Does it feel like you need a degree in computer science just to keep up with your kids online? Do you hyperventilate every time you think about their digital safety and what you might be missing? Well, what if there was an EASY way to make sense of routers, filters and parental controls? Would you want that? … Absolutely!
As is the case with so many things, digital safety is not as much about what you know as it is about WHO you know. And … do we know a guy! His name is Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes, an organization dedicated to providing the best internet safety information for families. If you have a question about any tech device or app, chances are Chris and his team have already tested it dozens of times (like a curious kid) and have the answers you’re looking for.
Related: Ep. #1-5, The Internet is Broken – #FixAppRatings with Chris McKenna, Protect Young Eyes
Chris’ calendar is typically booked solid. So when he agreed to come on the show we literally jumped for joy! Not only does Chris know tech inside and out, but he’s able to communicate his knowledge in a way that every parent can understand. After thirty minutes chatting with him, oh my goodness, we learned soooo much!!! Click the podcast player to listen in. We’re confident that with Chris’ help, everyone can feel more confident protecting their kids at the internet level. Here’s what we cover in the show:
- You will always be your child’s best parental control.
- Seeing your router as the gatekeeper to your home devices.
- How to choose the best tech solutions for your family.
- Getting things right at the device level (away from home solutions).
Make technology a WE rather than ME experience
Being a dad comes first for Chris. And with four kids ranging from ages 8 to 15 he totally understands the challenges of raising kids in a media saturated world. For the younger boys, video games rock! And for his teen daughter, social media has become very important. To help keep everyone safe, the McKenna family work first and foremost on relationships. It’s really the most important layer in any tech safety plan, says Chris. We couldn’t agree more!
Related: Ep. #2-19, 4 Essential Steps to Protect Kids from Pornography
Chris says that WHERE kids use tech often determines HOW kids use tech. So he and his wife continually work at building a home environment where tech becomes a we/us experience—rather than a solitary me/I activity.
- Engage in technology with your kids. Play video games with them.
- Set up your home (or home workspace) so that different family activities can co-exist in the same space.
- Keep tech out of private locations!
And don’t be tempted to solve all tech safety problems with technical solutions. The very best parental control solution is you—a concerned parent. When building digital trust is part of the plan, children will be more likely to come to you when there’s trouble. So before we address routers, filters, and parental controls, let’s make sure we’re having the right conversations!
How well do you know your router?
Ok, moving on to hardware! Did you know that with the right router you can block some of the internet’s most dangerous content BEFORE it even reaches your child’s device? If you said “no,” you’re not alone. Most parents haven’t considered how to put their router to work for them. Think of it like a gatekeeper. Every bit of information that comes into your home has to pass through the router. And the amazing thing is that you can decide what that gatekeeper lets in.
At this point you might have a question or two (we sure did!). Like: What exactly is a router? Is this different from a modem? And how does it work? Melody describes her router as the “lighty-flashy-thingy” that sits behind her computer. Chris gave us a more detailed explanation! Here’s the rundown:
- Your internet service provider (ISP) delivers an unfiltered internet signal to your home (usually) through a cable.
- This cable is connected to the modem inside your home. The modem’s job is to translate the information from the cable into a digital format.
- The digital signal then goes from the modem through the router and is distributed wirelessly to all the devices in your home.
- Note: your ISP will likely provide you with a router. Your modem and router may also be combined into one “lighty-flashy-thingy.”
It’s important to understand that you are not limited to the router/modem configuration you currently have. It’s Chris’ recommendation that parents check out the Gryphon Guardian. This is an add-on router that easily allows parents to customize their internet safety settings at the Wi-Fi level.
How to choose the best routers, filters, & parental controls
The Gryphon Guardian is by no means the only solution. But you’ll want to listen to the show to hear how other products compare. Plus check out our additional links and resources below.
There really is no one cookie cutter solution for every family. The router configuration you choose will largely depend, in large part, on the age of your kids. It’s about finding the right tech solution for the stage of parenting you’re at. Don’t be intimidated. We’ve provided you with all the information you need to make an informed choice.
Related: Ep. #2-4, Be in the NOW: Mindfulness in Parenting
Setting parental controls at the device level
Have we got you feeling confident about your home set-up? Good. But what happens when your kids walk out the door? Do all those filters and protections disappear? Unfortunately, they do. That’s why it’s essential to add parental controls at the device level. There are actually two ways to do this:
- Download and use a (Chris-approved) third-party app.
- Enable the baked-in, device specific parental controls.
Depending on the router you choose, it may offer a mobile (away from home) solution. The Gryphon does! But you’ll have to sign up for a monthly plan. Once the app is installed, parents can “force” any assigned device to obey a variety of controls. One of the best features of the Gryphon App is that you can request the device to browse the internet exclusively through Safe Search on either Google or Bing.
But what if you’re not ready to commit to a monthly plan? Not to worry, there’s so much you can do for FREE. If your child has a smartphone, be sure to enable factory level parental controls. These baked-in parental controls are called “Screen Time Rules” on Apple/iOS and ”Family Lin for Android. Check out our Links/Resources section for easy to follow guides. If you do this ONE SIMPLE TASK, Chris says that’s like checking off 80% of the explicit content risk. Just a few minutes of your time can give you a whole lot of peace of mind.
Related: Ep. #1-7, Protecting Families with the Bark App, with Titania Jordan, Bark
Chris also gives a quick shout out to Bark and Covenant Eyes, two other monitoring apps that have been tried and tested in the McKenna Lab. More details in the show.
Click the ad below for a 30-day FREE trial of Covenant Eyes accountability software.
Episode challenge
The truth is, there are hundreds of internet safety products to choose from. Chris and his team have saved parents a ton of time by testing and selecting the top performers in every category. Your job this week is to pick just ONE thing (from everything we talked about today) and make a point to get it set up. Internet safety can be done one layer at a time. When you feel that you’ve solved one issue, move on to the next. Don’t try to tackle everything at once. Just get started and it won’t take long before you’re an expert at routers, filters and parental controls.
Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed the show, please leave a positive review or tell a friend!
More about today’s guest
After a 12-year career in business advising with Ernst & Young, and six years in full-time middle school ministry, Chris is now the Educational Resource Manager for Covenant Eyes, an Accountability and Filtering Company. In 2015 he created Protect Young Eyes as a way to equip and encourage parents and students to use technology responsibly. Chris’ research has helped countless families around the country and the release of the Scripture-based Virtue in Media digital citizenship curriculum finally provides a faith-based teaching solution for schools. Chris is regularly featured on news, radio, and podcasts for his research.
Links/Resources
2020 Best Wi-Fi Routers and Parental Controls Explained
The Best Parental Control Software for 2020
Apple iPhone & iPad Parental Controls
For FREE (baked-in) parental controls on a variety of devices, including gaming systems, computers, and mobile devices, check out ProtectYoungEyes.com and click on Devices.
*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, Parents Aware/Media Savvy Moms receives 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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