Time Limits
An app that allows you to set time limits on your child’s screen time can save you a lot of arguments over when it’s time to give up their devices. Instead of having to tell your child to shut it down, the app simply kicks in and blocks your child from continuing to use the device. It’s simple and painless.
Of course, the app should give you the flexibility to set your own time limits. You may want to set the device to turn off at certain times of day, like bedtimes and meal times, or you may want to limit the total amount of time your child can spend on the device – for example, you may want to limit them to two hours a day, and once those two hours are used up, they’re done, no matter what time it is. Ideally, your parental app will allow you to do both of those things.
App Blocking
A good parental control app should give you the ability to block apps as needed. Of course, you’ll definitely want to block apps that are inappropriate for your child, and you may also want to block apps that your child might get into trouble with, like shopping apps — or you could end up with an unexpected $500 credit card charge from Aeropostale!
However, it’s also useful to be able to block some apps temporarily. For example, if your child uses their tablet for school, you don’t want to block the educational apps that they might need during the day, but you may want to block games or social apps that might distract them from their school work during school hours. You should be able to block and unblock apps as needed.
Streamlined Account
It should be easy to monitor all of your children on all of their devices.
Often, children have several devices – a smartphone and a tablet, for instance. And if you have multiple children, managing different accounts on their different devices can get unmanageable quickly. Who has the brain space to remember ten different usernames and passwords? The best parental control apps won’t make you log into different accounts to check on different devices or different children.
A streamlined family account that allows you to log in and manage all of the devices for all of the children in your household. Managing your children’s screen time and monitoring their web use should not be an overwhelming task.
Ready to learn more? A free trial can help you get the hang of using a parental control app and decide whether or not it’s right for your family. If you’re interested in finding out which parental control features you like best, try Screen Time for FREE Now!
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