a matter of trust

 There is a commercial about a Hyundai car that sets me to thinking every time I see it. The main feature being advertised about this vehicle is a tracking feature. This car will send information back to, in this case parents, informing them of the cars' present location. In the commercial the parents arrive on the scene to catch their child red handed at a party. Busted, by a Hyundai. What bothers me is not that the car has that ability, but that the parents choose to use it. What message are you sending to your child with that? The implication was clear, the child, one old enough to drive remember, wasn't aware of this tracking technology and then the parents arrive to confront him. Oh, it's a television commercial so the parents calmly take the kid aside to discuss this infraction. I suspect in real life the " bust " would be different but that's just a guess on my part. Yes in a Hallmark movie the kid would be properly chastised and promises made to never do that again, hugs all around, because it is just that we love and care about you so much. But, in my experience that isn't a realist scenario.
 My thoughts aren't just about that car. No, I'm thinking about all the technology we use everyday. What kid doesn't have a cell phone? You can track them fairly easily. I'm certain there are many other devices that can be used as well. I wonder what effect all this tracking is having on our kids? I mean. when I was " old enough " I was allowed to roam free. Old enough meant my parents trusted me. Yes, the other adults in town would report any infractions to your parents. It was also true your parents received these reports and believed them. You would have thought it was Christine Ford testifying! You were guilty until proven innocent and even then being innocent was your fault. If I were a child and my parents informed me I was being tracked I wouldn't believe they were trusting me. If they did that without my knowledge and I found out, I would be quite hurt and upset with that as well. Am I not to be trusted? That is the central question for me.
 Tracking the whereabouts of your children? To me that is overstepping the bounds of respect and trust. If I were presented with that car, knowing it had a tracking device, I would just say no thanks. If I can't be trusted to drive it where you want me to drive it, I'd rather not drive it at all. Seriously, that would be my attitude. It would be like going to a party under the condition you come with me, no thanks. I don't want you sitting behind me in the movie theater either. Either you trust me or you don't. How can you expect your children to become independent adults if you insist on monitoring them? Are we now going to use electronic apron strings? Invisible streaming information about our location being reported back to the wardens? I don't know, I find the whole deal unsettling.
 I remember when Mom loosened the apron strings allowing me to go to the corner store by myself, it was a great feeling. I remember when she said, you can ride your bicycle uptown, just be careful. I felt pretty grown up then. When I was able to get in my car and the only instruction I received was, be home by suppertime, or call me, I felt grown. If Mom had attached a tracking device to me I don't believe I would have had the same feeling at all. Wouldn't that be like having your dog on a leash? You can only go so far. What's that saying? If you love something let it go, if it comes back it loves you. It's a matter of trust.