[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-80px|||||” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
With <\/span>80% of parents<\/span><\/a> supervising their children\u2019s device use in some way, you\u2019re certainly not alone if you\u2019re thinking about using parental control tools. But how do you know if you need them? And when\u2019s the right time to introduce them? Whether your children are just starting to use technology by themselves or they already have multiple devices, <\/span>parental controls can support your family in a wide range of situations<\/b>. We\u2019ve laid a few of them out below.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve recently decided that it\u2019s the right time for your <\/span>child to have their own phone<\/span><\/a>, then using a parental control tool is a great step to take. Suddenly having so much information and opportunity for communication at their fingertips is a lot to handle, and <\/span>setting clear boundaries from the start <\/b>is the best way to make your child\u2019s new phone – and the rest of their digital journey – a success for them.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Qustodio, for example, helps you to make sure that they\u2019re not viewing any inappropriate content online. You can block whole content categories like <\/span>social media<\/span><\/a>, and allow more productive categories like education. You can also switch on Safe Search to make sure that no risky content appears when they search on their web browser. Finally, Qustodio\u2019s real-time dashboard shows you all the websites they\u2019ve been looking at, so you can block any that you\u2019re not happy with and start a conversation around any concerning topics you\u2019ve seen.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The importance of sleep cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to kids. Regularly getting a good night\u2019s sleep:<\/span><\/p>\n But, for kids and adults alike, devices make it increasingly difficult to really sleep well. The melatonin-disrupting blue light of screens makes it harder to settle down – not to mention the pinging of instant messages and the draw of just one more video on <\/span>TikTok<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n Creating a <\/b>healthy bedtime routine<\/b><\/a> is much easier with parental controls. <\/b>You can use Qustodio to set up a screen time schedule, automatically blocking your kids\u2019 devices at the times you set. <\/span>We recommend scheduling a block<\/b> from about an hour before your child goes to bed until the next morning<\/b>. This way, they\u2019ll find it much easier to wind down with offline activities like reading, and won\u2019t be woken up in the night by notifications.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Do your kids find it difficult to finish their homework without checking social media? Have they opened YouTube for research, but gone down a rabbit hole of unrelated videos? The fact that technology is now such a huge part of many kids\u2019 educations makes it frequently impossible to put a blanket ban on devices during homework time, leading to issues <\/span>balancing screen time and learning<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n However, <\/span>parental controls can help your kids stay productive and focused when they need to<\/b>. For example, Qustodio\u2019s <\/span>YouTube monitoring<\/span><\/a> feature makes it easy for you to see exactly what your kids are watching – you can even watch any videos yourself – to make sure that they\u2019re staying on topic. You can also block and <\/span>set time limits for the games and apps<\/span><\/a> they use, helping them manage their time better and reducing their risk of distraction.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/static.qustodio.com\/public-site\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17143404\/Blog_Areparentalcontroltoolsrightformyfamily_InsideImage.png” alt=”What is a gacha game” title_text=”Schoolwork” align=”center” disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Being allowed to meet friends or go to school without adult supervision is a big step in a child\u2019s journey to independence. As a parent, it can be tricky to know when the time is right – and even if you know your child is ready, you\u2019ll probably still feel some worry.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Parental controls can help give you peace of mind. Qustodio\u2019s <\/span>Family Locator<\/span><\/a> allows you to save a list of places that your kids frequently visit. You\u2019ll then receive notifications when they arrive at or leave those places – no more reminders for them to let you know when they\u2019re on their way! You can also see a timeline of their location history and check their most recent location right on the map.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A little bit of screen time is not inherently bad, when it\u2019s spent on positive content and used in moderation. However, <\/span>spending too long on screens has been linked to a range of issues in children<\/b>, such as lack of social skills, <\/span>negative body image<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>memory problems<\/span><\/a>. Though there\u2019s no definitive answer to<\/span> how much screen time is too much<\/span><\/a>, experts generally recommend a maximum of 2 hours a day for pre-teens, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis for teens.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve decided how long you\u2019re happy for your kids to spend online each day, using a parental control tool makes it much easier to enforce these limits. <\/span>With Qustodio you can set daily time allowances throughout the week<\/b>, and your kids\u2019 devices are automatically blocked once they\u2019ve used up all their screen time. These regular limits and automatic blocks make it much easier for your kids to create good habits – and helps you avoid the repeated requests for them to switch off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.19.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n So, you\u2019ve decided that parental controls are right for your family. Is there anything you should do before setting them up? It\u2019s always a good idea to sit down with your kids and talk about your decision. Some may be resistant at first, feeling like they\u2019re being spied on, or that they\u2019re the odd one out amongst their friends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Highlighting the dangers that you\u2019re worried about and explaining the reasons behind your choices will help them understand why parental controls are so important.<\/span> It\u2019s also a good idea to set boundaries together<\/b>: creating a <\/span>digital agreement<\/span><\/a>, which everyone in the family contributes to, makes it a lot easier to come to decisions that everyone\u2019s happy with, and therefore more likely to stick to.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n All in all, <\/span>parental controls are a great addition to any parent\u2019s toolkit<\/b>. Used alongside open conversation about how to stay safe online, they\u2019re a great way to support your child in becoming a healthy digital citizen from the get go, and aid in any issues along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With 80% of parents supervising their children\u2019s device use in some way, you\u2019re certainly not alone if you\u2019re thinking about using parental control tools. But how do you know if you need them? And when\u2019s the right time to introduce them? Whether your children are just starting to use technology by themselves or they already […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":42890,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":" Summer has been a perfect time to give kids extra freedom. There were no classes, evenings were homework-free, and playdates were frequent. But now that the long summer days are waning, it's time to revisit how to monitor kids' screen time. Put a monitoring system in place now, and it'll carry on through the fast-approaching back-to-school season.<\/p> During the school year, kids will be more likely to communicate with friends, try out new digital resources, and be online for school assignments. It's important to make sure they have access to the resources they need while still limiting or blocking sites and apps that may be detrimental to healthy growth. In today's information age, it is vital for kids to be tech savvy, but it's up to parents to find and maintain a balance. That's where Qustodio can help.<\/p> Studies have shown that too much media consumption can negatively affect grades, attention span, physical activity, BMI, and sleep. These are critical parts of kids' lives, so help them make good choices by understanding how they spend their digital time.<\/p> We all want healthy, productive, happy kids, but how do we get there?<\/p> Limiting media use and steering kids toward quality digital materials creates healthy outcomes, causing a chain reaction that improves children's sleep, health, and school performance. It also lowers their exposure to violence, thus curbing aggressive behavior and increasing prosocial behavior.<\/p> Being involved with your kids' activities protects them from dangerous or inappropriate media, but also helps steer kids toward quality, enriching, educational resources. In addition to teaching tech skills, time spent with digital resources can increase vocabulary and literacy skills, math skills, cultural appreciation, scientific understanding, teamwork, and empathy. But screen time and media consumption should be used within the greater context of learning and emotional growth.<\/p> With Qustodio, you can easily monitor your kids' screen time and content. Simply set up Qustodio on each device and then receive daily graphical updates of your kids' activities, as well as checking up-to-the-minute activity on the dashboard. Qustodio specifically calls out any questionable activity for easy monitoring. Total activity is also broken down into websites and applications, social media contacts, and time spent on each activity and device. Specific search terms are also called out. Stats for visited websites include trustworthiness, child safety, first and last visits to the page, and more. Parents can also use Qustodio to monitor their kids' phone calls and text messages.<\/p> With a free account, parents can monitor one child on one device, perfect for getting started and learning your way around. Parents with more kids and devices will want to sign up for a premium account, which includes premium features such as tracking multiple kids and devices, keeping tabs on Facebook use, location tracking, the ability to block certain applications, and more.<\/p> Parents know their kids best, so Qustodio allows parents to customize their monitoring approach to each child's particular needs and requirements. Perhaps one kid prefers only educational apps, but spends too many hours a day on their tablet. Maybe another kid only spends an hour per day online, but tends to choose inappropriate content. Parents can limit one kid's online time, while limiting accessible websites for another. And since Qustodio can be installed on phones and tablets as well as computers, parents can monitor kids' away-from-home activities as well.<\/p> Download Qustodio<\/a> now and begin monitoring your kids' activity within minutes. Install Qustodio on any new devices that kids will be taking to school, along with any devices not already covered at home. Also, be sure to follow Qustodio on Twitter<\/a> and Facebook<\/a> to stay informed on the latest news on staying internet smart.<\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[47,46],"tags":[325,296],"class_list":["post-3679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parenting-tips","category-product-tips","tag-activity-monitoring","tag-online-safety"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nYou\u2019ve just given your child their first smartphone<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Your child struggles to get a good night\u2019s sleep<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
Your child gets distracted from their schoolwork\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Your child is starting to go out by themselves\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
You\u2019re worried your child has too much screen time<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How should I introduce parental controls?<\/h2>\n