Who said being a parent is easy? It’s the most challenging role, and at times, you struggle to keep the little humans safe.
You indeed open the doors of technology by giving phones and smart devices to your kid, but there has to be a limit on everything.
Talking to your kids about the pros and cons of using technology and what’s on the other side of the digital world is essential. As a parent, you may want to monitor your kid’s phone, but at the same time, you don’t want to breach the trust and mutual respect, especially when the kids are older.
Read on for more information.
Reasons for Monitoring A Child’s Phone
Your kids know that you are not their enemy, but they may sometimes find it hard to swallow the questions you ask or the reasons you present to keep an eye on their phones. It’s essential to develop a strong bond with kids from an early age to be open to any type of communication and understand why you need to help them keep safe.
#1. You Don’t Want them to See Harmful Content
Not all content is safe for kids. First, you need to check what you can allow your kids to see. Nowadays, anyone can search for anything, so it’s best to know what type of parental control apps can help.
As long as your kids are consuming educational content, it’s okay. But again, you need to check what type of content is available for the kids. They are fragile and do not know the hidden dangers of life.
#2. You Want to Avoid Cyberbullying
According to a recent survey by Statista, 36.5% of middle and high school students have been victims of cyberbullying, and this rate is an all-time high so far.
Cyberbullying is a form of harassment in the digital world. So naturally, you don’t want your kids to become victims of cyberbullying, which makes it a solid reason to monitor the phone. When your child is in trouble and needs help, it’s best to intervene and see what you can do.
#3. You Want Your Kids to Be Safe
When you hear news about a child going missing or if you don’t feel safe in your area, it’s best to track the location of your kid’s phone. So, when your kid doesn’t get home and it’s too late or if you feel uncertain, you can check where the phone is, and if anything appears suspicious, it’s time to act.
One of the main reasons you want to monitor your kid’s phone is that you don’t want anything wrong to happen to your child.
#4. You Want Your Kids to Support The Community
You want to raise individuals with healthy minds. If your kids have a positive and a growth mindset, they will be excellent contributors to the community.
It’s hard to swallow, but your child could be the one bullying others or causing trouble. If that’s the case, you need to know what’s going on. Find the root cause of the negative behavior before it’s too late.
#5. For Your Satisfaction
The safety and well-being of your child is your number one priority. Everything else in life is meaningless if your kids are not safe. Therefore, you want to provide a safe space for your kids.
You may want to monitor your child’s phone to feel safe. You want to know that your kids are doing okay. It doesn’t have to be an invasion of privacy. You can talk to your kids about it and see what’s their reaction. If you and the kids share a strong bond, they won’t hesitate to show you their phones.
FAQs
What is the best age to give a phone to your child?
According to the Children’s Bureau, children get phones between 12 and 13. However, as a parent, you know what’s best for your child. So, you can decide the right age to give a phone to your kid.
Why give a phone to a child?
You may want to give the phone to your child; for example, you may want to enhance their social learning experience, want them to get access to educational content, or simply because of an emergency contact. As a parent, it’s your responsibility to make your kid aware of the pros and cons of using a phone.
Why monitor your kid’s phone?
We live in the age of information technology, and it’s hard to tell what’s safe for the kids and what’s not. Cyberbullying is a common issue, and thus, it’s vital to know if something is wrong in your kid’s life. Also, to avoid the danger of kids being lost or in danger, it’s good to understand options to track the phone’s location. Talk to your kids about it to make things smooth for everyone.
Wrapping It Up
Many strong reasons will keep you on your toes, and there would be no other option but to keep a close eye on your kid’s phone and their overall behavior. It doesn’t have to be an invasion of privacy, but a mutual understanding between you and the kids that they won’t break your trust. Also, your kids must know you want to monitor the phone out of the concern and their safety.
