Let us get one fact straight – you cannot keep your kids away from phones all the time. You will have to get them a handset because nobody can live without phones or devices in 2021. However, letting your kid explore the web and social media can be a problematic experience. In such situations, you might want an app to track kids.
Why would you need a kid monitoring app?
Sure, you can talk to your kids about screen times and avoiding inappropriate content. But they are kids, and someday, curiosity will get the better of them and land them in unwanted situations. Here are some reasons why you might consider getting apps to monitor a child’s phone.
1. Bedtime usage
You can never know if your kid stays up past their bedtime and spends time browsing the web, chatting, or doing something else. Not only is this a bad habit, but it also affects their sleep cycle.
2. Using a phone during homework time
Phones are probably the number one distraction. And they can potentially keep your kid away from studies.
3. Excessive screen time
This can cause eye problems along with other health issues like sleep deprivation, stress, and more.
4. Exposure to adult or inappropriate content
The matured ads on websites or adult content on social media or any other platform are not
something you would want your little one to see. And then there are colorful cuss words in the comments section.
5. Cyberbullying
About 37% of the US kids said they had experienced online bullying, states the 2019 Cyberbullying Data conducted by Justin W. Patchin. At the same time, only 1 in 10 victims will inform a trusted adult about it. This might give you an idea.
6. Overall safety
Kids ignoring calls and texts is probably the most stressful thing a parent can experience. If an app could help you with this, you can breathe a sigh of relief.
How to Monitor Child’s Phone: Top 5 Apps to Track Kids
You do not need an iPad monitoring app since the iPad usage tracker in settings is enough. It will show which apps your child is using the most and also show the screen time.
1. DinnerTime
DinnerTime is a free app that enables you to lock and unlock your kid’s device from your phone. The idea is to let the kids spend some quality family time and explore offline stuff. With the app, you can pause your kid’s device with one tap and unlock it later.
This helps with appropriate bedtime habits and distraction-free study time. The parent’s device can be iPhone, iPad, or Android. But the app supports only Android devices on the kid’s side. This is one of the best apps to monitor a child’s phone.
2. Screen Time
ScreenTime lets the parents track the time their kids spend on the phone. You can remotely control their screen time by setting a daily limit and even check which apps are most used by your kids. This is an app that monitors iPhone usage (and Android too).
The app also lets you give kids tasks (motivate them to do their homework), and the instant pause feature instantly freezes the kid’s device. Since we are talking about homework, you can get discount coupons for authentic essay writing services at essaydiscounts.com. If you are a parent and you are trying to complete grad courses or research work, these paper writing services can get some stress off you!
3. YouTube Kids
YouTube is rich with content that can entertain and educate your kids. At the same time, the “related videos” and the comments section may not be kid-friendly. However, you can tackle this problem by downloading YouTube Kids with no ads, links, or adult content. The app gives full control to parents so you can monitor your kid’s activity and screen time.
4. RespondASAP
RespondASAP comes in handy when your kid ignores your calls and texts. This app remotely freezes the kid’s phone and rings a loud alarm. To unlock the phone, your kid will have to call you. For now, this app is supported on Androids.
5. Bouncie
If you have just given your teen their car, then Bouncie might be useful for you. The app lets you keep track of your kid’s location and driving habits. You will be notified when your teen is exceeding the speed limits or where they have parked their car.
What not to do
If you obsessively monitor a kid’s iPhone, you might face some issues. Here are a few things that you should not be doing
1. Show distrust
Snooping in on your kid’s online activities can cause strain on your relationship with them. In this way, you are encouraging them to resort to risky behavior and hide stuff from you. Remember, it’s the online predators that you distrust, not your children.
2. Check their phones constantly
Your child is not doing something inappropriate or illegal over their phone. They are not always wasting time either. Checking their browser history and scrolling every post on their Instagram is like letting your parents have a look at your personal diary.
3. Read their personal chats and confront them about it
This is the most awkward thing you can do. As such, you are snooping on their online activities, and the last thing you want is an awkward conversation about their relationships.
Interesting related article: “What is an App?“