Child ID bracelets?

[Close_enough]

I have two, unusually large (one is 97% height and weight), usually strong, and very willfull toddlers with absoloutly no fear of anything (including gravity). I'm giving some serious thought to ID bracelets w/names and cell #s for when we go out. There's a whole lot more styles out there then when i was a kid. Any thoughts on the current crop of ID bracelets? Pluses if it's got a buckle that's difficult to undo.

[Stercutus]

How bad are we talking about here? They do make GPS trackers for children.

[Close_enough]

Trackers are overkill. I'm just looking for a backup in case of "DOGGIE!!! Zoooooooooom!!!" situations.

[Trippy]

Apparently things have changed from the days that my parents put an index card in my pocket with their number on it.

I have a Road ID ( http://www.roadid.com ) on my running shoe. They have several different types - wrist, ankle, dog tag, etc. I'm not sure if any of them would work on a little kid, but you can get just the metal engraved piece to attach in a different way.

[Anianna]

When my kids were small, I remember there was a company that made temporary tattoo IDs for children.

[raider502]

I second the Road ID option. I have one of their bracket id's that I slipped on my g-shock and I bought one of their dog tag models for my two oldest kids and several parents from my sons Cub Scout pack bought them for their kids. The option that goes on their shoes might not be a bad idea because my kids can't seem to find their dog tags, then again I need gps locators for their shoes sometimes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Close_enough]

I tried temporary tatoos with "Frozen" charaters, and DD scrubs them off after only a few hours. I'm not confident that temporary tatoo IDs will last.

The Road ID selection looks very promising. They make a toddler size "slim" ID wristbands and (maybe) shoe IDs with enough space to get all the information on it. I'm not entirely confident that they won't take the bracelets off. But, I've been looking for an excuse to fit the kids with paracord bracelets, and I can use them to check if they will keep the bracelets on.

[Anianna]

I think the Safey Tat is designed to be more durable than your standard temporary tattoo, but I have never tried them myself, so I couldn't say for certain.

[Denis J.]

I like Road IDs too. I have the interactive version of the dog tag style one for my son who is diabetic & the regular one for myself for when I'm out & about without any other ID on me (running, hiking, etc.).

That said, my brother-in-law had a good solution with his young ones when they were out in busy areas ... he just wrote his cell number on their arm with a sharpie. Seemed to be a simple but effective solution.

[Close_enough]

I like Road IDs too. I have the interactive version of the dog tag style one for my son who is diabetic & the regular one for myself for when I'm out & about without any other ID on me (running, hiking, etc.)..

I know I'm necroing the thread. But, during our last outing, I realized that while the kids know their names, they don't know how to spell them, or our phone numbers. I liked the idea of RoadID tags, but there's no way an engraved tag will survive for any length of time. I went with embossed dog tags with their name and our cell numbers. It's nearly impossible to scratch up a embossed tag to the point where it's illegible.

[Close_enough]

Update on the dog tags. They got an IRL test when DD wandered off in the middle of a fire station open house. She found the check in desk and showed them her tag. One phone call later and all was well.

[Dabster]

One fun tip that I have discovered: If you ever take your kids to public gatherings where there is a possibility of getting separated, write your cell phone number on their arm with a Sharpie.

I haven't needed it yet but I can confirm the number was still legible at the end of the day.

[CG]

Don't you guys are worry about the privacy issues in having an ID bracelet or even a GPS with your kids?

Just teach them about situational awareness, how to observe what's going on around them, where they are and how not to get lost, to avoid strangers. Make them know by heart their address and your phone number. If some bad guy get them, the bracelet will only make things worst.

If the kid is too small to teach them that, then you are the one that should be 100% aware and cautious. You are the responsible.

Yes, shit happens. You looked away for 1 second, or you handled her to a friend that is not so cautious, and your kid is gone. Just don't leave them with people you don't trust 100%, and if you do, make sure they understand this is your most precious thing and you are trusting them to take care of them.

If it's still not enough for you, just use a simple bracelet with a phone number and nothing else. No names, no address, no GPS.

But that's my opinion only, as someone interested in security and privacy topics.

Things happen. I got lost as a kid (at Disney World!), and my parents were not bad parents. I've been flustered in a store (as a teen) and had a strange woman trying to help me calm down my baby cousin while his mom was on the next aisle. No, we don't put our full life info on the kids or our addresses. But having a 6-year-old be able to walk up to a security guard and say "I got lost, can you call my mom?" is very useful and reassuring. We would write with a Sharpie up underneath the kids' sleeves - stays there fairly well, out of sight, and the kids were told that if they got lost, you go show your arm to an employee (we did this at places like amusement parks) and ask them to call us. Heck, can you put the shoe RoadIDs on upside down, and train the kids (once they're a bit older) to tell security/employees that the phone number is on there?

How is a phone number a security issue big enough to override the ability to have someone call you to come get your kid if they get lost?

[Beowolf]

I use the American Medical ID products for myself. I have a bracelet and a dog tag with chain.

When I started taking long motorcycle trips, I realized the possibility of having an accident that might separate me from my wallet and subsequent identification documents. Since I have a medication allergy, that could be a big deal.

Those IDs are great, and they make them in many variations that are kid and adult friendly.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[Beowolf]

Situational awareness is great, but planning isn't necessarily prevention. Referring to my above example and extrapolating it to a child with asthma or severe allergies, the reactions caused by these can and often do incapacitate the child. Emergency IDs can be a lifesaver when the individual in need cannot communicate.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[designerchick]

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but we use these for our autistic son:

https://www.alertmebands.com/

They've been fantastic. Each lasts about a year of staying on him 24/7 aside from throwing them in the washing machine about 1x/week. We let them air dry. They never fall apart, but the words start to fade out about a year in. They have regular sales if you sign up for their newsletter. He eloped once many years ago and was returned to us quickly because of his bracelet.

They won't print names on them because they don't want a stranger to use a kid's name to try to kidnap, but we have "Dad" and "Mom" and our phone numbers printed on them. The sides of his say "I am autistic" and "I am nonverbal".

No affiliation at all, just a happy long-term customer.

[taipan821]

saw this topic being brought up, thought I would share my 2 cents.

The idea of ID bracelets for the kids is a wonderful one and more people should do it. However I do wish to remind everyone (not that anyone here needs reminding) but you shouldn't leave the kids unattended, zooming off following the cute dog is fine, as long as there is a parent/guardian following in a panic. Don't worry, you'll only have to put up with it for a few years.

Saying this due to a search and body retrieval involving two unsupervised toddlers who went down to the river. Not going into details as I don't want to.

[Dabster]

When my kids were small, I remember there was a company that made temporary tattoo IDs for children.

Sharpies. You need Sharpies. Discovered this when I took my daughter in a seven mile run. I wanted her easily identifiable in case we were separated or I happened to drop dead. A lot of people were doing it. Still readable by the end of the day.