Kids' shoes have always been a vessel for cutting-edge technology: Kids coming up in the 90s wore Heelys that could effortlessly roll them across a gymnasium floor or light-up shoes with Disney characters. The newest kid's shoes, however, may be more practical: Pinpointing their location.
Skechers has launched a line of kid's shoes that have a secret compartment for an Apple AirTag, the tiny tracking device often used to locate lost keys and wallets.
For many parents, a little dot on a digital map represents peace of mind: With digital tracking devices that cost less than a box of diapers and apps that show a phone's location, worried parents now have the ability to almost always know where their child is, from very young children into adulthood. Now, popular brands are cashing in on the practice. Skechers new campaign targets parents who want "comfort of mind," according to the company's website.
The brand's new shoe campaign coincides with the beginning of the school year in Michigan and across the country. It also highlights a practice that's not new, but popular enough that sellers on Amazon and other online stores are manufacturing bracelets that hold AirTags with Mickey Mouse's face, AirTag pins with rainbows and now shoes with hidden compartments for the device, which is nearly as compact as a coin. About half of parents digitally track their kids' location, according to a 2023 study. Though the practice of tracking children is widespread, there is some backlash to the idea: Some experts have warned tracking kids into young adulthood could impact independence.
Both anxiety and safety drive this practice, Michigan parents, facing the start of another school year, told the Detroit Free Press.
"I still want to give my children independence," said Shannon Gillis, a mother of three in St. Clair Shores. "But I also want a little bit of peace of mind while they're doing it. And if I have to stick a device on them to let me know where they're at at all times, I feel like that's the easy thing for both the kids and the parents."
Gillis started sending her now 11-year-old son with an AirTag to school when he said he wanted to start walking on his own to school, an elementary school down the street from the family's home. Gillis sends him to school with an AirTag in his backpack and on a wristband. She has an alert set up when her son arrives at school and when he starts walking home, he said.
Her older kids have cell phones, and she tracks them using a tracking app instead, another practice popular among American families. The flip side? Her kids also track her, calling her when they see she's close to Starbucks to request a treat.
Autum Berry, the mom of a 12-year-old and two toddlers in Waterford, said because her older child is under the age of 13, the phone requires location-sharing turned on. Berry requires that her son bring his phone everywhere he goes, she said she is anxious about school violence and shootings. The mom opposes a proposed school cell phone ban for this reason, she said, because she wants her son to have the ability to reach her.
For Berry, it's peace of mind that makes her feel "a little better," amid all of the worry over safety created by modern life.
Contact Lily Altavena: [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Skechers shoes with Apple AirTag pocket helps parents track kids
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