by Stephanie Epplett

Created on: January 27, 2009   Last Updated: April 16, 2011

By giving your child a GPS system or you parenting well or stalking! There seems to be a fine line between the two, but good parents do what's necessary to keep their children safe. It is how a parent uses the tools, like a GPS system, that determine if those measures are good parenting or stalking.

By supplying your child(ren) car or phone with a GPS system you are in fact acting as a good parent. It is a handy tool to have to help keep your child out of danger or rescue them when they are in danger, but it is also a dangerous tool to drive a wedge between your relationships with your child if you abuse it.

Our deepest fear as a parent is that someone will take or harm our child, under our watch and we could have prevented it. A GPS system is a wonderful tool to ease those fears when our baby hasn't returned by curfew. It will allow you to find out where that child is, or, at the very least, where they were if they don't call or show for hours. It could be the first step in locating a child that has been abducted, met with foul play, gotten in an accident, or run away. It can be a wonderful lead to help you keep your child safe or bring them home if ever needed. I can also be a very dangerous tool.

As easy as it is to just peek on your child when they are away from home and ensure they are where they are supposed to be, doing this too much can and will damage the bond of trust your child has in you. Many parents will say that they are building their trust in their child when they find they are where they are supposed to be, but what they don't realize is that too much checking on the part of the parent shows a strong distrust in your child, in that child's eyes. If you don't trust your child, a GPS system isn't the answer to build up that trust. While you may feel better now that you know Susie is really at Dance and not at a party, Susie won't feel so great that you felt the need to check on her AGAIN today.

If you supplied a GPS system to babysit your child, keep in mind that nothing is fool-proof. If Johnny has a habit of skipping school and getting high under the bridge, he will learn to leave the car or phone at school and head out anyway, if he knows you are checking on him constantly. If your child calls you and says they need a ride, they are drunk and can't drive and worse can't remember where they are, use that GPS to find them and bring them home, after all they called for your help and this will build that trust between you both.

Installing a GPS system to assist you in locating your child in an emergency will always be good parenting and will instill a sense of security and trust in both you and your child. Installing that same system to babysit a difficult teenager is stalking and will surely destroy that valuable bond of trust and security. Using your head and not your heart is the best way to determine when you may cross the line between parenting and stalking.

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