It’s a challenge for parents; how to decide on giving their children digital freedom while weighing the pros and cons of it. This is where parental controls feature can help with their decision.
New parents of this contemporary era are raising a new generation of kids growing up around technology. Children as young as 9 years old have their own personal smartphones now. In fact, in 2021, 31% of US children at the age of 8 years old were reported to own a smartphone! Even schools in the US have integrated computers and tablets into their curriculum.
As a parent, you understand that limiting internet access for your children will affect their abilities to learn and develop. But you are also aware that it could expose your children to online threats that may very well be beyond your capability to handle.
This is why we suggest using the parental control feature in all apps because it has been designed to make parenting easier for you.
First things first, you need to ensure that you have a secure internet connection so that your kids’ devices that are connected to the network are safe from any online cyber threats. On that note, go for Xfinity for its superfast speeds and advanced network security. Call the Xfinity customer service number to learn more.
5 Reasons to Activate the Parental Control Feature
Here’s why you should take advantage of the parental control feature:
You Can Monitor Your Kids’ Devices
You cannot limit your child’s internet usage; you need to give them their own space as well.
But while they are carrying out online activities and making online friends, you can still keep tabs on them. Most apps contain the parental control feature that you can activate to monitor their online activities.
There are also parental control apps available in Play Store or Apple AppStore to download to your smartphone and your child’s. These apps help you to monitor all online activities such as web browsing, emails, social media apps, etc.
You Can Manage What Your Kids Find on Search Engine
All search engine tools can help you to find anything you need. The problem comes when it comes to your kid accessing the search engine: he has access to unlimited content that may be inappropriate for certain ages.
Google has a SafeSearch feature that blocks adult content and explicit images, videos, and websites from their search engine results. You can also customize this feature accordingly to show only age-appropriate content to your kid.
You Can Block Certain Features of Games
Even gaming consoles provide unlimited access to resources online. Your kid can surf the web, make in-app purchases, or talk with other online players. Using these features may take a little bit of fun out of their gaming experience, but you do not want your kid using your credit card to make online payments without your permission. Or even talking to strangers.
The parental controls in consoles and games allow you to set up age-appropriate profiles where your kids can access only limited features in the game or monitor what they are doing.
You Can Track Your Kids’ Location
The coolest thing about having a smartphone is that it has a location feature that lets you know where you are. You can take advantage of that using GPS apps that let you track your kid’s smartphone. Such location-monitoring lets you know that your kids are safe, or where they are supposed to be.
Ideally, your smartphone needs to be kept on for the location-tracking feature to work. This is why it is a good idea to let your kids learn about posting their location on social media – the dangers of online strangers tracking them.
You Can Set Screen Time Limits
Screen time is addictive. We know that; we have spent hours being glued to our smartphones while we are just mentally detached from what is happening around us. When it comes to kids, they may have a hard time breaking free from being glued to their screens.
Excessive screen time is generally bad for their posture, eyesight, and sleep, and it also means that they don’t have any physical activities. All of these are needed to be developed as they are growing up, which is why you need to enforce a healthy lifestyle for them.
This is why it is important to limit their screen time. Use the parental control features to set time limits on the type of content that your kids engage with. Also, set up a schedule of physical activities for your kids.
There needs to be a balance between using digital technology and physical activities.
Wrapping Up
Your kids should be protected from the dangers and inappropriateness of digital technology while they are still young and learning.
Along with teaching them the know-how of digital technology, allow them to enjoy what the web has to offer for their curious young minds. But that doesn’t mean you should completely let go of the reins; you can monitor their online activities through the parental control features in their smartphones.
