Tracking vs. Trust: Striking a Balance in the Digital Age (with Ava Smithing)

The average age that kids get a smartphone is nearing 10 years old. Watches are being given closer to 5. Parents primarily make these decisions for safety; to be able to track their children and get ahold of each other in case of an emergency. But do these devices actually keep children safe? Or are we hindering their autonomy and sense of independence while also potentially exposing them to the dangers that come along with a device? I brought in youth advocate Ava Smithing of Young People's Alliance to share her experience as a pre-teen and teen being tracked by her parents. "I didn't start lying to my mother until she started tracking me like that," shares Ava. There are so many takeaways for parents in this conversation where we vulnerably discuss finding a balance between protection and trust.