The Tween Gets a Phone and I Get the Family By Sygic App

There’s a new app on the market, it’s called Family By Sygic, and it’s a Mom’s dream. Let me take you back.
My tween turns 11 next week and he’s counting down the days, hours, minutes – aloud. Guess why.
Hint 1: It’s not the cake or the candles or the ridiculously pricey Paint Ball party. It’s not the pile o’ presents he’ll get that he doesn’t need or the birthday paper he’ll find taped to his locker. Hint 2: He can taste what’s coming every time he sees his older siblings fire off a text, and every time I check email at a stop light.
You got it. It’s been The Battle for the Tween Cell Phone around here for the better part of a year now, and woe is me, it looks as if I’m about to lose.
At almost 11, my kid will do  just about anything to prove he’s ready for what his pals are starting to enjoy – one by one – as he watches and waits for his very own cell phone in jealous agony. From this side, the phone battle has become pretty fun. As part of the deal, he has to show he’s responsible. That means doing his homework without being reminded, cleaning his plate after supper, killing the iPod when I call Time. You get the picture. At this point, I’m in the power position. I’ve got full control. But now that his Big Day is finally just days away, I’m freaking out.
My son has done a bang-up job of proving he’s phone-ready but that doesn’t mean I am.
Like most thirdborn kids, this one’s got independent blood. He’s been walking with friends to the village at the end of our street for months now, with my phone in his pocket, and he answers on the first ring. He rollerblades on the sidewalk and knows to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street. He carries his wallet and counts his change.
My tween has been taking steps in the world right on schedule. And he knows there will be a long list of rules he’ll have to follow when he’s got that phone in his hot little hands.
Then there’s me. I have faith in the kid and I don’t want to hold him back. But he’s a kid. And I’m a mom. Ergo there’s no stopping the reel of frightening things-gone-wrong images playing in my head. So I’m conflicted. I don’t want to hypertext him every three seconds, but I know that becoming self-reliant takes time, and in the meantime, what if he goes astray?
Well, now there’s a solution and it’s a great one. Family by Sygic is a parent-tested-parent-approved brand new app that will give my tween the independence he’s ready for and me the peace of mind I need to let him go. All I have to do is download it on my smart phone (note: the app is for free for the next two months – on iPhone and Android) and add the tween’s number. Then the app takes over. It will be my eyes and ears, tracking his phone on a virtual map in real-time, letting me know exactly where he is. I can hear my heartbeat slowing already.
And there’s more. I can set up familiar spots my new phone owner is allowed to frequent as Safe Zones and dangerous places as Unsafe Zones (main or busy streets, for instance) and I’ll be alerted when he enters or leaves those areas. He’ll feel more secure, too, because with this app he can send me free private messages and, if he ever feels scared or unsure, an alert that will show me his exact location. A Mom’s dream or what?
I think this one may be a win-win. I’ll know for sure next week when the kid has his new phone, loaded with the Family Sygic app. (Remember, the download is free from the app store for the next couple of months so don’t wait, and while you’re at it, check them out on Facebook and Twitter.)
So the battle is over, my friends, but I’m not letting on just yet. Because let’s not forget that I’ve still got another week of happy homework and clean dishes coming my way.
NOW YOU CAN WIN WITH FAMILY BY SYGIC TOO – with a FREE download
To download the iPhone Family by Sygic App, go to the iTunes Store.
To download the Android Family by Sygic App, go to the Google Play Store.
AND A GIVEAWAY! TO WIN ONE OF THE PRIZES* BELOW, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS: 
1. LIKE us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/momfaze
2. Follow us on Twitter @momfaze
3. Answer the following question in the comments below: What’s the best age for a child to get a cell phone and why?
*Android Users: Win the app with maps Europe & America & Southeast Asia & Africa. Cost of this app is  $89.99 USD  – and you can choose your maps from over 111 countries
*iPhone Users: Win the Sygic GPS Navigation app with maps of North America $39.99 USD +  an additional app with maps of Europe $49.99 USD
Contest, open to Canadian/US/European readers over 18, closes April 30, 2013
Note: This post is written as part of the Sygic Brand Ambassador Program but all opinions expressed are mine.