I read a post about some of the stress caused by tracking teenagers with a tracking app through the iPhone. I am quite relieved I just missed all this as my children grew up.
My daughter is shocked I didn't have the Nanit app to watch every move of a baby as they slept. I had twins to start with. I survived with an audio monitor.
I heard stories about my youngest son's adventures in high school at his recent wedding. I knew he was a spicy, fun-loving social creature. But I nearly fell off my chair while the guests laughed for a long time. I am so glad I had no clue about some of his ideas.
Or my older son riding on a motorcycle with no helmet in Phuket, Thailand during rush hour. One of his friends got that moment with a camera.
I tend to overworry, so too much technology use might have had me spinning. I understand a parent can't put their head in the sand and be in denial. I'm very grateful we made it this far with all children thriving. It's hard to let go.
We bought our daughter a pre-smartwatch for her birthday. She can use it to text family-only and we can see where she is. The app broke for a few days and I was unsettled. I can see where she is again, but sometimes I feel like it's just a lot. Do I really need to track her on the way home from school!?