Most parents can’t seem to agree on the right age to let their children walk to school alone and struggle with the balance between giving children the opportunity to be independent by letting them walk to school and the anxiety they feel by doing so.
According to recent study, over 50% of parents believe it is important that their kids are able to walk to school independently. It is however, recommended that children do not walk to school independently before the age of 10.
Parents can alleviate their anxiety by providing their child with a mobile phone, yet a recent study found that the vast majority of Australians agree their children should not own their own phone before the age of 12 or 13.
“One of our many roles as parents is to help our children become more independent and take on more responsibility as they mature,” says parenting Expert Dr Rosina McAlpine. “Other considerations include the maturity of the child, the safety of the route to school, whether other children will also be walking nearby and the child’s ability to manage a dangerous situation like a stranger offering a car ride.”
Moochies is a fully functioning mobile phone in the form of a smart watch with an inbuilt GPS tracking device. Rather than worrying about the location and safety of your child, Moochies allows parents to track their children and contact them through their watch. Using smart technology and responsive micro-antennas, Moochies is the perfect solution to keep track of your children whilst allowing them to gain independence.
“Finding balance between “helicopter” and “free-range” parenting is a constant challenge for parents,” says Adrian Lisle, co-founder of Moochies. “New theories and trends on the right way to parent can be extremely frustrating for increasingly time-poor and stressed parents. Moochies helps alleviate anxiety by letting parents know their child is always just a phone call away.