Here’s my take on this. You have a couple of main avenues for tracking an iPhone’s location from another iPhone, each with its own set of trade-offs.
The most direct route is using Apple’s built-in “Find My” feature. By setting up Family Sharing and adding your child’s Apple ID, you can enable location sharing. This allows you to see their device on the map within the Find My app on your own phone. It’s reliable, integrated, and comes at no extra cost. The visibility is a key point here, as they will be part of a family group.
The other option is to use a third-party monitoring service. These platforms can offer more features beyond just real-time location. However, they usually involve a subscription fee and require a more hands-on setup process. It’s a balance between the simplicity of the native Apple ecosystem and the broader functionality of a dedicated tracking service.