We tell ourselves it’s about safety.
But what if tracking our kids is quietly costing them confidence, independence… and trust?

With apps like Life360 becoming the norm, many parents are asking: Are we protecting our children — or projecting our anxiety onto them?

In this episode, we unpack what constant monitoring does to developing autonomy, whether location-sharing normalises surveillance, and how to balance safety with healthy independence.

If you’ve ever checked the app “just in case,” this conversation might change how you see it.

KEY POINTS

• Why over-monitoring may increase anxiety — for parents and kids
• The developmental cost of constant surveillance
• How tracking impacts trust, autonomy, and competence
• When location sharing can work — and when it crosses a line
• The difference between safety conversations and safety control

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“When parents outsource their anxiety management to technology, children pay the developmental price.”

RESOURCES

• Lenore Skenazy – Free-Range Kids
• Let Grow movement
• Claire Rowe (psychologist & parenting writer)
• Should We Be Tracking Our Kids? [Article]

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

1. Ask yourself: Is this about safety — or my anxiety?
2. Replace monitoring with problem-solving conversations.
3. Gradually expand your child’s freedom in age-appropriate ways.
4. If using location sharing, make it mutual and transparent.
5. Focus on teaching capability, not controlling outcomes.