A wearable help button, it allows kids to send out text messages and location information if they feel threatened or are in danger to designated contacts. This is perfect if they walk home alone after practices or simply to and from school.

Driving

Zubie
Zubie is great for those with teenagers who are dying to get on the road, and parent’s who are a little reluctant to let them. It’s especially great if you don’t want to spend a fortune on a totally connected car for a new driver. Zubie connects to a car and sends information on speed, trip history and maintenance alerts back to an app.

Coming Home Alone

August
The August Suite of devices is a great way to track who is entering your home and when. With a smart lock, webcam, keypad and connect system, you are in command from your phone. If your kids are coming home alone after school, you will able to ensure they are coming home to an empty house because you are alerted if anyone else has entered. You can also control who you want to enter and when. This is great for working parents who can’t be there when their kids get home.

Using What You Have

If your child already has a smartphone, you have all you need to help keep them safe or at least be aware of what they are doing. There are plenty of apps for that.

Sygic Family keeps your family safe by allowing you to check the real-time location and the battery levels of your family members’ smartphones.

The Mama Bear App< is the mother of all tracking apps for those want to track their location but also their Facebook Feed. The app will alert you to signs of bullying or worrying language. It has the best of all worlds. And, if you want to get really 007 on your kids, MobileKids alerts you when your kids use their phone in the middle of the night, add an unknown contact and also lets you limit their phone usage. Some are afraid this may go too far so it's one you might want to really consider before trying.

Simple Safety at Home

If you and your family aren’t riding the technology wave, you can take a simpler approach with Nightlock. The Nightlock Door Barricade will keep your doors (front and patio) safe from kick-ins and your kids safe from break-ins when they are home alone. And, it’s simple and easy to learn to how to use. No smartphones needed.

Whether you go tech or go simple, it’s time to start thinking about keeping your kids safe as they head back to school.