Table of Contents
This is a collaborative post
Do you need some parental control to assess and monitor all the things that your kids see and do online? Are your kids’ smartphones or tablets loaded with Snapchat and Facebook and does it concern you that they may be engaging in dangerous activity? Although on first glance most interactions online may seem very harmless, there are many people who are very sophisticated online and will be able to track your child’s location and their information which puts them at risk. Are your kids a little afraid of interacting on their phones around you? Do your kids wait until certain times to message their friends or do it in secret, or do they dip their phone when you walk into sight? It could mean that they are doing something that you may not approve of and it’s important to look into how you can keep them safe and monitor what is going on.
Should I Start Spying On My Kids?
Well every situation that you feel is uncertain or worrying to you, should first be tackled by sitting down and talking to them. Communication is important and rushing in to spy on them physically could make them feel uncomfortable or may destroy any trust that you all have. So be sure to sit down and talk to them and tell them your worries as well as letting them know that you are thinking of setting up a monitoring system to keep them safe. The chances are they will not be happy about this,which is understandable upto a point, so that’s why there are many online apps that will allow you to monitor them without them even having to know.
Next step is to look at installing a monitoring device that will track computers and phones, just in case they are calling and texting people that you do not know or are not happy about them talking to. Most parental control services work similarly to each other and are very simple. You start by installing a monitoring app on every device you want to keep tabs on and you can manage settings. These will allow you to set any restrictions. The changes will take effect immediately and then you will be able to see the activity. You can find out more to get you up to speed with the technology behind them and how they can work to your advantage.
How Do They Work Exactly?
They really do not take much getting used to and the technology is simple. The evolution of technology has made things easier for everyone to get to grips with and a lot of the apps work on GPS tracking. We can track real-time locations with the help of GPS and so if your child is going out we can be sure of where they are, which puts our minds at ease. The system will capture the GPS location information at certain regular intervals and then send it to the central server so when you look at your app you can see where that device is, as well as any calls and texts that it has made. This is done via something known as cellular data service like GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). Information is easily downloaded and collected in the data centre and this also means that the information is very easy for you to digest on the app. If you need to call them to follow up or if you want to go pick them up if they want to come home, you can find them.
Should I Feel OK With This?
Whilst every parent has a different stance on monitoring their children, there is no reason for you to feel guilty about doing this. If you feel that it would be a positive then you should look into the ways in which to do it safely but if it doesn’t sit right with you, then that’s OK too but it’s always good to know the positives of it and there are many. You should not feel as if you can’t monitor your kids, if you have a good relationship with them, then you could always be very open with them regarding it. You can also opt to do it privately for your own peace of mind. As children grow, they will come into contact with many dangers, online and in the outside world, and it’s important for them to learn lessons too, but with the added dimensions of security, you can rest assured that you have better control over things.