Safely Protecting Children Online: Child Control App

The Best Child 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. 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 nine. I 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 Child Control software/app. And I have found the best one out there.

What is the Best Child 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 nine-year-old is sneakier than I thought. Child Control is an adaptable parental control software for Android and Windows. It allows parents to easily customize settings to monitor and guide their children's use of technology across different devices.

Application Control: Parents can pick and choose which applications or programs they allow their children to have access to. This can be set to general authorization, time- restricted access, or contingent upon the completion of tasks, such as homework, offering a balanced approach to leisure and responsibilities.

Remote Access: A control panel is accessible by parents from anywhere with a web portal compatible with any browser, including Apple products, or through the dedicated Child Control parent application. This ensures parents can manage settings on-the-go.

Time Limits: Child Control allows parents to set precise time limits for their children's use of phones, tablets, and computers. These can be tailored on a per-day, per-week, or per-month basis, and can even be adjusted for multi-devices, or specific devices or applications, ensuring flexibility and control.

Content Filters: Child Control includes an Internet filter to block access to inappropriate content. This can be customized based on site categories, the child's age, or a specific list of websites, providing a safe online environment for children.

Parent and Child Notifications: You and your child will receive a notification when their online time limit has been reached. This is great because it can help children manage their own time as well.

Usage Monitoring and Reports: Child Control automatically tracks children's device usage, providing detailed reports and email notifications to keep parents informed about their children's online activities.

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. For more information, please check out 10 Golden Rules Safe Kids Online.

When it comes to blocking certain apps, 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.

Salfeld offers a 30-day free trial of its Child Control software, accompanied by a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing parents to experience the benefits of the software risk-free.

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