Chapter 1: The Protector Role of Parents

Every parent faces the challenge of balancing friendship and authority with their teenagers. While your teen may not appreciate it, your primary role is to safeguard them rather than simply being their friend.

I have a wonderful, sensitive sixteen-year-old daughter who has been grounded for two weeks now, with another week left to go. The reason? She disabled the location tracking on her phone.

She is currently experiencing her first love, and she and her boyfriend have been spending time together since summer began. On the night of her “infraction,” she informed me they were heading to a movie, with her boyfriend picking her up right as the film started. With only a fifteen-minute drive to the theater, I thought they might miss a few trailers, but that was no big deal.

However, it turned out they missed the entire movie. They decided that rather than attending, they would spend their time at the shopping center nearby. While this might not seem alarming at first glance, all the stores in that area closed at nine.

Clearly, two teenagers hanging out in an empty shopping center late at night is not ideal. My daughter is smart enough to understand the potential dangers, which is why she tried to keep this from me.

So, as the concerned parent, I took to my trusty phone tracking app, Life 360, before going to bed. I discovered not only their change of plans but also that they parked in the most secluded spot farthest from the street.

Just minutes later, Romeo texted me to say my daughter's phone had died and suggested I reach out to him if I needed to contact her. However, the reality was that my daughter had turned off her location settings to evade tracking. Unfortunately for them, I had already checked the app.

The Advantages of Phone Tracking Apps

Life 360 is just one of many impressive phone tracking applications available today. (You can find a list of the top seven options in Newsweek.) These apps offer various features that can help keep your child safe. They not only provide real-time location updates but also keep a history of where your child has been.

Moreover, they can monitor driving behaviors, such as speed and instances of sudden braking. They also include emergency features like crash detection and dispatch services if your child encounters an accident. In a tragic instance from my past, a former student experienced a serious crash, and their parents received timely notifications through the app, potentially saving valuable time.

These apps also allow you to send “check-in” messages and check your child's phone battery level. When Romeo claimed my daughter's phone was dead, the app revealed it had an 89% charge. Caught red-handed!

Life 360 offers both free and premium plans, starting at just $15 a month, with alternatives like FamiGuard and Find My Kids providing competitive pricing.

Note: Depending on the app, you may also have options to block certain websites, limit screen time, and even listen to your child's surroundings.

Conclusion: Embracing the Challenge of Parenting Teens

I teach many responsible and kind adolescents, yet I often hear tales of their attempts to outsmart their parents. While these stories don't alter my perception of them as wonderful young adults, it’s a reminder that teenagers will always test boundaries.

Let's face it; we all broke rules at sixteen. It’s simply easier to get caught today with modern technology.

Thus, it’s wise to explore different phone tracking apps to find one that suits your family's needs, so you can maintain a watchful eye over your “babies.”

As Toni Morrison eloquently stated in her celebrated work Beloved:

“Grown don’t mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What’s that supposed to mean? In my heart, it don’t mean a thing.”

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Chapter 2: Essential Insights for Parents

In the video titled "Five Things Every Parent Of A Teenager Needs To Know," viewers will learn crucial insights into navigating the complexities of parenting teenagers.

The second video, "What Your Teen Really Needs From You (these 2 Things are ESSENTIAL!)," discusses the fundamental needs of teens in their relationships with parents.