The number of kids with cellphones today is double the number of kids who had them in 2004. Currently, 85% of children aged 14 to 17 years old have a cell phone. Sixty-nine percent of the kids aged 11 to 14 years and 31% of 8 to 10-year-olds have it. The question is what these kids are doing with their phones. Well, some of them are using their cellphones positively. For example, they are using these devices to keep you informed of their whereabouts and experiences. Unfortunately, cell phones can endanger kids as well. Here are 4 tips to keeping tabs on your kids’ cell phone usage.
- Install a Spy App
Taking chances with your children’s safety is unwise. Remember, one traumatic experience may change their perspective on life forever. Similarly, one meeting your child has with the wrong person might be the last time you see your kid. Therefore, the first step toward monitoring your kid’s cell phone usage should be a decisive one. More specifically, install a spy app on their phone. This app helps you monitor communications on their phone. That means you will take note of people who are trying to influence your kid negatively. - Restrict Data Plans
Different companies have different data plans. Some of these companies have a family plan as well. The best course of action is to forgo an unlimited plan. Instead, go for a limited one that alerts you to your kid’s use of data. For example, imagine that your kid uses the current data plan for a month. Then your child’s data runs out within a week. What is the cause of this sudden uptick in his usage of data? What kind of sites is he visiting? Taking note of these changes is impossible if you have an unlimited data plan. - Talk to Your Child
It is worth noting that children are creative. They will notice that you are monitoring their cell phone activity. At times, they might suspect it even if they cannot prove it. Consequently, they will circumvent the measures you put in place to keep tabs on them. Preventing these acts of circumvention is possible if you talk to your child. Inform them about the dangers of talking to strangers online. Ask them to inform you whenever a stranger contacts them. They should also tell you when their friends send them a link to adult-themed sites. In this case, your child becomes a proactive player in ensuring the safe and productive use of his cellphone. - Parental Control
You can place parental controls on the phones that your child uses. These controls would sieve the sites that your child can access blocking suspicious ones. For example, they would redirect the browser away from pornographic sites. You can have passcodes to these controls so that your child cannot change these settings. Make sure that the passcodes are unique. Remember that kids are intelligent. They can guess those passcodes if you do not develop unique ones. However, your best bet at monitoring your child’s cell phone usage is a spy app. Unlike parental control, which only deals with your kids browsing activities, spy apps deal with browsing, messaging, and calling activities. Take a look at https://www.thetoolreport.com/hack-text-messages/ to learn more.