After dinner, while the kids were watching TV, my wife and I talked as we cleaned up the kitchen. The short version of the conversation is this: my son, Eric, had been talking about this new band that he would ‘kill' to see and they just happen to be in town on Friday. Eric knew we didn't like this particular band because the songs were not what we considered acceptable. My wife and I both knew that if we let Eric take the family car, that's where he would go.

I have a small business and use something called a Track Stick for the employees I want to keep close tabs on. This is a GPS that is only 4.10" X 1.20" X 0.87" and weighs 1.5 oz. --about the size of a memory stick so it goes unnoticed. The Track Stick records everything you want to know about the vehicle you have placed it in from where the car is –within 15 meter accuracy- what stops have been made, how far the car has gone and at what speed. My business bought it thru http://www.thespyshop.ws/tracking.html and it was shipped quickly and discreetly.

My wife suggested we let Eric take the car under the condition that he not go to that concert and we put the Track Stick in the car ‘just to be sure.' Eric was not to know that part, of course.

When we told Eric what was decided, he promised he would go no where near the concert and that he was just going to the movies with some friends.

After work on Friday, I put the Track Stick in my car and handed the keys to Eric and let him go to the ‘movies.'

Eric got home in one piece and so did my car later that night. After I knew that he was sleeping, I snuck downstairs and out to retrieve the Track Stick and downloaded the information. Everything was laid out for me using Google Earth 3D Imaging and the ledged was easy to read.

Sure enough, he had gone to the concert that we not only told him he couldn't go to, but promised he wouldn't.

The next morning my wife and I woke Eric up early and asked him about his where abouts the night before. He stuck to his story about the movies. That is, until we showed him a print out of the Track Stick information.

Then he only had one thing to say; “Busted.”

So, thanks to the Track Stick, not only are we are able to keep tabs on Eric, but we have clean gutters, a mowed yard, washed dishes and no video games!

Now, there is a cost involved in buying the Track Stick, but wouldn't you rather know what your children are doing instead of taking their word for it? Eric is a good kid, but even the best of kids will push it if they think that Mom and Dad aren't smart enough to catch them.