Kids these days are growing up a lot quicker than they did back in my day (Yup I said it!). The world is a very different place in 2015, and it couldn't be more apparent. If I cast my mind back over the years and look at the freedom that my own parent's allowed me in comparison to what I provide Leo, it is a very different state of affairs.
Now it's not that I am an wrapping Leo up in cotton wool, and it's not because I don't want him to have the experiences that I had as a child, it's because we are all so much more aware to the goings on that are splashed over our newspapers and timelines each and everyday. I couldn't relax knowing that Leo left at breakfast and didn't return until dinner time like I did as a young girl in the summer holidays. I would be on tender hooks from the moment he left until the moment he returned. That's if I could resit the pull to go out, find him and make sure he was ok...
This brings me on to my next point...
How do we feel about children with mobile phones?
It's not un-common to see children as young as 10 with a mobile phone of their very own today. I know I was much older than this when I managed to get my hands on my first phone, and it was nothing in compassion to what the tech savvy kids of 2015 have in their hands. Now I don't foresee Leo having a mobile phone for many years to come, but the fact has to be highlighted. If we did have a means to stay in contact with our little ones in the instance that they ever wandered off, or if we were out in a busy place and got separated, or heaven forbid that he was taken... Would we not want that additional method of contact?
I know what my verdict is. It's a resounding YES.
Now I am not saying that I am going to hand Leo and iPhone because I quite frankly think that it's ridiculous and it's most definitely not appropriate for a 4 year old. However I am saying that I would and I have... Handed Leo his own Moochies for kids.
Moochies for Kids are a wrist worn mobile phone for kids, if you were to just glance at the wrist of a child wearing one, you would immediately assume that they were wearing a watch. I recently went along to the press preview in London, and I have to admit that before I saw them in the flesh I was a little skeptical, but during the demonstration I fell in love with the concept.
Moochies are suitable for children as young as 3 years old, they are simple to use and most importantly they are safe. You program the phone through your own smart phone and the Free App that can be downloaded through the Apple and Android stores. The app allows you to program the phone with 2 phone numbers (i.e Mum and Dad!) that can then be called via the two buttons on the right hand side of the watch.
Those are then the only two numbers that your child will be able to call. It's a quick easy process and as it is a Pay As You Go system (Yup there is a sim card in there!) it means that you can manage everything directly.
You may be worried about outside callers getting hold of your child's number and calling them, but that has been completely covered, and using the app you simply program the numbers that you want to be able to call your child. So of course, Mum, Dad, Granny and Granddad and only those people who have a real reason to call them. So that means no spam calls, no strangers and no one that shouldn't be calling. Anyone who does call outside of that safe number list, will just go straight through to a answer machine and will never get through.
What I really like about Moochies for Kids is that it has an SOS button in case of an emergency. So in the instance that something has happened but they can't call you, they can literally just press one button and it will automatically record a 15 second sound clip that will come through to your phone. This will give you an idea of what is going on, and if it really is an emergency you can act quickly, or if it was just pressed in error, you can rule out any horrific incidents right then and there.
If something had gone awry and you need to find out exactly where your child has wandered off to, then there's a feature for that too. Let's imagine that you have gone on a family day out to a theme park. There are people everywhere, it's a busy summers day. Your four year old is right next to you... And then out of nowhere they have vanished.
This is something that I am paranoid about, I make Leo hold my hand everywhere we go, especially when I am trying to navigate him around London and on and off the tubes. It would be so easy for him to just slip out of sight, and the thought turns my stomach.
The Moochies device has a built in GPS, and from your smart phone you can get an idea as to where they are. Put yourself back in the theme park on that busy summers day. There are people everywhere, but your child cannot be seen in any which way you turn. Your heart sinks. You need to start looking but it's like looking for a needle in a hay stack. With your little one donning one of the new Moochies phones for kids, you just need to open up your App and use the GPS to get a location of your little wanderer.
The GPS may get mixed responses from some parent's but I personally think it is amazing. In fact on those days out the entire device is going to prove invaluable.
During the demonstration I got to have a real play with this innovative new phone. The phone is used like a hands free device so that your child can make/receive a call and just talk without having to actually do anything other than answer the call.
We have just started using Moochies with Leo, and he thinks it's absolutely amazing. He has been after his own watch for a while, and we were actually thinking about one as a stocking filler this Christmas, but now he is up and running with so much more than just a watch.
I don't let him wear it to school as there is no need, but he has been enjoying wearing it on weekends, and if we go out, I will make sure that he has it on. Just in case.
I will be writing an update in the next few months to let you all know how we are getting on, but I have to say that I absolutely love the Moochies concept and think it is a realistic way to keep in touch with your child. and make sure that they are ok, or even reunite you with them should they inevitably wander off.
Moochies for Kids are on sale now for £79.99 and would make a fantastic Christmas gift this year. There are 4 fun different colour ways available: Black, Pink, Blue and Orange.
What do you think of Moochies for kids?
Disclaimer: I was invited along to the press preview and provided with a Moochies For kids Phone for Leo. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.
These look a lot of fun and they would serve a practical purpose too - handy as you let children have more independence.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great idea and something I would buy for my children.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, I love the fact of technology in our century, the child friendly phone and watch is a great invention and they look really cool too, thankyou for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteI actually know a 4 year old who had her own iPhone - yep bonkers!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great idea though, I'd be interested to hear how you get along with it.
They do look very cool and as you say are a great idea if you get separated from your child.
ReplyDeleteWe are living in an increasingly technology assisted world so it's inevitable that companies will create devices like this to cater for that. I like that my 12 year old has a phone as I have a way to reach her when she's out and that reassurance is nice.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a good idea for occasional use on days out etc. My kids had mobile phones from when they started secondary school as they use public transport to get there.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great idea not something I would but personally but I am sure many parents will.
ReplyDeleteI am against stuff like this. My boys are 9 and 10 and still do not have mobile phones. I feel that these take the responsibility off the parent to keep an eye on the child and put it on the child keeping the watch on or the phone near.
ReplyDeleteAmazing, the technology these days leaves me awe-struck! But the idea of Emma wandering off far enough for me to have to use such a device panics me!xx
ReplyDeleteMine got mobile phones as teenagers and I don;t see the need to have things like this before that as the kids are supervised for their activities
ReplyDeleteNot something I would use. My girls don't have phones yet. We have a really old one that can't take photo's that the girls have occasionally used when they've been away fro the day so they can text us but They're just not needed yet and I'll hold off as long as I can.
ReplyDeleteI think something like this is a nice middle ground between nothing and a mobile
ReplyDeleteI think these look brilliant, I've not heard of them before but would absolutely get them for my kids.
ReplyDeletemy son would loose it i bet he is terrible with gadgets.
ReplyDeleteEmmy has just had one arrive and I can't wait to have a proper look at it and try it out.
ReplyDeleteEmmy has just had one arrive and I can't wait to have a proper look at it and try it out.
ReplyDeleteThese look interesting and a great middle ground before getting a phone. I am holding off with my youngest as long as possible.
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