262: Tracking Teens: Safety Tool or Trust Breaker?

262: Tracking Teens: Safety Tool or Trust Breaker?

From Ask Lisa: Untangling Family Life by Dr. Lisa Damour

March 10, 2026 · 28 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the complexities of tracking teens' locations and the balance between safety and privacy.

You check your phone and your teen's location is off again. Are they okay? Are they hiding something? …And should you even be tracking them in the first place? In this week's episode, Dr. Lisa and Reena dig into one of the most common standoffs happening in homes with teenagers right now: location sharing. A dad writes in about his 16-year-old son, who has started turning off his location. The kid wants privacy and autonomy. The dad just wants to sleep at night. Who’s right here? 💡 YOU'LL LEARN: - What tracking your teen is really about: peace of mind or safety? - What's really going on psychologically when teens turn off their location - How to have an honest, non-combative conversation with your teen about location sharing - Practical compromises that protect your sanity without damaging your relationship We'd love to hear from you: Are you currently tracking your teen? And how are they handling it? ________________ Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and…

People in this episode

Hosts: Dr. Lisa Damour, Reena Ninan

Topics covered

  • location sharing
  • teen privacy
  • parenting challenges
  • trust issues
  • communication with teens

Keywords

  • tracking teens
  • location sharing
  • parenting
  • teen autonomy
  • communication

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