Parental Monitoring Tips for Cell Phones

As parents’ lives keep getting busier and busier with work, homework, volunteering, school and sports activities just to name a few, how does one find the time to stay on top of  the digital age. To help parents and children with cell phone and online safety, parents often turn to monitoring software for cell phones and smartphones. Some of these software can help children learn how to be responsible with the use of technology.  It is essential today to keep children safe with real-time monitoring, communication and parental tools. It is important to look for software that helps to keep the lines of communication open between you and your child to have a bond of trust. Here are some tips when choosing a parental monitoring software:

• Connect with your child by creating contact list together for calls, texts and emails that you can manage for any suspicious activity
• Engage in your child’s cell phone activity by viewing any alerts that are sent to the parents from any contacts that are not on the pre-approved contact list. Usage control puts the parent in charge of the child’s cell phone usage.
• Explore resources for parents on balancing how to keep kids safe online while empowering them as digital citizens. Keep update with manuals, newsletters and articles.
• Monitor what your child is doing by setting filters for what multimedia content can download on their phone. Grant temporary access to new and existing phone applications. Disable phone calls during certain times of the day.
• Communicate with your child about owning or using a cell phone is a privilege not a right. Continue use depends entirely on them being able to demonstrate responsible behavior.