Your child’s first step into the digital world is a big one, and there’s more to it than simply handing them a device and hoping for the best. Growing up with technology in the 2020s is unlike anything we ever had to deal with, and some things you may have never even heard about!
Here are 5 things to know before letting your child loose in the world of texting and apps.
1. Built-in parental control apps for phones have tons of loopholes
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Apple has its Screen Time, and Androids have Google Family Link. Both are proprietary, free, and are aimed at parents looking to manage their child’s device, think app blocking, time limits, access to the app store, and more.
But these apps are incredibly buggy, and kids are experts at figuring out loopholes and tricks to get around any restrictions you set. You may be wondering, “Why aren’t they stronger?” The answer is complicated, but for Apple specifically, the company values privacy, not protection.
An online safety app like Bark, on the other hand, was built by a dad of two to help families navigate the world of tech in a safer way.
2. Tech contracts are essential
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Before you give your child a phone, it can be super helpful to sit down and discuss expectations and boundaries. I recommend filling out a tech contract, which lays down all the house ground rules, as well as consequences for breaking them. Some important things to talk with your kid about include:
- When phones can be used
- Where phones can be used
- Sites that are off-limits
- Who they can talk to
- How you are always a safe place to come to if they feel uncomfortable
3. If an app has chat, there will be potential predators
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No matter how wholesome or safe an app seems, if there’s the ability for strangers to message each other, there will be predators lurking. We’ve seen dangerous conversations in fitness and religious apps even apps meant for 8-year-olds. It’s easier than ever for predators to reach out to children and begin the grooming process, so parents should be involved in the apps their kid uses and speak candidly about “tricky people” online.
4. No phones in the bedroom/bathroom
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A hard and fast rule I always recommend for families is absolutely no phones behind closed doors. It may seem harmless, but allowing kids to use devices in private can create tons of opportunities for danger. With no one watching, children can all too easily scroll through inappropriate content, take risky pictures, chat with strangers, or simply stay up all night endlessly scrolling.
By requiring phones to be used in your company or common areas of the home, you’re encouraging healthy habits and helping them show you that they’re using their device responsibly.
5. Don’t fall for “not my kid syndrome”
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We all love our kids dearly and don’t want to imagine they’d ever do something dangerous, illegal, or risky. But kids make mistakes, and thinking otherwise can lead to “not my kid” syndrome, which is underestimating both the dangers they face and their willingness to get caught up in them. Don’t make assumptions about what your kid is doing online. Talk to them openly about dangers, their habits, and the news, including hard subjects like predation, suicide, and sexting.
Using a tool like Bark lets you give your kid a tech safety net. You’ll get alerts for potential dangers like drugs, sexting, predation, and depression, but you won’t necessarily have to sift through everything on their phone.
If you’re looking for the safer option for your child’s first device, consider the Bark Phone or the Bark Watch. They give you control over nearly everything your child can do, giving them safer access while helping to protect them online and in real life.
