How to Track a Child's Cell Phone Use

Tracking a child’s cell phone is a common activity among most parents that have pre-teen and teenage children. It is hard to believe but in 2008, it has been shown that over 22 percent of young children own a cell phone (ages 6 to 9), 60 percent of children (ages 10 to 14), and 84 percent of teens (ages 15 to 18). The need for increased awareness among parents is imperative. The need for cell phone tracking and monitoring is no different to how a parent will track their child’s use of the internet. Here is a step by step approach in tracking your child’s cell phone use.

Step 1 – Examine the Bill

When you receive a copy of your bill, examine the ingoing and outgoing calls for the cell phone number that your child has been assigned. Check for the amount of text messages that have been sent and received by your child. If your child is abusing the usage of the cell phone, consider restricting the amount of monthly minutes alloted to your child's plan. In addition, consider limiting the permitted phone numbers and contacts.

Step 2 – Examine the Phone

Regularly inspect your child’s phone. Check the dialed calls on your child’s cell phone number by looking at "Recent Calls" and then "Dialed Calls" for the numbers called from the cell phone. Check the received calls on the cell phone by looking at the list of recent calls and then received calls for the numbers of those who have called your child’s cell phone.

Review all text messages that have been sent from and to the phone. Check for any obscene or unwanted type of messages between your child and their friends or acquaintances.

Review all pictures that have been sent back and forth between your child and their friends. Monitor the photos for appropriateness for the child’s age.

Step 3 – Reverse Search Phone Numbers

While checking the phone calls your child has received and made, you may find an unidentifiable number. If so, then you can use a search engine with a reverse look up to locate the number. Also look at the minute call to see how long the call lasted.

Step 4 – Purchase Cell Phone Tracking Software

First, double check with your phone carrier to insure your phone has the capability to work with this type of software.

Purchase the cell phone tracking computer software. The computer software is designed to let parents monitor incoming calls on their child's mobile phone. The computer software transmits real-time information on the parents’ cell phone as a text alert.  Login to your home screen and you are presented with a snapshot of phone calls received and sent by your child.

In addition, the same type of software may be used to physically locate your child. Download the application to your phone and you will have an instant GPS tracking system for your children.