If you grew up somewhere between the ’60s and ’80s, you’ve likely heard the phrase, “It’s 10 o’clock. Do you know where your children are?”
Today that question can be much tougher to answer, as they might just be in their bedrooms, but with technology in their hands, they could be anywhere in the digital world. A study in partnership with Stanford University shows that even among very young children who use the Internet, roughly 80% do so at least once a week. With such frequency and ease of access starting at such young ages, what can parents do to keep their children safe?
Filtering out the questionable, and more importantly the dangerous on the Internet is much easier with software. Today's software offers different features depending on the user’s device and what kind of content you want to filter.
Anthem Broadband Parental Control Services is a reliable service that helps you take back control. This is a free feature included with your Anthem Broadband Internet package. The included scheduling feature allows you to block internet access at certain times, you can customize filtering by device and groups of devices, and Parental Control Services allows you to find out what each user has been viewing, even if they delete the browsing history or use incognito mode.
Regardless of what software you choose, look for one that offers features like content filtering, time limits, and user-customizable settings.
Want to know what your kids are really doing on their phones? There’s an app for that! Depending on which app you choose, most offer you options to see who your child is calling or texting and what they are searching on the web. Apps like Mobile Spy go further, allowing parents to see anything on a phone, including what their kids are up to at any point in time.
You can also upgrade for just $5 a month to expand the features beyond your home network. This way, you can see what kids are doing on their phones with their mobile data and block unwanted content. There are many filters to choose from.
Building trust is important, so tell your kids you will be monitoring them, and allow them to show you they can be responsible with a mobile device.
The Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics recently published a study showing sleep disturbances in childhood lead to short-and long-term health outcomes including stunted growth, obesity, mental health issues, and substance abuse.
An easy way to increase sleep? Send electronics to bed too. Preferably a couple of hours before your kids go to bed, as it gives their brain time to calm down.
Making sure devices go to bed when your child does results (on average) in an hour more of sleep per night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Through the teenage years alone, that’s a staggering 2,555 more hours of sleep than those with electronics in their room at night.
Not only will your kids get more sleep, but you will also know exactly what they are doing on their mobile devices – absolutely nothing! Protect your kids and give yourself peace of mind.