Protecting Children Online: Best Parental Control App

The Best Parental Control app for your child’s tablet or phone. And why my family chooses them.

"Screen time" is often talked about negatively, but electronics can have a lot of benefits too and the fact is, our world is turning more digital. 33% of public schools offered full-time remote instruction and 10% offered hybrid to students in June 2022, according to National Center for Education Statistics. Every child in our public school district has their own tablet to use in school and at-home.

Tablets and other devices can be an excellent source of educational games and learning resources, as well as wholesome entertainment. They are also a way for children to build fine motor skills and even continue friendships with school friends during breaks.

I am going to be honest; I think about what too much screen time is for my children, but I have trouble managing it on my own. My husband and I also worry about our children using their electronic devices responsibly. We want to make sure they only have access to age-appropriate content and don't become victims of sexual predators. My daughter is now twelve and my son is eight. We have decided we want to avoid them having social media as long as possible.

In a recent survey, 84% of parents reported that they are worried about their child’s online safety. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, kids ages 8-18 now spend on average, a whopping 7.5 hours in front of screen consuming entertainment media. This includes (but not limited to) computers, televisions, video game consoles, tablets, and phones.

3 Ways to Protect Children Online

Update their devices regularly. Device and software updates often contain important security updates, software patches to fix bugs, and other things that can keep your family safe. When you don’t update, your devices are left more vulnerable.
Talk to your children about online safety. Explain about phishing emails, how to stop spam texts, and the importance of keeping private information private.
Monitor your child's online activity. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a Parental Control software/app. And I have found the best one out there.

What is the Best Parental Control App?

Many devices already come with some form of parental controls. However, it can be difficult to manage each individual device separately plus my eight-year-old is sneakier than I thought and managed a way around the built in ones. But with Aura parental control app, I can manage multiple devices from my phone.

What Can Aura Do for You:

One-stop parental control solution: No need to download different apps for different devices! Aura is compatible with iOS and Android mobile devices, which is crucial for our family. I've tried other parental control tools in the past, but this is the first that I have found that was compatible with our Apple tablets and iPhones. But they also work with Androids too.
Time Limits: Not only can you set screen time limits for each child, but you can also get quite specific with it. In addition to an overall daily time limit, you can set different limits for different apps and categories. You can also view how much time your child spends on those apps and categories.

Content Filters: Customize what types of content your child is allowed to see, as well as view blocked activity. There are default settings for "child" and "teen", but you can toggle each app on or off depending on your preferences.
Parent and Child Notifications: You and your child will receive a notification when their online time limit has been reached.
Child Dashboard: Children can view which time limits have been set for them and see if content filtering is enabled. This is such a helpful tool for children to better manage their time online.

Should You Tell Your Children About Parental Controls?

Personally, I believe in open communication with my children because it builds a solid relationship and trust with them. Plus, my son is less likely to have one of his notorious ADHD meltdowns if he knows what to expect.

One of the differences between Aura and other parental control tools is transparency. There is no sneaking around behind your child's back or putting hidden apps on their phone. Your child can see how much time they've spent using their devices, the time limits you have set, how much time they have left, and more which gives them control in a way as well. Since they know how much time they have left, they can then learn to manage their time which will help them in the future. Taking ownership over their time will help them learn responsibility and time management which will help them as they turn into teens through adulthood.

How Do You Set Up Parental Controls?

Getting started with Aura was super easy! First, click here to claim your free 14-day trial and create your account. Then you will download the app to your own phone.
When you want to add a child's device, Aura will create a QR code that you can scan with their compatible phone or tablet. From there, set-up is a breeze because Aura guides you through the process. Showing your child what you are doing and explaining why, can be a great way to make them feel involved.

The first thing I did after linking my son's devices is to set a daily time limit. I gave him up to two hours total online time on weekdays and three hours on weekends. That way they have their devices available for school and homework. However, I also made limits for certain games, so that he can't spend too much time playing. I love how you are able to specify times for each day and each app.

Does Aura Monitor Text Messages and Emails?

Unfortunately, no. Aura parental controls does not monitor SMS text messages, emails, or in-app messages. However, Aura can block in-app messages when you block the app itself (such as Snapchat, Instagram, etc.)

When it comes to text messaging, I personally find that it's best to talk to kids about what is appropriate. We also limit who can be added in our children's phones as a contact. That way they only message with people our family knows and trusts. If they want to add a new contact, they have to ask us first. This is another step towards building trust on both sides.

When Should You Start Using Parental Controls?

The time to set up parental controls is as soon as they get them. When we have gifted our children their tablets, we downloaded some apps we knew they might like, made sure the device was charged before they unwrapped it, but we put certain restrictions on them. The plan is to use parental controls to some degree as long as my children are living under my roof. As they get older and learn more responsibility, they can earn more privileges, and we will most likely relax some of the limits.

With the Aura Family Plan, you can set up unlimited family member profiles for parental controls AND monitor unlimited devices.

If you have any questions during setup or throughout the life of your membership, Aura is there to help with 24/7/365 support.

What Else Can Aura Do?

With Aura you can also stop malware in their tracks. And if you are worried about identity theft, they have protection for the whole family. Aura is all-in-one digital safety. Remember, it's free for 14-days, you can cancel anytime, but you'll have full access to all plan features during those 14-days.

Nanny to Mommy