With more single-parent households and households where both parents work, more children walk to and from school or the bus stop alone. Giving your child a smartphone with an app that tracks them and lets you know they arrived at school or home safe can put your mind at ease. It also can save you the worry of having them text you or call you to let you know they arrived at their destination.

Furthermore, when your teen is old enough to start dating or driving, you want to know that they're telling the truth when they say they're going somewhere. After all, sitcoms are full of episodes where kids say they're going one place and they go another. The Cosby Show had a whole episode where Vanessa and her friends went to Baltimore for a concert and their car got stolen. With the right tracking app, you know where your teen is going, whether it's work, the library, school or someplace else.

Finally, a tracking app is handy for kids and parents alike when you're in a crowded spot like an amusement park or a mall on Black Friday and get separated. Think about taking your kids to Disney World, for instance, and your older kids want to go on the Rock n Roller Coaster and your younger ones want to watch the parade. Instead of trying to talk to them in a crowded spot, you or your older kids can use the apps to find one another quickly and easily.