While your teenager or child may have suggested that they ought to be allowed to have a phone so they can “keep in touch” with you, we all know in reality they’re pretty slow to respond to texts and calls.
No-one wants to be the embarrassing mum who calls their teenager multiple times while they’re with friends but we do like to know that they’re safe when they’re out and about.
Dad Nick Herbert has come up with a solution to the problem. Fed up with his 13-year-old son Ben dodging his calls and messages, he invented an app called ReplyASAP which effectively forces the youngster to reply to him.
The app locks the teen’s phone and sounds an alarm until they answer their text from mum or dad. It also texts the parent to let them know when their teen has seen the message.
If there is no data connection, the message will deliver as soon as there is and inform the parent. Even if the phone is on silent, the ReplyASAP app will still be heard.
Nick, from London, is now selling the app to “‘to help stressed out parents across the country keep track of their children”.
#parentingproblems does your child ignore / miss your calls, #SMS #whatsapp etc? With https://t.co/RLmR1Cf8OJ they won't miss any more
— ReplyASAP (@ReplyASAPapp) August 16, 2017
He told The Metro: “My son started at school a couple of years ago and got a smartphone.
“I thought this would make getting hold of him easier, but it doesn’t at all.
“In fact, he is always playing games and has the phone on silent. It drives me crazy.
“I’m hoping the app will make our relationship better.
“It will alleviate the stress when I can’t get hold of him as I will know that he has seen my message”.
Crazy day: interviews on @ITN London news, @thisisheart JK&Lucy and @MoncrieffSean at Dublin's @Newstalk #ReplyASAP #proud #parentingtips pic.twitter.com/EEdlatQs3B
— ReplyASAP (@ReplyASAPapp) August 17, 2017
However, he hasn’t been able to use it on his son’s phone yet as the app currently only works on Android and his son has an iPhone.
Nick is hoping to develop a version of the app which is compatible with iOS soon.
He added: “As they are teenagers I realise they aren’t going to be massively keen. My son hasn’t really said anything negative about the app. It is all about him understanding why it’s there.
“If I have something important to say I will send an urgent message. Hopefully, it will make things a bit easier”.
The revolutionary app costs 99p to keep tabs on one errant teen, £2.49 for four people, £6.99 for ten people and £12.99 for platinum, which connects with 20 numbers.
https://t.co/ETaa4WfpIT allows parents to have a means of getting urgent messages to their children even if their phone is on silent
— ReplyASAP (@ReplyASAPapp) August 10, 2017
Currently, the app is only available in the UK. Nick says it has several other uses such as locating a misplaced phone or sending an urgent message to a colleague who has their phone on silent at work.
We think it's a good idea in theory, however, the app must be installed on both phones meaning your teen could potentially delete it from their phone. However, if they do delete it, you will receive a notification.
For more information, visit replyasap.co.uk.
What do you think of this new app mums? Would you use this or do you trust your teen to keep in touch with you? Let us know.
