As my eldest daughter transitions into her pre-teen years, we recently found ourselves needing stronger lines of communication. This was especially the result of changes in our lives such as relocating to a different state and her switching to a new school. It seemed fitting for her to have better access to reaching out to our family, alongside granting her some degree of independence. However, giving her a smartphone didn't appear as the optimal choice for either of us.

According to experts, it is usually recommended that children around the age of 10 to 14, or roughly in their sixth-grade, have a phone. Even though we wished our daughter, who is 9, to have some form of communication device, smartphones seemed like an intimidating prospect filled with manifold complications. It was during one of my usual Instagram browsing sessions when I saw kids wearing smartwatches and that piqued my interest.

I was quite intrigued to find out more about the Gabb Watch, a smartwatch especially designed for children, marketed by some influencers I follow. My husband and I desired a way to keep tabs on our daughter's whereabouts after school. We also wanted her to have the means to communicate with us when she's not at home. This was all to grant her some sense of autonomy while helping her to acquire healthy technology habits appropriate for her age. We realized that a smartwatch could fulfill all these requirements.

The popularity of such watches has seen a significant rise over the past few years as parents perceive a genuine need for a communication device that serves as a 'phone with training wheels' for their children. Industry experts are of the opinion that children require a stepping stone to learn about responsible tech usage, ranging from understanding basic things such as charging a device and not misplacing it, to more nuanced aspects like tech etiquette and not allowing a device to take over their lives.

A recent survey revealed that 56% of parents prefer their child to have access to a cellphone for communication at school. However, smartwatches can be an excellent alternative, with their small screens discouraging excessive usage and supporting safe communication modes like texting and calling known contacts. Ever since the evolution of smartwatches in the early 2010s (notably the Apple Watch), these wearable tech gadgets have proven to be helpful in enabling adults to keep track of their physical activities, view time and find their phones, among other features. Therefore, wanting to access the same technology to locate my child felt like a natural progression.

Most children-targeted smartwatches catering to the age group 5 to 12 come with features such as calling and messaging facilities, GPS tracking, and options for setting up parental controls, including an approved list of contacts. We opted for the Gabb Watch 2, primarily for its affordability ($150 for the watch and a $15 monthly cellular service fee), its parental control features, and its simplicity (with a list of 20 pre-composed text messages). The positive chatter about this product on Instagram was also a compelling factor.

Gabb, a tech company headquartered in Utah, started its journey with a Kickstarter fundraising campaign in 2019. Their vision was to create a child-friendly phone with parental control features surpassing ordinary smartphones. After the successful launch of the Gabb Phone, the company later introduced a smartwatch in 2021, aptly named the Gabb Watch.