As a middle school parent, you're likely concerned about the content your child is seeing on their phone or personal device and how much time they're spending on it. According to the National Institutes of Health, 42% of youth between the ages of 10 and 17 reported viewing online pornography. Other prior studies have shown that 19%–37% of teens reported intentional use, while unintentional pornography use in adolescents range from 35% to 66%. At North Middle School, our online filter blocks approximate 20-30 inappropriate searches on school iPads per day, so we know that our students are trying to find this inappropriate material. If it's blocked on their school iPads, you can bet that students are trying on their personal phones & devices, which do not have the school filter. This is why parents must take action! Parental controls can help you address these concerns, but oftentimes it can be daunting to figure out which parental controls to use.
What are parental controls?
Parental controls are features or settings on phones and other devices that allow parents to restrict access to certain content and apps, limit screen time, and track their child's online activity. There are a variety of parental controls available, depending on the device your child uses. Some common types of parental controls include:
- Content filtering: This feature blocks access to certain websites and apps, such as those that contain pornography, violence, or other inappropriate content. Some popular content filtering companies and programs include:
- Apple Screen Time
- Google Family Link
- Microsoft Family Safety
- Qustodio
- Norton Family Premier
- Net Nanny Parental Controls
- Kaspersky Safe Kids
- MMGuardian Parental Control
- Eset Parental Control
- ContentWatch Parental Control
- WebWatcher Parental Control
- Screen time limits: This feature allows you to set limits on how much time your child can spend on their phone or other device each day or week. All of the content filtering companies and programs listed above also offer screen time limits.
- Location tracking: This feature allows you to see where your child is located at any given time. Some popular location tracking apps include:
- Life360
- Google Maps Family Share
- Find My Friends
- Monitoring tools: These tools can track your child's online activity, such as the websites they visit and the apps they use. Some popular monitoring tools include:
How can parents use parental controls?
To use parental controls, you'll need to set them up on your child's device. This process will vary depending on the device, but most manufacturers offer instructions on their websites.
Once you've set up parental controls, you can customize them to meet your specific needs. For example, you can choose to block certain websites and apps, set screen time limits, and track your child's location or online activity.
In addition to using parental controls, there are a few other things you can do to help your child develop healthy technology habits:
- Talk to your child about your expectations. Let them know how much time you want them to spend on their phone each day or week, and what types of content you expect them to avoid.
- Be a good role model. Limit your own screen time and avoid using your phone in front of your child at mealtimes or during family time.
- Create screen-free zones. Establish certain areas of your home, such as the bedroom or dinner table, where phones and other devices are not allowed.
- Monitor your child's phone use. Check their phone regularly to make sure they're following your rules and not accessing inappropriate content.
Parental controls can be a helpful tool for monitoring your child's phone use and restricting access to inappropriate content. However, it's important to remember that parental controls are just one part of a comprehensive approach to helping your child develop healthy technology habits. Talk to your child about your expectations, be a good role model, and monitor their phone use regularly.
