Good, Better, Best. How often should I monitor my child’s smartphone?

By Media Savvy Moms PodcastOn May 12, 2021May 11, 2021

Good, Better, Best. How often should I monitor my child’s smartphone?

Involved parents worry about their child or teen’s safety online. And rightly so. The nature of the internet means harmful content could come across their screen at any time. Dangerous situations seem to be lurking around every corner. So, many parents wonder, how often should I monitor my child’s smartphone? Should I check it daily? And is that really the best way to keep them from harm?

In this episode, I confess that I don’t check my child’s phone the way many parents do. Saying that publicly on this podcast does make me feel a little vulnerable. I recognize I’m going against the grain. But, I hope, as I explain the principles behind my strategy and how online safety is always a top priority in our home, I feel confident in saying there are better (and less cumbersome) ways to keep kids safe than simply checking their smartphone.

Monitor my child’s smartphone

If we’re talking about good, better, and best, then checking devices and search history is our base level. It’s the starting point. It’s good! Where you choose to go from here will be unique to your situation. Things to consider are the age of your child, your relationships, as well as how attached they are to their device.

In this episode:

Checking your child’s phone is GOOD. Navigating a media-saturated world is tough work. Parent involvement is the biggest key to your children’s success.

Use a monitoring app like Bark. No parent can catch every potential danger. Let technology work with you, not against you.

Open communication is BETTER. No app can catch every potential danger either. When kids see parents as their ally with tech they are more likely to speak up when they need help.

Building Safer Screen Habits is BEST. Over time, guide your child to make smarter, safer decisions based on their priorities and core values.

Episode challenge

Evaluate the digital safety strategy you have with your kids. Remember you can layer phone checks and monitoring, with open conversation, and work towards building safer screen habits. It may need to be a combination of all three. At the end of the day, doing what’s right for your family really is the best!

Download our FREE guide

Want help creating healthy boundaries around screen time and devices in your home? Download your FREE Quick Guide to Safer Screen Habits here. https://bit.ly/Quick-Guide-to-Safer-Screen-Habits

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, please leave a positive review or tell a friend!

Links/Resources

Books:

Conversations with My Kids: 30 Essential Family Discussions for the Digital Age by Educate Empower Kids

Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-Proofing Today’s Young Kids – for ages 8 to 11 by Kristen Jenson

Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds (book) – for ages 3 to 7 by Kristen Jenson

Stand Up to Sexting: An Open Conversation for Parents and Tweens by Christy Monson & Heather Boynton,

Videos:

Brain, Heart, World – Docuseries About the Harmful Effects of Pornography

Ep. #2-46, New Resource to Help Kids Stand Up to Sexting

Blog post: How To Get Your Kids Talking (About Stuff that Matters)

[Affiliate info]

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, Parents Aware/Media Savvy Moms receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Thanks for helping to support us in our mission to protect families from the harms of pornography.

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Media Savvy Moms Podcast

Who knew honest conversations about parenting and pornography could be so approachable? Join Marilyn for a series of contemplations, chats, and interviews as she helps fellow parents tackle this challenging topic with their kids.

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