As our kids are getting older and we are starting to leave them at sports practices or allow them to head out on bike rides with friends... the struggle of whether or not to get a phone is real. My husband and I have gone back and forth on it for awhile because phones are expensive and come with a good deal of responsibility.. plus it opens up the world of texting, social media, and the ability to view questionable content. Honestly - they can be a distraction - even as an adult! Luckily, we came across a great, screen free solution - Relay from Republic Wireless.
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We ordered 2 Relay Devices on Amazon.com (one for my 10 year old and one for my 8 year old) and downloaded the Relay App on my phone. The devices are small enough to fit in their pockets! Relay works like a walkie talkie - just press and hold to talk, but is powered by 4G LTE so has the reach of a phone. Using their devices and the app on my phone, we are able to talk one on one or as a group. Also, with the GPS tracking function of the Relay, I can also see exactly where the kids are (or where they were when the Relay was last on) at any time. You can even set up alerts for when someone goes outside of a designated perimeter.
With Relay, there is even the ability to leave messages for one another if the other person isn't answering. This totally gives me peace of mind if I am stuck in traffic trying to pick them up from school or practice and gives them the peace of mind of being able to reach me if they need to.
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Another feature that I love on Relay is the SOS Alert - if one of the kids hit the talk button 5 times and then hold for one second, a high priority alert is sent to all apps on the account that someone is in trouble. The SOS sending device is then locked on the "Everyone channel" and sends location alerts every 60 seconds until they are marked "Safe" on the app. I hope to never need this feature, but it is so good to know that we have it!
Relay is $49.99 for the device and just $9.99 a month for the service. You can purchase Relay at Target or on target.com, amazon.com, or relaygo.com. I highly recommend giving it a try - especially with Back to School on the horizon, now you can track as your child is on the bus, at practice, etc!
DEAL ALERT!! From now until 9/14 get 40% off Relay on Target.com and from 8/25 - 9/14 get 40% in stores at Target!
I received complimentary Relay devices and compensation to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
