4 Ways to Control Your Childs Smartphone Use

Almost every child has access to a smartphone nowadays. Having a smartphone is important, most especially if it is being used for the right reasons. However, this technology growth has both advantages and disadvantages. There is a huge concern of so much harmful and inappropriate content on the internet that is not safe for our children. This calls for you to protect your child from getting exposed to the bad content and cyber criminals and bullies. While it is easier to control computer and tablet use, it is a bit challenging to control how children use their smartphones.

4 Ways to Control Your Childs Smartphone Use

Here are four simple tips to help you limit smartphone use by your child:

1. Use parental control in smartphones
2. Establish rules
3. Educate the children
4. Check regularly

1. Make Use of Parental Controls

Most smartphones have parental control and restriction settings. You can restrict your child from accessing browsers, cameras or any other application that you feel might be harmful. You can purchase a phone tracker to enable you monitor what the child is doing on their smart phones or where they are. If you have more than one child, you can use a software that allows you to monitor all the phones you want at the same time.

2. Establish Rules

It is important to set up some rules to control the usage of smartphone by your children. Put these rules in place before giving them the phone. Impose severe consequences for breaking these rules. This way the kids will easily abide by these rules. These rules should revolve around the amount of time the child uses the smartphone, not using the smartphone in their bedrooms, not accessing some applications and so on.

In regards to limiting the use of smartphone, you can start by yourselves a parent by being a good example. They will most likely obey if you show them with an example. Let every child know the reasons why they have smartphone. You can limit the time they spend online by limiting the data, text messages and airtime. This will limit the time they spend on the smartphone. Another useful rule you can establish is the use of passwords. Ensure you know the passwords of their devices or have them removed to allow you access their phones easily.

3. Educate the Children

Have a conversation with your children on how to use their phones safely. Educate them on the dangers of the internet by giving them real-life scenarios where the use of smartphone inappropriately did not go well. Advise them not to post, share or download any harmful content. Let them know that there are harsh consequences of posting and sharing some information such as racist’s posts, inappropriate photos, sharing homophobic posts or sharing photos and posts with illegal content such as the use of drugs.

Remember to educate them about their online privacy. Such as not sharing personal information with anyone online. Not to meet up with strangers they interact with online.

4. Check Regularly

Take the smartphones and see what the kids do online regularly. Go through their social media accounts to see what content they are exposed to or what they post. Go through their browsing history as well. Check the emails and the kind of people they talk to and the messages. If they are not adhering to the rules, you can withdraw some privileges or take the smartphones away.

Wrapping Up

Smartphone are an important part of our lives now. Life could be a little harder without them. It is important to let children have their own phones. However, it is important that you control and monitor what they are doing with their phones. Get more tips to help you ensure that kids are safe and not accessing inappropriate content.