Kids are active on social media and texting apps more than any generation. They share their stories, daily and weekly experiences, and adventures with their friends. But predators do not leave them alone. Kids can fall for scams or be bullied by them. Ads on social media are inappropriate, by monitoring kids’ texts, parents can detect any influence of those ads to protect their children. Moreover, monitoring kids’ texts can help parents stay informed about their social interactions. Parents can stay aware of who kids communicate with and the nature of the conversation. This activity fosters open communication between parents and kids about responsible use of digital devices. Parents can discuss topics such as privacy, and respect.

Following are some tips to set up safe texting for your kids.

Monitoring apps

Text monitoring app allows to read texts without kids realizing that. Qustodio, Bark, Mobicip and many other parental control apps allow to check on kids’ digital activities through monitoring browsing and apps they use. These apps monitor calls and SMS and have a panic button for emergencies. Apps block inappropriate content, games and websites. Allow kids to view friendly sites, and block harmful ones to prevent access to mature content, gambling and such threats. Apps notify you through alerts when kids send or receive blocked or filtered messages. Parents can set healthy screen time limits and can locate their kids.

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Open Communication

An essential step to be taken to build trust and foster a healthy parent-child relationship is open communication. Parents should talk with empathy, and understanding to listen to their child’s perspective. Start by explaining why you have chosen to monitor their texting. How much it is crucial in this era of predators and keeping them safe. Assure that you trust them and respect their privacy but also emphasize the importance of supervision. Encourage kids to express their emotions and feelings for being monitored. Address the anxieties they may have. Create a dialogue where the kid feels comfortable asking questions and sharing experiences. Check in regularly to discuss any challenge your kid is facing.

Call Management

This feature is instrumental in monitoring kids’ texting habits. Parents can track and manage kids’ calls and texts providing insights into communication patterns. It also helps to identify potential risks or concerns related to texting. Call management helps to review call and text logs to check who they are calling. By checking the duration and frequency of calls parents get to know the reasons for the unusual behaviours of kids. This feature also allows blocking numbers, particularly in preventing unwanted communication such as bullying or threats. The features may include real-time alerts receiving calls from contacts outside of designated hours.

Google Family Link

It is a powerful tool for monitoring kids’ digital activities. First, install the app on both devices. Follow the prompt to create an account for children and link their devices to parents. In the child’s phone, go to settings in the app and select Messages under Manage Settings. Click on the option “See SMS and MMS messages”. This will allow you to see sent and received messages after monitoring is enabled.

Lead by Example

Setting an example for your children to follow to keep an eye on their digital chatting requires acting responsibly in your own interactions. Children do what they see their parents doing. As deeds speak louder than words parents should model thoughtful and polite texting behaviour for kids. Teach them the value of meaningful communication by doing so. This involves speaking properly, protecting the privacy of others, and abstaining from unpleasant online interactions. Be open and honest about your own digital activities and demonstrate healthy boundaries and self-regulation on screen time.