Whether we like to admit it or not, most of us have been there. That frightening moment when you turn around and don’t see your child at your side. Most often these moments occur at crowded amusement parks, malls, events or even airports. We can all agree that without a doubt, it’s the worst feeling a parent can have. Just this summer while at the County Fair with friends, we were tempted to write our phone numbers on our kids arms with a Sharpie, just in case we were somehow accidentally separated from them. Effective method? Probably not. But we determined it was better than nothing. Of course, Child ID Code wasn’t available then – but it is now and it’s the perfect safeguard for parents on the move with their littles.
Child ID Code was developed to assist parents and children in reuniting if they are separated in a public place. Child ID Code stickers are basically a coded version of your phone number that can be read by use of smart phone scanning applications. You’ve probably seen these codes at your favorite stores or restaurants – with their codes linking back to the company website. Child ID Code however, links directly to the most important information – your phone number. And even with no cell phone coverage, the numbers can be read.
I had a few questions after being introduced to these fancy stickers. Like, “how fast before they fall off of my kid’s clothes?” and, “how do I scan?” and lastly, “which scanning applications are best?” I thought I was kind of tech savvy until having this conversation. Anyway, turns out – it’s all pretty simple.
These kid-friendly stickers are made with a durable material that contours to fabric, yet is easy to remove, leaving behind no residue. And while it looks pretty simple, the stickers are surprisingly high-tech - they are waterproof, UV fade resistant and maintain their shape for a stable scanning surface.
The scanning process, for those not-previously-in-the-know like myself, is just point and click really. If you are separated from your child, a good samaritan can simply open their scanning app on their phone and scan the code on your child. Ta-da! Your phone numbers pop up .
According to Child ID Code founder (and Luxe Baby contributor) Eric Gasser, “You may have used QR codes before, many of which link to a web page. Our solution does not do this. Instead, our codes allow smart phones to decode and show a parent or caregiver’s phone number(s) immediately and without requiring cell coverage. We made this choice because phones don’t always have good connections and it was important to us that smart phones be able to read the information in our ID stickers the first and every time they are scanned.” Smart.
There are lots of scanning applications for different types of smart phones. A couple of our favorites are:
- iOS: Scan.me (Visit App Store on your iOS device)
- Android: Scan, Inc. (Visit Google Play on your Android device)
And what does this little bit of genius cost? That’s the best part – a sheet of five is just $4.99. And they ship the day you order. So don’t worry – you still have plenty of time to order before you head out on your next vacation, event or anywhere, really.
Want to try them out for yourself? Luxe Baby is giving out 5 free sets! Like Child ID Code on Facebook to win. Winners will be selected September 15th, 2012.
