How to Monitor Your Kids Mobile Devices without Scaring Them
Recently, the Guardian reported an announcement by the government’s investigating the effects of mobile devices on child behavior. The study shows that many secondary school students use social media tools like Viber, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, KIK, Line, and social media sites through the night. The predictable consequences of this are poor concentration at school and lack of enough sleep. Parents face the dilemma of addressing their concerns about cyber security with their kids, without scaring them. As a result, it is only natural for parents to turn to Viber spying app/ KIK spy software/ WhatsApp spy and similar monitoring apps, to keep their kids in good mental and physical health. However, parents have to talk to their kids about using such apps before implementing them. Here’s how you can do this without causing alarm or panic, or shaking the child’s confidence.
Connect with Your Child
Signe Whitson is a Certified School Social Work Specialist and writer of many books related to child psychology and aggressive behavior in children. She recommends talking about safe sites online, defining the concept of “safe sharing” and setting clear guidelines about online etiquettes. She also says that teaching kids about certain red flags while talking to people is important. Parents must also know their child’s password and familiarize themselves with the “Lingo” online (acronyms like LOL, ROFL, BRB, JK, ATM, etc.).
Define “Safety” Online
Tell your child that online safely is not too different from normal day safety measures. Just as they are not to speak to random strangers while they are away from home, they must refrain from it online. Even if they make random friends online, it is important to know where to draw the line and avoid getting too personal. Many children are easy to beguile. They tend to share personal experiences and information too readily. Talk to your child about your concerns in a caring manner, mentioning that you trust them and need to make sure they are safe. While talking to your child, it is important to assure them that they are smart kids and you are just having a routine talk. Explain that people take better care of themselves in unwanted situations when they know what they have to do.
Educate Your Child about Proper Usage of Mobile and Internet Technology
As per the study on how students use social media and the internet during the night, parents have concerns about what kids talk about and with whom. Therefore, the first thing parents must do is educate their kids about the importance of following proper schedules. There is a time for everything. If children don’t respect the importance of proper sleep and living an active life, there can be health implications in future. Educate them about the threats online, especially sexual predators, cyber bullies, stalkers, and identity theft. Talk to them about what they can do if they feel someone poses a threat.
Tell Them You Will Watch Over Them with a Viber Spying App or KIK Spy Software, Xnspy, etc.
Sometimes, children need some guidance to learn how to manage things online. Telling them that you will be close by and watching them with apps is a good approach. Teach them that using apps like Viber, KIK, Skype, Line, and WhatsApp are generally safe. However, your kids must not become influenced by negative people and adopt negative behaviors. With XNSPY, which is as good as any Viber spying app, KIK spy software, or WhatsApp spy, you can remotely monitor your child’s mobile device. You can see all incoming and outgoing messages, photos, and videos. You can see their call logs too.
These apps also come with other monitoring features. For example, the “Watchlist Words” feature, which allows parents to know when their kids use specific words. Depending on the watchlisted words added to Xnspy, the software alerts parents whenever the target person sends or receives messages with those words. Moreover, parents can monitor browsing history to know what sites their children visit and at exactly what time.
When kids know parents are watching, in their early age, it instills a sense of caution and responsible behavior. When parents notice activity that raises concern, they can have a talk with their child. This way, they take your monitoring them in a friendly way without getting scared. When they are old enough and parents are sure that their kids are using their mobile device responsibly, they can stop using monitoring apps.
*This post was contributed. Hints and Tips Blog takes child safety very seriously and encourages you to take every precaution when dealing with mobile devices and online activity.
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