No, but it becomes a lot more useful when your kid calls scared and barely able to talk and have generally no idea where they are.

Even in that situation, at most you need some way to get a location at that moment when they chose to reach out to you, not tracking.

My kids spend a lit if time outside, riding bikes running around the forest...

If they have an accident it's useful to be able to get to them quickly.

Please spare me a response about the qualities of facing adversity and walking home 3 miles with a broken collar bone.

If you lack the imagination of how location information is useful then that is ok. Companies offer it because it is, and people want it

I didn't say that.

Should I just quote my adjacent reply that I guess you didn't see? "Even in that situation, at most you need some way to get a location at that moment when they chose to reach out to you, not tracking."

And the ability to get in contact is 90% of the benefit.