Technology Parent Hacks

What I wish someone said to me:
If you don’t have the bandwidth to learn how to fully protect your kids on a technology device, do not give them access to one. Period.

I’m still heartbroken about what these kids are saying and doing to each other on their platforms (esp roblox & tictok). Not to mention the adults being kids on there as well, exposing them to wildly inappropriate things. And by wildly I do mean like… hard for my brain to even comprehend what is happening.

Tips: if you need a computer for them with a very easy way to protect them- use a chromebook and set up the family link. It’s brilliant. B broke her screen and we had to order a new one and you just log in with the same info and the parental settings automatically apply to the new one! And they’re only $200 or so.

If you use iPads set up screen time and go through every setting they offer and learn it. It’s very simple once you go through and learn. You can set timers for how long they can be on per day. You can block websites or only allow certain ones. You can block app downloads. It’s also brilliant.
Reminder: do not use your own apple id on their device! Use family share and set up a child account for it. You can also set it so some apps are always allowed like self-help apps, sleep music apps, etc.
Note: at 13 they get to take over a lot more of their access by googles law.

If you are like me and allow them to have social media, IG, for example… log their profile in on your IG and allow notifications. Then you can actually see their chat. It’s awesome because they get more freedom but it remains safe. B recently talked to someone who reached out, who was a total stranger posing as a teen (I looked at his followers and followed and it was all other adults, foreign). I was able to teach her the danger of that and how to be smart enough to tell who is not who they say and where to look.

These kids are going to have technology… they need to know how to be savvy. I know it can feel overwhelming but once you get the hang of it, maintaining is super easy!

m xx