Tips for Parents with Teens having Smartphones and how to Monitor Activities through Android Parental Controls

In the 21^st century, parents have to be quite vigilant about their kid’s behavior and activities they perform online. Smartphones are not going anywhere and so does your kid not going to stop using devices. There are tools and time management apps that are required by everyone and so do the teens and kids. However, there are many dangerous aspects of using smart devices.

Teens spend most of their time in front of screens which might lead to too much screen addiction. Moreover, teens are also involved in acts like sexting and socializing. If you have handed a smartphone to your teens, make sure to follow the tips given below.

Monitoring Screen Time

It is a fact that everyone deserves some privacy and when it comes to teens, a certain level of monitoring is essential. Teens have every right to do whatever they want, but there are some limitations. Being a teen means becoming independent and have freedom of reaching adulthood. The major part of it includes smartphone usage.

Setting up clear expectations from your child is the core of it. You should act strictly and let the teens know that you are keeping watch on their activities whether it be using social media platforms, chatting with friends, hanging out or sending emails. It will help your children know the expectations you require from them. The teens won’t be hiding anything from you as they know the rules and expectations you want from them.

Track Activities

Parents don’t have to worry about each and everything about the smartphone and apps. Don’t ever try to judge your teens when they are using the smartphone. Maybe they are learning something new or searching for something relevant to their quiz. However, you need to know the tools that will suit your family's needs and track the activities of kids.

Talk to Other Parents

When it comes to raising teens, other parents can prove to be helpful. You can talk to other parents who are raising teens and have some experience. Have a meeting every week and talk about the problems you face and ask them how to deal with it. A small meetup of different parents can help in finding the solution to raising teens in the digital age. Parents who have gone through the phase will help guide you better. Moreover, you can also join forums and discussion boards to post questions and ask for help.

Android Parental Controls

Raising a teen in the digital age demands a lot of monitoring and tracking. Most of the parents just handover the smartphone to the teens without ensuing android parental controls on the device. There are plenty of android parental controls app like FamilyTime that allows you to monitor teens activities online. For instance, apps and games can be blocked instantly from your own device with just one tap. In addition, some of the notable features of FamilyTime includes:

• Limit screen time on Android and iOS
• Block apps and games
• Track messages and view call log

USE ANDROID PARENTAL CONTROLS TO MANAGE KIDS’ DIGITAL LIFE – TIPS FOR PARENTS

The rise of technology and the vast capabilities of smartphones in this era are unprecedented. Parenting children in the world where technological influence grows stronger each day is not an easy task. Parents need to put extra efforts to teach their kids about balancing digital use and other activities. In managing the Internet and smartphone addiction, the role of parents is highly important.

Tips for Parents

No doubt, digital media has become an integral part of our lives today. The advantages of smart devices and the Internet, if used in a proper way, are exceptionally valuable for young and adults alike. But, we cannot deny the fact that there are many threats imposed on our children due to technological progression.

Here are a few practical parenting tips in the digital age:

1. Create Tech-Free Zone

Most of the time parents don’t pay much attention to controlling their child’s screen use initially. They realize later when children get addicted to screens. To avoid screen addiction, arrange different family activities for your children and keep them away from screens during a family gathering. You can plan a brunch, a small picnic or can work on a DIY project with your kid.

2. Use Media Positively

Digital media is helpful for your child’s studies and for their general knowledge. Provide them ways to utilize media for positive experiences such as they can learn new things from the Internet with the help of several steps by step tutorials.

3. Monitor calling habits

See their contacts and calls to know the people they are in contact and their calling routine. Make rules for late night calls. If you find an unknown contact, put it on a watchlist to keep a close watch.

4. Check text messages

Monitoring text messages help spot many problems such as sexting, threats, hate speech, peer pressure and personal problems.

5. See web activity

See their internet history and bookmarks to know what kind content they see online. Filter out adult-rated content on iTunes.

6. Manage mobile apps

View their installed apps. If you find an adult, questionable or addictive app, put it on a blacklist to stop further use.

7. Set Restrictions

Be clear and concise with your child about what they are allowed to do and what they should avoid while using electronic gadgets. Make sure you announce appropriate punishments, in case any rule is not followed. This helps in enforcing rules effectively.
Importance of Android Parental Control

The iPhones are insanely popular among teenagers. Every other kid dreams to own one. Managing the rapid growing influence of digital media in children and providing them a balanced use of technology is utterly important. Parents can make their life a lot easier by taking advantage from Android parental control such as FamilyTime.

FamilyTime not only lets parents monitor all the digital activities of their child but also enable them to put appropriate restrictions on them. Using FamilyTime parents can manage their child’s screen time, contact list and call logs. They can view installed apps, their usage frequency and can even block questionable apps.

This is not it, with the help of the FamilyTime app, parents can ensure their child’s safety by tracking location history and geo-fencing locations.

Want to have a detailed look? Download the app now from Google play store or click the button given below.

IS YOUR TEEN USING KIK? DOWNLOAD THE FAMILYTIME APP TO FIND OUT!

Children as young as 11 years of age are using mobile devices nowadays. The instant messaging apps offered by smartphones and electronic gadgets keep children hooked to their devices 24/7. Among such apps, Kik is a popular instant messaging service that many children use for texting and socially interacting with the other users who have an account on Kik. Using this app, teenagers can exchange their photos and videos with their peers. Kik restricts its users to make an account only when they are 17+ but regrettably, many younger children use this messaging app without informing their parents and usually become victims of digital dangers.

Dangers Associated with Kik

Imagine your teenager being exposed to not only one, but several strangers who can even turn out to be sexual predators or abductors. How dangerous it is for any child! Kik makes it extremely easier for predators to communicate with teenagers. Parents may consider it harmless for their child to use an instant messaging app that connects them with their friends online. However, what parents do not realize is the danger that teens face because of predators online who suggest teens to send them their nudes. They begin by sending younger children explicit photos and urge them to come online while they are naked. Adult content is easily found on Kik messenger. The hidden dangers of this app are:

• Linked Websites: Many pop-up links or automated programs trick the users and direct them to porn sites. It is crucial to realize that porn sites are addictive for younger teens, they may start watching porn regularly after clicking on a link accidentally.
• Chat Now: This option available on the Kik messenger makes it possible for users to talk to people who are not in their friend circle.
• Anonymity: Kik allows users to stay anonymous, this practice encourages predators to use this app to manipulate their victims easily. A teen using Kik may start talking to a con artist, a sexual predator or any other criminal online.

For older teenagers who are mature enough to differentiate between a friend and a predator, Kik is definitely a useful app. It depends on a teen’s maturity, whether they give up all their personal information to other Kik users or not. Therefore, it is important for parents to guide their children about online safety and privacy. Being a parent, one needs to digitally monitor their teen’s online activities with the help of a parenting tool as efficient as the FamilyTime app. Get to know which apps your teen has installed and how much time your teen devotes to a particular app by using FamilyTime. Or lock your teen’s device remotely to keep their screen usage under control. And this is not all. There is a lot more that parents can do with the app such as contact monitoring, SMS tracking, call log monitoring, Contact Watch listing, Web history monitoring, Location tracking, Geo-fencing place, Alerts and much more. There as a parent, you may find a variety of valuable features once you download FamilyTime app.You can download the app from Google play store, from iTunes or just by clicking the buttons below:

Use iPhone Parental Control App To Monitor Teen’s Communication

Every parent desires to facilitate their kids with all the possible opportunities available. Being a parent in digital era is not easy. Kids these days practically whine and beg to parents for a personal smartphone. Therefore, parents often feel compelled to buy a personal cell phone for their children.

Internet surfing, text messaging and socializing using various social media accounts are the chief actions teenagers spend most of their time on. It is a parent’s natural instinct to monitor the activities of their kids. But doing so is pretty challenging especially when teens have easy access to internet 24/7.

Assistance of iPhone Parental Control App

The threats web world is posing these days particularly to our teens are real. There have been several cases reported regarding online harassers and predators. Due to the increasing popularity of instant messaging apps, teens invest most of their time on such apps. The most prominent benefit of being familiar to parental control applications is that a parent can look after their kids even from a distance without being a helicopter parent. To monitor your teen’s communication, parents can take assistance of iPhone parental control app. By using a reliable app, parents can avert the chances of their kids being involved in cyberbullying.

FamilyTime SMS Tracking Feature

Luckily, FamilyTime iPhone parental control app helps you to monitor the communication of your kids online. Now, you can control who your kids communicate with on their smart phones, instant messaging apps and social networking sites.

FamilyTime’s has the complete package of immaculate features. Here is a brief summary.

Monitor Communication on Text

FamilyTime provides the exclusive service of monitoring text messages of your children which they are sending and receiving. It also gives you access to other details of sender. FamilyTime parental monitoring app is efficient enough to record date and time stamp and keep you updated about it. All of these can be done easily by using your FamilyTime account without checking your teen’s cell phone.

Minimizes Chances of Sexting and Other Hate Speech

Sexting has become tremendously common among teens. Teens do not realize the brutality of the consequences of such an activity. They just get involved in sexting irrationally considering it a harmless adventure. But parents need to make sure that their kids do not share their explicit pictures through text messaging. FamilyTime monitoring software makes your life easy by keeping track of their activities online.

FamilyTime parental control apps also helps parents to observe if their kids are involved in hate speech or not. Parents should know be updated if their kids are being bullied by hate speech or if their kids are the culprits of harassing other kids. Only being updated can help parents to take an action against hate speech.

And this is not all. There is a lot more that parents can do with the app such as enabling safe internet search, putting web filters, limiting screen time, receiving alerts and much more. There as a parent, you may find a variety of valuable features once you download FamilyTime app. You can download the app from iTunes or just by clicking the button below:

Keep Your Kids Safe from Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is becoming a major cause of depression among teens. Serious consequences of such harassment are being reported nowadays. FamilyTime parental control app assists parents to prevent the events of cyberbullying.

USE SCREEN TIME APP TO SAVE YOUR KIDS FROM THE HAZARDS OF SCREEN ADDICTION!

Excessive screen exposure is bad just as excess of anything else in the world. In fact, in most cases, excessive screen consumption leads to screen addiction. Screen addiction is a term coined for excessive use of smart devices like iPhones and iPads. If your kids have the undeniable need to be with their phones all the time, any attempt to stay away from them result in irritability and fear of missing out, any other thing seems uninteresting, it is most likely that they are screen addicts.

Two mains reasons of screen addiction

The two main factors that lead to screen addiction are:

Social Media

The prior aim of social media is to stay connected with the world all the time. Kids and teens take it religiously. Whether they are hanging out with friends, reading a book, feeling sad, making a new dish, whatever it is they share it on social networks. They keep on checking for new notifications, new likes, and shares. This doesn’t let them get off their phones.

Games

Mobile games are another reason which keeps kids glued to their screens. There are several levels to complete and different upgrades. Once they start, they can’t stop. Level after level they keep playing and forget their surroundings.

Consequences of screen addiction

Kids who get addicted, suffer from different health issues:

Physical health

• Constant exposure to the screens increases blue light exposure as well. Blue light is injurious to eyes and mind.
• Sleep patterns get disturbed, rendering them unable to perform daily tasks and school work.
• Lack of physical activity increases the risk for obesity.

Mental Health

• The develop FOMO – fear of missing out. Even if they put their phones away, they have a constant need to check them.
• It increases the risk for anxiety and depression.
• They develop social detachment and can’t function properly in real time scenarios.

Screen Time app to combat screen addiction!

Parents are advised to use screen time app to control their screen addiction. There are several apps such as FamilyTime that provide different facilities. They can manage and regulate their kids’ screen usage and make them spend tech-free time.

• Remotely lock their screens to restrict their access.
• Do this for bedtime, dinner time, homework time and customized times as well.
• Temporarily block system apps and 3rd party apps.
• View all the installed apps and see which ones are keeping them occupied.
• Block those apps to end the root cause of their addiction.

This proves helpful in keeping them away from their iPhones and iPads. Apart from that, you can also monitor their calls, contacts, online activity, filter adult content and track their location. Get this from iTunes or click on the buttons below:

Prevent screen addiction!

This addiction is damaging our young generation in more than one way and it’s high time that parents take an action against it. We don’t want to raise socially inept, anxious individuals. We want our kids to be healthy and active to match the speed of this world. This can only be done if we prevent screen addiction from the beginning. Start using the FamilyTime screen time app today and prevent your kids.

ROLE OF PARENTS IN EDUCATING TEENS ABOUT SAFE INTERNET USE AND THE INTERNET WEB FILTER!

At least in the United States, a large part of parents advise their children about the dangers that exist on the Internet, especially in Social Networks. According to a study, more than 93% have talked to their kids about ways to use the Internet and mobile phones safely.

Following up with the summary of the study called - Teens, kindness and cruelty on Social Media Sites, how American teenagers navigate the new world of 'digital citizenship' - have revealed about the attitude of parents and the relationship with the children as well as the attitude of the children in the face of any threat or undesired acts carried out on the Internet.

Below is the summary of the investigation.

• For general advice and influence, parents are still the main source of teen Internet and cell phone users. 86% of adolescent said they have received general advice on how to use the Internet responsibly on behalf of parents. 70% of adolescents online and using cell-say they have received advice on Internet safety from teachers or another adult at school. 45% have received advice from friends or classmates, 45% have received general advice of a relative age, and 46% have received safety advice on the Internet from a brother, sister or cousin. 
• 58% of Internet teens and cell phone users say that their parents have been the biggest influence on what they think is appropriate or inappropriate when using the Internet or a cell phone. 18% of teens say that their friends have been their biggest influence on appropriate Internet or cellular phone behavior. 18% say that "nobody" has influenced them. 
• The vast majority of adolescents say that they have private social website profiles that are visible only to -friends-, 62% of teenagers who have a social profile say that the profile they use most often is set to be Private so that only their friends can see the content they post. 19% say that their profile is partially private so that friends of their friends or their networks can see some version of their profile. 17% say that their profile is public so that everyone can see it. 
• The study also mentions that beyond social networks, teenagers are at least once in a while thinking about the impact of their fingerprints and how the content associated with their names can affect their reputation. More than half of all online teens (55%) say they have decided not to post something online, as they were worried that it might present a bad image in the future. The older age group of online teens-who is likely to be preparing or in the middle of college and job applications, report the highest levels of this type of digital retention; 67% of the 17-year-old line say they have withheld content that could damage their reputation.

REAL USER DATA

44% of online teens admit to having lied about their age in order to access a website or sign up to enable an online account. Regarding passwords, 47% of girls aged between 14-17 say they have shared their passwords, compared to 27% of boys of the same age.

ADVICE FOR PARENTS

The vast majority of parents have had conversations with their teens about online safety and real risk. This is the reason we see parents as a kid’s consultant in the study results given above. But educating kids all alone is not enough. In addition to educating kids, parents are encouraged to take preventive actions such as using the internet web filter app to block, filter or control their children's online activities. For that, one app worth trying is FamilyTime that offers a range of monitoring and parental control features to parents. To try this app for free, go now to the app store on your phone and get it from there. You can also get this app in a jiffy from the buttons given below:

HOW EXCESSIVE USE OF SCREENS MAY AFFECT YOUR CHILDREN IN THE FUTURE?

Parents are concerned about the excessive number of hours our children spend in front of the screens. Your generation will be the first to benefit or suffer its effects. Already the university professors are warning of the problems that they observe in the students like the difficulties to read long passages of a text. Limiting the time they spend glued to a screen has become a battle for most parents.

Current scenario:

The teenagers have changed their favorite activity that was going out with their friends. Before, they carried out social activities every day, such as going to the movies or going shopping. Now they spend more than 6 hours a day surfing the Internet, sending text messages to their friends or interacting on social networks. 

Dependence on screens

Not only parents should worry about the abusive use of mobile phones and instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp, but also that of screens. Spending less time with friends prevents developing social skills. A 2014 study conducted among sixth grade students who spent only five days in a camp without using screens, determined that these students improved the interpretation of their peers' emotions through eye contact. Screens can stunt adolescents' social skills. It has also been proven that this generation reads a lot less books, magazines or newspapers than the previous ones, which can affect their reading comprehension.

But technologies not only give problems but also benefits. The teenagers of this generation are more tolerant, open and have more realistic expectations than the previous one. The iGen feel part of a technified, urban, versatile and committed community. Unlike their parents or grandparents, technology allows them to increase their relationships over physical boundaries. The Internet facilitates access to hundreds of cultures and subcultures unknown to other generations.

That's why we recommend parents to manage their screen time rather than banning the facility on them. For this, parents can use the screen time app such as FamilyTime to manage time their kids spend with technology or in front of the screens. Having this incredible app in hand, parents can perform a number of important tasks including:

• Setting up Daily Limits: Set screen limits on a daily basis and curb device use during dinner, bed, and study time etc. 
• Implement Family Pause: Whenever you feel the need to stop their device use, you can implement phone lock in one-touch. This is a handy feature for unplanned limits and digital detox. 
• Provide Them TimeBank: Kids can save their screen time minutes in their TimeBank and can use it whenever they wish to. This feature helps them know the importance of time and productive use of screens etc. 
• Manage their App Usage: You can also block apps and set a usage limit on apps to reduce the time. 

How does that sound? This is what you need to handle screen time issues like a pro. With FamilyTime screen time app you not only get this, but excellent tracking and monitoring features as well. Download the app and use the premium features for free, for three days or if you want to learn more, visit the website.

Spending 6 hours a day stuck to the screens can report serious problems. We have to try to promote the sociability of our children and stay with their friends, go out and enjoy their adolescence. It's not about banning screens, but limiting the excessive time they spend on them.