@Walsh_LDN Thank you for all the support here! I really appreciate the fact that you totally "get it". This product is meant to be complimentary to what parents/caregivers etc are already doing, it is not meant to be in place of. The utility of this extends in to many areas of parenting. I'll give you just one example, how about 2 kids on the playground?? I just don't have eyes in back of my head, 1 kid wants to ride on the swing, the other the monkey bars. They go in different directions constantly. A ton of research, feedback, and crafting has gone in to the creation of this product. Many, many parents that I've worked with all say the same thing, "it's happened to me". I cannot sit in judgement because a 2 year old decides to make a mad dash for the candy aisle while her 4 year old sister debates the fruit she would like to eat this week with her parent, so the parent attaches what equates to a sophisticated warning bell to her when they go to the grocery store. This kind of thing happens all the time! So, I created something to help keep kids from moving too far away from their parents, by alerting them early enough to have an impact. My concept is truly about an early, actionable warning before kids go too far. I'm truly grateful for all the complimentary commentary you've mentioned here on the site. As for GPS, it's certainly something we are looking in to, however it does increase costs exponentially and that is ultimately passed on to the consumer and I did not want to make this at a price point that wasn't accessible to many.
@BrendanHufford I wish I were the perfect parent who doesn't respond to a work email or an urgent text from my husband, while with my two young active girls but the fact is I do, this just means Monkey will back me up :)
@FindYourMonkey You don't have to be 'perfect' to not look at your cell phone in an area where you might lose your kids. In the back yard? Check away. At a big city park with blind spots and tons of other kids around? Maybe it can wait.
I think it's about prioritizing and if you need an app to keep track of your kids because emails and texts are more important, that's something you need to consider in your life.
@BrendanHufford You are talking out of your arse. Your perfect God-fearing self may not check your phone, but as you said yourself 'Maybe it can wait'. Maybe it can, but sometimes it can't and it's important. Why not have a safety net?
@Walsh_LDN haha, not at all James. I'm actually using my brain and (literally) my fingertips. My arse is not capable of using a computer (snark). I just think it's a straw man argument when you claim that it's viable because you're not "perfect." You're essentially defending a point that I haven't made.
The idea that "well, I'm not perfect" is often used to defend mediocrity. I just want to be the best parent I can be and I think more parents should strive for that. And if you don't, that's cool too! Just don't go alone with your kids to a place that you might lose them and put their lives in danger.
My point was just that you don't have to be perfect to watch your kids. Again, if you're out with your kids, alone, and it "can't wait" then I think that should be an important point in your life. I just feel like the preys on the fear that parents might lose their kids and gives them an excuse to play on their phone more and engage with kids less.
@BrendanHufford By your logic, you're essentially saying that I shouldn't take my kids out of the house, because I can lose them and their lives can be in danger anywhere, right?
What's the problem with having a safety backup? We live in a safe neighbourhood (UK), and our children play with some of the other children in the neighbourhood outside. I check up on them, but I don't stand outside watching them for 2 hours. Having a device that gives me more peace of mind is a positive, not a negative, surely?
@Walsh_LDN Again, not that you intended to do this, but that's another straw man argument that I haven't made. What I am saying is that if you can't get off your phone for a few hours a day then you shouldn't take your kids somewhere new or unsafe under the guise of "I'm not perfect."
I just think it builds a culture of fear that makes parents buy a product. This seems to be a digital version of one of those kid leash backpacks and, while it may make parenting "easier" it also might not instill kids and parents with the right habits and skills to navigate the world without those tools.
What does this product have to do with being on the phone for a few hours a day?
Here's another example use case: I take my kids to the park. Some of the other kids in the neighbourhood come too, along with their parents. My gaze is not focused on my children 100% of the time, because I'm conversing with the other parents. Having a safety net (which for all intents and purposes is just a cool monkey badge to the child) is useful, no question about it.
I just don't understand how your argument is relevant to the product.
@Walsh_LDN it is directly related to the product. I don't want to check my phone to see where my kids are. If I can't see them, and I call for them and if I walk around and look and can't find them, I don't see how putting a microchip on my kid that tells me they're gone, helps me. This idea is built on distrust for your children and yourself. I *want* that added pressure of building habits in my kids (making sure they can see me, making sure they check in, etc.) and in myself. I want to teach my kids to develop the self discipline to stay within a safe distance of me, not rely on some leash (physical or digital) to do that. Not everybody wants that pressure and that's cool, too.
Again, the "100%" you mentioned is a fallacy along the lines of "I'm not perfect." It provides an excuse. Nobody is 100%. But some people are watching their kids 10% of the time and that's not okay.
I can't / don't watch my kids 100% of the time, even if I'm at a park where it's safe and in an area that I know. If I take my kids to downtown Chicago at a public park with 100+ kids running around, you better believe I'm not focused on anything else other than them. I've also never been so distracted talking to another parent that I've lost my kids so I'm not sure how that's related?
At this point, I think we're just arguing about what each other is arguing about and not the core idea.
I just don't hire tech products to do my parenting for me, or to make it easier than it should be. I hire them to let me spend more time with my kids, not more time on my phone, talking to other parents, or allowing me an excuse to be distracted.
@BrendanHufford You're not purchasing this product to do your parenting for you, it's a supplementary product. It will not replace common sense.
I don't see how this affects discipline or the mindset that it's OK to stray further/be less careful for children. This product has been designed to fit in with a child's attire, to look fun. This isn't a tracker to your children.
Regarding your point about being distracted by talking to other parents - I'm not saying it has happened to you, I'm simply stating that it CAN happen.
Ultimately this product will work for some people and won't work for others (such as yourself). No product will appeal to everyone and that's OK.
@FindYourMonkey Kimberly, good on you for creating a product with a positive vision. Keep at it!
As a side note: A more interesting proposition for this product would be tracking, which is the direction I hope these guys would be heading in. For example - you've lost your child, you shout for them and can't find them. Your phone shows you their location.
I think it's about prioritizing and if you need an app to keep track of your kids because emails and texts are more important, that's something you need to consider in your life.
Stop judging other people with snarky replies.
The idea that "well, I'm not perfect" is often used to defend mediocrity. I just want to be the best parent I can be and I think more parents should strive for that. And if you don't, that's cool too! Just don't go alone with your kids to a place that you might lose them and put their lives in danger.
My point was just that you don't have to be perfect to watch your kids. Again, if you're out with your kids, alone, and it "can't wait" then I think that should be an important point in your life. I just feel like the preys on the fear that parents might lose their kids and gives them an excuse to play on their phone more and engage with kids less.
Just my thoughts though.
What's the problem with having a safety backup? We live in a safe neighbourhood (UK), and our children play with some of the other children in the neighbourhood outside. I check up on them, but I don't stand outside watching them for 2 hours. Having a device that gives me more peace of mind is a positive, not a negative, surely?
I just think it builds a culture of fear that makes parents buy a product. This seems to be a digital version of one of those kid leash backpacks and, while it may make parenting "easier" it also might not instill kids and parents with the right habits and skills to navigate the world without those tools.
What does this product have to do with being on the phone for a few hours a day?
Here's another example use case: I take my kids to the park. Some of the other kids in the neighbourhood come too, along with their parents. My gaze is not focused on my children 100% of the time, because I'm conversing with the other parents. Having a safety net (which for all intents and purposes is just a cool monkey badge to the child) is useful, no question about it.
I just don't understand how your argument is relevant to the product.
Again, the "100%" you mentioned is a fallacy along the lines of "I'm not perfect." It provides an excuse. Nobody is 100%. But some people are watching their kids 10% of the time and that's not okay.
I can't / don't watch my kids 100% of the time, even if I'm at a park where it's safe and in an area that I know. If I take my kids to downtown Chicago at a public park with 100+ kids running around, you better believe I'm not focused on anything else other than them. I've also never been so distracted talking to another parent that I've lost my kids so I'm not sure how that's related?
At this point, I think we're just arguing about what each other is arguing about and not the core idea.
I just don't hire tech products to do my parenting for me, or to make it easier than it should be. I hire them to let me spend more time with my kids, not more time on my phone, talking to other parents, or allowing me an excuse to be distracted.
I don't see how this affects discipline or the mindset that it's OK to stray further/be less careful for children. This product has been designed to fit in with a child's attire, to look fun. This isn't a tracker to your children.
Regarding your point about being distracted by talking to other parents - I'm not saying it has happened to you, I'm simply stating that it CAN happen.
Ultimately this product will work for some people and won't work for others (such as yourself). No product will appeal to everyone and that's OK.
@FindYourMonkey Kimberly, good on you for creating a product with a positive vision. Keep at it!
As a side note: A more interesting proposition for this product would be tracking, which is the direction I hope these guys would be heading in. For example - you've lost your child, you shout for them and can't find them. Your phone shows you their location.