If you didn’t know already, there’s nothing we love more here at COSMO than talking to parents and caregivers. You are amazing (truly, you are) and the work we do is all about helping support the work YOU do to protect and support your kids.
We recently sat down with Erin from Texas, a COSMO mom whose husband is in the military. Two of Erin’s boys have had JrTrack watches for several months now and we asked Erin to share what they think, how they’ve used them, and the difference they’ve made.
We’re so honored knowing there are thousands of parents and caregivers out there like Erin who are finding creative and powerful ways to use the JrTrack to:
- > Safely introduce kids to technology
- > Keep kiddos safe
- > Help build confidence in steps (for parents and kids!)
- > Make logistics and communication easier
- > Build healthy life and tech habits
- > And bring the whole family closer together
Thanks so much for sharing your story Erin!
COSMO: So how would you say you feel about raising kids today in a digital world?
Erin: I still remember when I got my first cell phone, and I remember a world where there were no cell phones. And so it's really interesting, fun, unique, and intense to watch my children grow up in a world where technology is just every day – every day we all interact with technology.
And I love having something where they can get exposure and ownership of technology as a powerful tool without incurring a lot of the dangers that are out there if they were to have a cell phone – dangers between the Internet and social media and just unlimited access to both of my child to the world and the world to my child. So I appreciate being able to regulate that so that they can kind of have a gradual release into the world of technology.
COSMO: As a parent, what’s your favorite feature about the COSMO JrTrack Kids Smartwatch?
Erin: My favorite feature on the Cosmo watch is the preset text messages. So I have pre-programmed each of my boys' Cosmo watches to have a series of common questions that they ask me through today, like “Can we have some gum?”, “Can we have a snack?” “Can we watch a show?”
And it's nice because if I'm putting their younger brother down for a nap or if I'm otherwise busy, if I'm on the phone or working on my computer, they can just send me a text message to ask a question. And I can respond “after you finish cleaning up the table from lunch.” Or “can you pick up your toys in the playroom?”
It's really nice for them to be able to communicate with me and to get that familiarity with technology.
COSMO: Would you say having these devices has changed the way you parent?
Erin: I'm a pretty intense helicopter mom. I like to supervise them and make sure that they are safe, that I know where they are and what they're doing. And it has allowed for us to feel some freedom for them to go to the playground that is within sight of our house, but out of hollering distance at times.
And so for them to have those watches, I can feel comfortable that I can call them if I need them or that they could call me if something were to go wrong. I can also text them while they're at the park, text them and let them know to come home, or make sure they know that their little brother is joining them. And so it's been really neat to be able to communicate both ways.
COSMO: How have you seen the JrTrack watches help your kids?
Erin: Because of our ability to communicate back and forth, I do feel more comfortable giving them a little more freedom as they're getting older and then also more responsibility.
I also love the feature on the watch where you can set reminders. So I have one set to go off every morning about the time that they get up. They'll have a little time to play, and then a reminder will go off to remind them to do their morning chores.
So now, it's on them to remember their watch goes off, which they never forget to put it on in the morning. They take responsibility for all of the care of the watch, to plug it in and let it charge and then have it on their arm. And then when the reminder goes off in the morning, they know it's time to do their morning chores.
COSMO: Has having a kids smartwatch made you feel differently about your kids’ safety?
Erin:I love all the safety features on the Cosmo watch, things like the call history and also the location history so I can see where their watch has been and where they have been. The safety zones that we can set up so that I can know when they are at our house or a friend's house or I have one set up for the Church that we go to so I can tell that they are still on the premises where I left them. We also love School Mode where I can shut down all the fun features of the watch so they can focus and get stuff done without having to take it off or put it away.
COSMO: How did your boys react when they got their COSMO watches?
Erin: I will never forget the look on my son's face. Bruce when he got his watch, he was excited to get a watch he had been begging for just a regular watch all year prior, all summer, all fall. And when he opened his watch at Christmas, his face lit up. He was all excited, but then it went to the next level. When I then called his watch and it rang, he was excited but also shocked. “Is that me??”
It was super fun to see him experience that, and it’s just been a really great time for our whole family as we experience technology together.
COSMO: How has having JrTrack watches changed how you think about your kids growing older and engaging with technology?
Erin: The watches have provided a new benchmark for our growing boys. So right now, our oldest is about to turn eight, and the next one is about to turn seven. And then we have a five year old and a three year old old, and the five year old and three year old now talk about when they get get old enough, like when they're old enough to have this responsibility. So it's really nice to have that transitional step.
By establishing safe parameters, it's nice to have a gradual stepping stone, going from no technology to a world of technology.
Thanks again to our amazing friend Erin! If you have a COSMO #bettertech story to share, send us an email at partnerships@cosmotogether.com.
