Monitoring Children with a Mobile Phone

The online space has changed dramatically in a few short years. The days of monitoring only the PC have long gone. One of the most rapid technology developments of recent years is the mobile. Add to this iPads and tables plus the fact that children are now no longer just on Facebook but split their time between a number of tools, platforms and apps means parents have their work cut out for them.

The age of children being given mobile phones is getting younger with reports that children as young as eight are getting mobile phones. This creates a dilemma for parents in terms of supervising their usage. So what are parents to do?

There are a number of things parents can do to protect their children online.

How you go about this will depend on your parenting style, how you supervise your children and their age. However, there are some key things to take into account.

(1) The first thing is to wrap your head around the fact that if you choose to give your child a mobile phone you are not actually giving them a phone. You are basically providing them with a computer in their hands. The iPhone is an amazing device with email and Internet access, social media, apps, texting and more. If you want to give your child a phone for safety reasons why not provide them with a simple phone which doesn’t have all the modern capabilities?

(2) There is plenty of software out there which is able to monitor your child’s phone. However, this does depend on what phone you are using and what you want to monitor (i.e. texts, apps, inappropriate content). Also bear in mind that electronic monitoring might not be the most effective way to parent in the digital age. It might be effective with preteens, however, rebellious teenagers may present a greater challenge. Why not start with having a chat to your mobile service provider to see if they are able to block certain websites as part of your plan?

(3) Creating ground rules is a must for children of any age. Just as you would set limits around gaming or TV, the same thing needs to occur for mobiles. Set boundaries around the downloading of apps, appropriate/inappropriate content, texting, no phones in their rooms at night and so on. If parents are paying for the phone then the control is with them. Also talk to them about the consequences of breaking these rules.

(4) Online safety is a talk that all parents need to have with their children. Speak to your child about some of the dangers of the online space. Let them know why you don’t want them to visit a particular website or download a particular app. Explain to them about what is appropriate behaviour on social media and why putting certain content on social networks is not a good idea. Keep the lines of communication open so they are able to come to you with a query. It is better for them to be a little scared than to be unaware.

At the end of the day, how you monitor your child will depend so much on their age and what your values and beliefs are as a family unit.

However, what is important to remember is that children are technologically savvy and simply blocking something may not be the most effective way to protect your children.

Having conversations with them from an early age and building trust as they grow is important. Some parents argue, “I trust my children, I just don’t trust other people’s children”. Although this is relevant it is more vital that children learn how to safely use the online environment. They need to understand how inappropriate messages or images can impact them emotionally but also how it can affect their digital footprint.

Providing children with tools and skills to be able to safely navigate the online space is one of the most important things in this digital age. Although this may be challenging for working parents it is the reality of parenting in the 21st century.

 

This article written by Anna Cairo. Anna Cairo (MA) is a qualified online communications professional. She specialises in social media risk, policy and education for schools and businesses; as well as how communication is  shifting and impacting workplaces, individuals and society.