Full of words like ‘ridiculous’, ‘trust’ and ‘over-the-top.’
I would have vented about society and how much it had changed. I would have said we need to, “Let kids be kids“, and that technology wasn’t the answer.
I might have even invoked the, “In my day” phrase.
(Right before I dusted off my souvenir teaspoons and put in my hair rollers.)
But I am nothing if not adaptable and I have done a full 180.
Why?
Well I had kids.
Today, Bruce and Denise Morcombe have thrown their support behind a new app designed to allow parents to track their children's movements.
The App called 'Amego' sends an immediate notification if a child doesn’t arrive somewhere they should have or if they go beyond a sanctioned safe 'play zone'.
Amego displays a child’s location on a map so, if necessary, parents can quickly act to help them.
It's a neat way of giving you some peace of mind.
Bruce Morecome, whose son was 13-years-old when he was abducted on the Sunshine Coast in 2003, launched the App today.
WATCH Bruce and Denise Morcombe talk about 'Amego'. Post continues after video...
If there is anyone we should listen to about such things it is this couple. For eight years Bruce and his wife Denise kept up the pressure on police to continue to search for Daniel.
In 2011 his remains were found and Brett Peter Cowan was convicted of his murder, being sentenced to life in jail with a 20-year minimum.
Bruce and Denise Morecome now tirelessly campaign for the safety of our children.
Bruce Morcombe has encouraged parents to give Amego a go.
"Many Australian parents are reluctant these days to let their children walk or ride places on their own. Amego should give them the peace of mind to give their kids some independence,"" he said.
Denise Morcombe added, "You simply save your child’s trips and expected timings, and Amego will instantly alert you if they are delayed, stray from the normal path or begin moving abnormally quickly."
"You can also set a safe 'play zone' and the app will immediately tell you if they go outside of it," she continued.
Amego will stay silent and in the background if all is well. It sits quietly on children’s phones so they can happily get on with their day.
What I like best about this tracking app, is that when I do finally get them that phone, you can disable the internet – and to make it work the phone does not need to be set up with a number.
What so many of us parents want is our children to have childhoods filled with freedom, but yet stay safe. We want them to walk to school independently. We want them to be able to play in the streets with their mates.
We want them to be able to catch a bus into town to buy Christmas presents for their mum.
We want them to safe – but it’s hard isn’t it?
Statistics have shown that Australian children are among the most 'cosseted' in the world with more than 60% driven to school. More than 40% of us fear that our child will be snatched.
We know our fears are overblown and that the actual chance of it happening is pretty slim but it’s hard to take that chance and let go.
Apps like this are a start.
While we need to make sure our children know about stranger danger, tracking devices are just another way of ensuring their safety.
Would you use the app to track your child?
You can check out the app at amegoapp.com
