Exposure to digital media has increased for kids, especially in the past couple of years due to the pandemic. While on the one hand, online media has been a blessing allowing kids to manage their studies without stepping out; on the other, it has increased the number of hours they spend online. However, the increase in exposure comes with a fair share of risks, such as being exposed to inappropriate content, being a victim of cyberbullying, and certain health issues. As a mother of two kids, a 7-year-old and a 14-year-old, I was naturally concerned.
The Issues That I Faced
I had always tried to limit my 7-year-olds screen time to not more than an hour a day. But things changed with the pandemic, and she started spending more time online, partially due to her online classes and partly because she was not going out to play. Now with things normalizing, I have been trying my best to reduce her screen time, but it has not been easy. She would cry, throw a fuss, and take the mobile on the sly when no one was watching. With time I could see some behavioral issues in her, like anger, aggression, and a poor focus on her studies. She even started having trouble falling asleep, and her sleep schedule became irregular. One more problem that cropped up was that she started complaining of headaches. I knew I had to do something before these things started affecting her health more adversely.
With my elder one, on the other hand, the problem was not watching YouTube or playing games. It was surfing all kinds of content on the internet and being hooked to social media. I had little to no idea what messages she was exposed to, all the sites she was visiting, and what apps she was downloading or using frequently. I also could not cut her off from social media as she did need to use the internet for her school and project work. However, I was getting increasingly concerned about her exposure to the risks associated with digital media and wished I could track or manage the content she was exposed to without infringing upon her privacy.
I discussed my concerns with a friend, and she told me about Wondershare FamiSafe App. According to her, it is the most reliable parental control app that lets parents control screen time, detect inappropriate content on a kid’s mobile, and track their real-time location. I decided to try it. I looked through the app in detail and found features such as limiting screen time, ensuring content safety, and enabling real-time tracking. Needless to say, I was excited. And I installed it. Let me tell you, this app has exceeded my expectations.
Limiting Screen-time
This feature allows me to manage the time my kids spend on their devices and get records remotely as to how much time they spend on their devices daily, weekly, and monthly. Thanks to this device, I can remotely block or unblock the kid’s digital devices, which helps limit their screen time. I can also set up a smart schedule with downtime at night, which stops these devices from affecting my child’s sleep routine. Moreover, features like setting screen time restrictions around specific places like home, and school and scheduling blocking of chosen apps or devices at a particular period of the day, help me manage screen time without having to ask or interfere physically.
Content Safety And Web Safety
My younger daughter was recently showing a lot of aggression and irritability. By nature she is a calm and well-mannered child, and I was very worried. To my shock, when I downloaded the Wondershare FamiSafe App and tracked online content viewed by her, I saw a disturbing video that she had viewed. I immediately blocked this and similar videos through the app and realized once more why this app is so important. With so much content around, as parents, one can never be sure what kind of videos their kids are watching and how it will affect them mentally. This app’s content and web safety feature helped me safeguard my kids from undesirable content to which they are exposed, including Tiktok and YouTube videos. In addition, I get a detailed report of videos viewed and time spent on specific apps. Another aspect of this feature that I found to be good was its ability to detect toxic messages on social media and delete them. Same for harmful pictures, which I could delete without physically accessing my kid’s handset.
Family Location Tracker
This feature was a blessing. With two kids of different ages going to separate schools, their safety was always on my mind. It was a bigger concern with my elder kid since she also went for after-school activities. In addition, she would often go to friends’ houses, increasing my concern. Although I could call and ask about her whereabouts, I would always worry until she returned home. Thanks to this app, I can now get my kids’ real-time location anytime with reliable accuracy. It also sends me alerts when my kid leaves home or school and a location record of their activities.
I think this app is not a choice but a necessity in today’s world, where kids spend so much time online. FamiSafe is supported across various platforms such as App Store, Google Play, Amazon App Store, macOS, Windows, and Chrome Store, adding to the convenience.
Since it is not possible for parents to physically monitor or restrain kids from accessing online content, this app is a safe and effective way to keep children away from distractions, addictions, and potential risks associated with digital media.
