* Get 40% off Your Relay through September 19, 2019.*
Our children are growing quickly and they enjoy having some independence. Our oldest is a teen and like most kids his age, he has a smart phone which allows us to communicate with him when we aren’t together. Now our 8-year-old is becoming more independent and my husband and I often struggled with letting him go somewhere without us when we didn’t have a way to communicate with him. We tried walkie-talkies but they didn’t have a range farther than next door and the batteries were always low. We agreed that a smart phone wasn’t the answer and our cell carrier no longer activates flip phones so we felt stuck. During our research we discovered Relay – a screen free communication device that works like a walkie-talkie but runs on 4G LTE and WIFI. It has a battery that lasts all day and has the added benefit of built-in GPS tracking. Relay communicates with our cell phones using an app and can also communicate with other Relays. There is even an “SOS” feature if our child needs us but doesn’t feel like they are in a position that they can speak out loud.
We ordered two Relays (Brick and Blueberry) plus the lanyard/clip accessory. They were easy to set up with our phones – simply download the app, create an account, and follow the directions to activate the Relay. The app shows each Relay device that is turned on and lets you see its location. It has a setting for “everyone” meaning that everyone connected can talk to each other, like a group of walkie-talkies. It also allows you to set up “Channels” so that you can choose which specific devices talk to each other. If you aren’t available to answer, the Relay also has a message feature. This is a great way to leave a message for your child while they are at school to remind them that they are riding home on a different bus, staying after for a club or just to remind them to bring home their textbook. When they turn their device on, the message will be waiting with a blinking green light to let them know to listen. If you’re at work, driving, or unable to answer, your child can leave you a message too. When you’re ready, you can listen to the message with the click of a button on the app and reply just as easily. Relay has been a great way to communicate with our kids when they are getting a ride home with a friend from practice, when they want to ride their bike through the neighborhood to a neighbor’s house, when we are at the amusement park, when they are spending the night with grandparents or even when they are home sick and I just want to check in and hear their voice.
As the school year starts, we are grateful to have the Relay to stay in contact with our kids. Connecting with our children while waiting in the carline just became a breeze. No more stress about if they made it home on the bus and inside safely after school. We don’t have to worry about them having to ask other parents to use their phone when they are with other families. It allows us peace of mind and our kids a little more independence - a huge win-win for our family!
* Get 40% off the Relay through September 19, 2019.
Relay is available for only $49.99, plus $9.99/month for the service plan. You can purchase Relay at Target, Target.com, Amazon.com and RelayGo.com.
*I received compensation for my review of this product but all opinions are my own.
