Tag Archives: parental control

Parental Control

App to Limit Phone Time for Families: Why Use This Kind of Tool? What Else Should You Look For?

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People are spending way too much time on their phones these days. It’s not just kids, but adults as well. It’s hard for families to spend quality time together when everyone has mobile screens in front of their faces. In order to start developing better habits for everyone, including yourself, your spouse and your kids, you might want to get an app to limit phone time.

Device addiction is becoming a bigger and bigger problem in most societies around the world. Even people in their early 20s barely remember a time when mobile phones weren’t an important part of our day to day lives. If you’re old enough to remember a time when families spent more quality time together and kids could go outside and play and get exercise, then you can set better examples for your kids by limiting their screen time.

Do this with a parental control program that includes support for mobile devices. Parents can control everyone’s usage by setting time limitations and scheduling “off times”. Do the same for yourself as well so your kids won’t accuse you of being unfair. Encourage the family to enjoy dinner together the old fashioned way, or go for an outing during the weekends. After school, limit your kids’ screen time so that they can do homework. Reward them with screen time for finishing their homework and displaying good behavior.

App to Limit Phone Time With the Right Software

It really is that simple, just as long as you use the right software. There are a lot of companies that claim to offer the best “app to limit phone time”, but not all of them are all that great. Some come with additional features that allow you to better protect your kids from potential dangers commonly found online. Screen time management is usually one feature found in a suite for parental control tools, that allow parents to also filter content, monitor or even block certain apps, monitor their kids’ social media profiles, and even track locations.

The location tracking is one of the most important tools any parent could have. With a location tracking tool running your child’s Android or iOS device, you can track the phone location if your child loses it, or track your child if he or she doesn’t return your calls to find out if he/she is in a possibly dangerous area. A “Panic Button” is a nice safety feature too.

Whether you need these extra features or just want an app to limit phone time for yourself or entire family, Qustodio is the app to use. Qustodio Parental Control has some basic features for free, with the option to upgrade to the Premium version with a lot of extra tools.

Parental Control

Parental Software for Windows: Advice on Selecting the Best Parental Control Suite for Your Home Computers

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While Windows 10 does offer a lot of parental control filters and tools, some older kids might figure out a way to get around them. Kids are very smart when it comes to technology. The only way to ensure that inappropriate content is truly blocked and that your children won’t be able to view anything they shouldn’t be seeing, is to buy some really good parental software for Windows.

What should you look for in parental control programs? One highly essential feature is the ability to filter out keywords. You can enable or disable specific keywords and websites associated with those keywords. However, the software should be intelligent enough to understand the difference between those specific keywords and certain phrases or words that contain some of the same letters. For instance, the classic novel “Middlesex” could be misunderstood as inappropriate by some software packages.

lt’s also important to pay attention to age-specific filtering and settings. What might be inappropriate for a 7 year old isn’t going to be inappropriate for a 17 year old. The younger the child, the less access to the internet they should receive, and the more filters you’ll have to put up. What if you have more than one child with some years and maturity levels apart? There is some great parental software for Windows that allows parents to create separate profiles for each child. If you have older kids with their own personal laptops or tablets, install a copy of the program on their laptop and everything should sync.

Scheduling Options With Parental Software for Windows

Schedule is an important feature for parents who are concerned about how much time their kids are spending on the computer. If it’s for homework and research, that’s okay. But what if they waste all their time playing games or watching entertainment videos on YouTube? Or chat on social media too much? You can control that by setting up a schedule for them. You can allow them to have free internet time as a reward for good behavior.

If you’ve never used parental software for Windows before, then look for a program that has an intuitive user interface. It shouldn’t be TOO easy to figure out, since you don’t want your kids to try and get around it, but you don’t want it to be too difficult for the average parent to use, either.

There are other security tools you might want to use to protect your family computers as well, such as a router / Wi-Fi inspector, anti-fraud protection, anti-virus and anti-malware, and so forth. The best parental software for Windows can be found with Bitdefender Family Pack, which can be used on up to 15 family devices, including Windows, Macs, iOs devices, Android devices, and so forth.

Parental Control

Parental Control Web Filter Overview: Some Important Tools and Feature to Help Keep Your Family Safe

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To keep your children and family safe, it’s always good to have a parental control / family protection solution that allows you to keep track of each child’s whereabouts, keep an eye on who they’re “friends” with on social media, and filter out content that is inappropriate for that child’s age and maturity level. One of the best tools you can have is a parental control web filter.

What kinds of content do you want to protect your kids from viewing? The web is filled with so much horrible stuff these days, including crime, violence, hatred and racism, and so forth. Most of this stuff is too much for adults, let alone children. While you don’t want to be a “helicopter” parent – especially towards older kids and teenagers, you still want to make sure they don’t see too much negative stuff.

Some features even allow parents to easily toggle between various levels of supervision, either monitoring or outright blocking access to computers and devices outside of permitted hours. With the right parental control “screen time management” software, you can just turn off your child’s access to the internet at certain hours, such as bedtime and family dinner time. However, it’s always a good idea to practice what you preach, so you should try to stay off your own phone and computer during those times.

Parental Control Web Filter for App Supervision

Some parental control and management tools include mobile app supervision so that you can see which apps your children have downloaded on their iOS or Android devices and which ones they use. Make sure they aren’t using inappropriate apps, or spending too much time with them when they should be doing other things. With an “Access Request” type of feature, kids are allowed to open the lines of communication to send their parents a note if they disagree with a particular blocked app or site.

Video supervision is a parental control web filter that keeps parents updated with a list of videos their kids are watching on their iOS device or PC. If you see anything that might concern you, you can sit down and have a talk with them.

Most of the time, kids get into trouble online without even meaning to. They can do things that can cause harm by accident, such as click on links that download malware on the PC or visit sites with illegal content such as pirated music. Worst of all, they unintentionally accept “friend” requests from individuals who want to harm them.

The best way to protect your kids as well as the entire family is to select quality, highly-rated parental control web filter software such as Norton Family Premier.

Parental Control

Parental Control for Mobile Devices Overview: What Kinds of Monitoring, Filtering, and Control Features Should You Look For?

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The kids of this generation have never known a time when there wasn’t an internet or mobile phones. They are essential in today’s society. They offer a way for parents to stay in contact with their children at all times, just in case there are emergencies. Unfortunately, there is a downside to letting kids have their own smartphones and tablets – there is a lot of stuff on the internet that could be potentially dangerous. They also provide opportunities for strangers and predators. The only way to ensure that your kids are as protected as they can possibly be is to invest in the best parental control for mobile devices.

Features and tools offered by these apps fall under three categories: monitoring, content filtering and user control. Monitoring includes tools that allows you to keep an eye on their SMS, calls, web browsers, social media activities, YouTube viewing, web searches, etc. Content filtering lets parents select what kinds of content, images, and material their child should be allowed or not allowed to see. You can decide what content you want blocked from their view. Lastly, usage control tools are what give parents direct input through the parental control for mobile devices apps. You can control what time each night you want your child’s mobile devices to be shut down.

How Does Parental Control for Mobile Devices Work?

How do these services work? Parents typically purchase the software and then install them on each child’s mobile device and/or computer, and then set all of the controls through a web-based portal. Create a profile for each child that allows you to filter out content inappropriate for that child’s age. For instance, you might want to give your high school kids more freedom than your grade school kids.

The good news is that many of these services are available to try for free. You can check out a free trial before deciding if a particular parental control suite is right for your family. Just make sure you are not doubling up on any services you might already have. If your family already has a full version of a security suite or antivirus program, there might be some parental controls already included, so check into that first before installing anything else. Even if you only use that security suite on a computer, there might be a subscription upgrade option that will allow you to run the services on mobile devices as well.

Whatever kind of features you are looking for in parental control for mobile devices, there should be at least one company that provides everything you need. One place to begin is with Norton Family Premier. Norton of course is one of the most well-known names in the security industry, and its family tools are among the best.

Parental Control

Best Online Parental Control Review: Learn About Some of the Amazing Things Parental Control Software Can Do

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The best online parental control apps can help you keep an eye on your kids without being too nosy. Some will even allow you to track their location as long as they have their phone or tablet turned on. Most – if not all – of parental control software and apps are not perfect. What parents must do is choose the best one possible that meets the requirements they consider to be most important. The age of your child and the amount of privacy you wish to give him or her play a role in the type of software you choose.

For older teens you probably won’t need as much, as long as you trust in their maturity, and won’t have to block as many websites from them. For younger kids, obviously, you’ll need to filter out more content that you don’t want them to become exposed to. A tracking service that allows you to keep an eye on their whereabouts is something all parents need. You don’t have to watch them all the time, but you can still set it up so that you receive alerts should your child ever go out of designated “safe zone”.

Use the best online parental control tools to teach your children screen time management. There is no need for anyone – kid or adult – to waste their lives away staring at a computer or smartphone screen all day. Schedule the times of day and evening that you want to allow your child to spend online, and which times you want their phones or computer screen to turn off.

You Can Have Any Amount of Control With the Best Online Parental Control

Do you want to be the parent who wants to view a list of every last website your child visited and video he or she viewed? Or do you want to give him/her a little bit of privacy? With some programs, you will receive detailed reports of what your child has been up to, and with others, you can just get a summary. Once again, it really depends on your parenting style and your child’s age.

What about text messages or chat programs? With the right software, you might be able to track them and view a list of people with whom they have been communicating. Make sure they understand the importance of not chatting with strangers on social media, or accepting text messages or calls from somebody who might not be trustworthy.

Even though there probably isn’t a “perfect” parental control program, Qustodio is perhaps the one that is closest to being so. It’s the best online parental control service that offers the features most parents need, like a “Panic Button”, Call / SMS tracking (Android), extended reporting, “Family Locator”, and more. Try Qustodio out for free right now.

Parental Control

Child Safe Internet Filter: Overview of Parental Control Suites and What You Can Expect With Them

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The internet can be a dangerous place – even for adults. Parents must take extra precautions to ensure that their children do not run into anything or anyone who could harm them. While there are a bunch of free built-in tools with every computer, mobile phone, and tablet that you can use to protect your kids, they aren’t necessarily enough. It’s better that you invest in a quality child safe internet filter service that neither your kids nor anyone else will be able to sneak around.

Don’t think of internet filters as just being something that blocks certain types of web content. While you’ll want that, you will also want to make sure your kids aren’t bothered by anyone on social media, or receive messages from strangers. Some child cyber protection software also allows you to limit their screen time and schedule for their computers and smartphones to automatically shut off at certain times.

If you have more than one child, then choose a suite that comes with a variety of filters that you can set individually for each child. Some will allow you to create a profile for each child, where you’ll have the ability to specify different rules for each, depending on their age and maturity level. For instance, you can block certain YouTube videos and websites that might be inappropriate for small children, yet allow your teenagers to access them. Choose a parental control program that will give you the amount of control you want.

Child Safe Internet Filter Usage Reports

Decide if you will want usage reports. Some parents don’t want to opt for this feature because they feel as though they might be intruding on their kids’ privacy. If your kids a bit older, you might not want to intrude too much. It’s entirely up to you. Do you want the usage report to be as specific as possible, or do you just want to be notified if they attempt to do something that might be concerning to you, or even dangerous.

Since everybody of all ages gets on the internet on more than just a home computer these days, it’s worth looking into a child safe internet filter service that you can use on smartphones and tablets too. Look for a good deal on a service that will allow you to sync the filters and settings on all devices with a single subscription.

No matter what you are looking for, Qustodio is the one parental control suite that simplifies everything. It offers cross-platform support, location tracking, time scheduler, and a broad range of child safe internet filter tools. Be sure and use Qustodio discounts to get a good deal on a subscription.

Parental Control

Phone Monitoring App for Parents: How to Keep Your Kids Safe without Snooping Too Much

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Many parents don’t like the idea of a cell phone monitoring app since they don’t want to be too intrusive and want to give their children some privacy and respect. On the other hand, if you don’t keep track of what they are up to and who they are talking to, how do you know they are not involved in anything dangerous? There is a compromise: use an app that will help you track their physical location and give you a summary of some of the content they view without fully looking at the details.

You can also regulate your child’s activities in the first place so that there won’t be any need to “spy” on them. Some parental control software can be used to help you filter out content you don’t want them to view, and to block numbers you haven’t approved of. You might also be able to get a list of who they have been texting, or chatting with on social media, without actually having to view the content of those messages so that they can still have a bit of privacy.

Some phone monitoring apps come with screen-time management, which can be very helpful in teaching kids how to manage their time better, and note to get distracted by staring at a screen all day. Instead, they can be doing meaningful, productive things like studying for school, reading, paying outside with friends, eating dinner with the family, etc.

Phone Monitoring App for a Strict Bedtime

If you want your kids in bed at 10:00 every night, then schedule for their phone to turn off automatically. Some parental control software also works on other devices, like PCs and tablets, in addition to smartphones. However, it usually costs money to use a particular program on multiple devices. If you do want this kind of service, make sure all of the devices and PCs you want them for meet the minimum system requirements.

When looking over these apps and programs, find out how you will be notified about what your child has been up to. Even if you just want a summary of their activities and don’t want to know details as to give them some privacy, it’s still helpful to receive notifications and summaries. Also, if the phone monitoring app has a location tracker, and your child goes outside of what you designate as “safe zones”, then you’ll definitely want an alert for that. Will the notifications come in real time? Will you receive them in an email? SMS alert? Push notification?

Kaspersy Safe Kids is a very good phone monitoring app and service for parents. The free version alone comes with some great features. However, it’s best to subscribe to the premium version so that you can get the extra security tools, like location tracking.

Parental Control

Best Online Parental Control Software: Important Info to Read Before Choosing the Ideal Software for Your Family

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There is a lot of stuff on the internet that can be very helpful to children. Image how helpful it could’ve been for older generations to be able to have so many tools at their fingertips to help them through school. If there is a problem with a particular subject or teacher, a child can now take advantage of free online lessons, educational YouTube videos, and many more resources. Unfortunately, there is a lot of stuff online that can be dangerous for children of all ages. It’s for this reason that many parents search for the best online parental control software.

With the right software, you’ll have tools you need to make sure that your child is only able to view safe, helpful websites. You can filter out the content that you don’t want them to view, whether it’s adult-oriented stuff, hateful content, violent content, and so forth.

Another useful feature that this kind of software may have is the ability to limit a child’s screentime. Don’t let them waste their time doing useless stuff in front of the screen when they can use that time for something more meaningful, such as spending quality time with the family, attending social events, doing physical activities like exercise and playing with friends, etc. Encourage your children to go outside and play with other neighborhood children.

The problem with a lot of parental control tools is that they are only aimed at Windows. If you want to be able to protect your child on every device and computer in the home, then you should invest in the best online parental control software that offers support for all operating systems and devices. You should be able to sync the settings across every device that you have the software or app installed on.

Best Online Parental Control Software for Multiple Children

If you have multiple children, you should have the ability to create multiple profiles and set individual parameters for each child, depending on his or her age and developmental level.

In order to avoid troubleshooting, choose a program that has a lot of positive reviews for its ease-of-use. Avoid any program that has complaints about its interface. Everything should be easy to setup, install, and use, even if you’ve never used a parental control program before. Good customer support is also essential.

Not all parental control tools and programs are free. In fact, the better ones will cost money because they offer many premium features, such as location tracking, call / text tracking for Android and Apple devices, priority support, and more.

If there is one program that should be considered the best online parental control software, it is Qustodio. It’s available for free, and there are a few “Family” and “Team” subscription options to choose from.

Parental Control

Best Parental Control Software for PC: Why Get the Ultimate Protection? What Are the Benefits?

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Are you ever concerned about what your kids are up to whenever they’re on the internet? You can’t keep an eye on them all the time. They won’t like you being nosy and you might not want to be one of the parents who “snoops”. Luckily, the best parental control software for PC will allow you to keep check on them without being too nosy.

For younger kids you can even filter out the types of content and websites you don’t want your kids to view. While there are always free parental control tools built-in with every browser, professional software gives you even more control. If you want to give teens a bit of privacy, you can simply request an overview of some of the sites they visited and how much time they spent in front of the screen.

Personal information protection is also very important. Help your kids avoid giving out their personal details to potential suspicious persons online. No child should ever give out ANY personal details, including phone number, school they attend, address, full name, photo, social media profile, email address, etc.

Abilities of the Best Parental Control Software for PC

The best parental control software for PC will also give you the ability to “lock” their computer (or smartphone / tablet) at certain times through scheduling, or immediately in the event of an emergency or if you want them to refocus on something family-oriented, such as dinner. You can also take advantage of this kind of feature by using it either as a punishment or a reward when your child misbehaves or does something good.

Usually, this “instant lock” function can be performed with a PIN. With the ideal software, the parent and the child should both be able to contact each other even when the device is in lock mode, which is very useful for whenever you are at work and they are at home, or if they are away with their laptop.

Try to avoid using spyware to outright watch every little thing each kid does. It’s more respectful for them, and helpful, if you give the tools and the knowledge on how to stay safe online, and to teach them healthy screentime habits. If you have more than one child, look for a program that allows you to create individual profiles and levels of protection for each child at no extra cost.

There are so many programs and tools out there, each purporting to be the “best parental control software for PC and / or smartphones”, but obviously they not all are. One suite to really look into is Norton Family Premier. Not only does it offer comprehensive features, it’s also low-cost – especially if you use Norton coupon codes. A free trial is available as well.

Parental Control

Family Internet Monitoring Software Info: Why It’s Best to Invest in a Full Suite of Parental Controls

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Tweens and teens are one of the main users of online and mobile technologies in not only North America but in many other countries. They are too young to remember a time when having a computer and smartphone was a luxury, not a necessity. Many parents set the wrong example by spending too much time looking at their own screens. In order to ensure that your children have healthier habits, and that you do not influence them unintentionally, the best thing to do is invest in family internet monitoring software.

Another concern of parents is the types of individuals and the amount of inappropriate content they can become exposed to. There are too many sites and videos about hate, racism, pornography, violence, and so forth. It’s also imperative that you protect your children from any predators who might try exploiting them. It really does happen.

There are many types of family internet monitoring tools and programs. It’s better to go with a full suite that is comprehensive in the services it offers. It is not enough to install a filter or two, or to simply rely on the free parental control features that come built-in with operating systems and browsers. These free, simple tools can only help so much, and there is a chance your kid is tech-savvy enough to figure out how to get around it all.

Investing in a full suite of parental controls is your best option. Comprehensive protection does not have to cost a fortune. There are some great programs that are very affordable. Some of them offer family internet monitoring across all devices in the household, from laptops and desktops to everyone’s phone and personal tablet. You only have to pay one subscription price to install the apps on multiple devices.

Family Internet Monitoring for More Than One Child

If you have more than one child at different ages, you can create a profile for each child and determine what kinds of websites and video content you want to block each child from viewing, depending on their age and developmental behavior. You can also set limits on how long each child is allowed to spend on their computer or smartphone each day. This will help teach them the importance of time management. Give them extra time to spend online as a reward for good behavior. Also, you can even use family internet monitoring tools for yourself so that you won’t get distracted and stay on your own smartphone / laptop longer than you should. Whenever you do have to look at a screen in front of your kids, explain to them why (replying to an important text from a relative, reading breaking news, work-related stuff, etc.)

Out of all of the family internet monitoring programs out there, which one is the best? One you might really want to consider starting with is Norton Family Premier. It’s an award winning software that comes with “video supervision”, “mobile app supervision”, “social network supervision”, “location monitoring”, and many more essential tools.