such a simple way to keep track of my kids without a cell phone :: why didn’t i think of this before

I’ve really been dragging my feet about getting my kids a cell phone.  It’s so rare that they need to get ahold of me and there isn’t an adult around that it seems silly to get a cell phone.  At the same time, they love to play in the neighborhood with their friends and I like giving them the independence to do that.  Admittedly they don’t always end up where I thought they would be and I end up texting multiple neighbors to try to find my kids when dinnertime rolls around.  So I found a way to still communicate with them–no cell phone needed!  Walkie Talkies!!

Yep, I just got some new walkie talkies from trekrtech.com that have a range of up to 16 miles!  Now, I have to admit, I didn’t test them to go that far, but I did test them all around our neighborhood and even a bit past–about 2 miles total–and they still worked clearly.

This Cobra Hero Series is designed to be very small and lightweight and also comes with a clip.  So it’s easy for my kids (even my 5-year-old) to take it with them and check in with me every once in a while.  And the power saver mode allows the battery life to extend when the radio isn’t transmitting or receiving.  So my kids can go play, leave the walkie talkie on, and it will still work when I try to contact them a bit later.

I also love that the price is right on these.  I don’t have a freak out if my kids leave it outside or misplace it.  Unlike a cell phone, they are inexpensive to replace and have no contract.  I’d recommend getting rechargeable batteries as these walkie talkies work best with a fully charged battery.  We are having so much fun with these and I feel like I can go a little bit longer without a kids cell phone!