As the parent of a tween with a cell phone, you have given your child a bit of freedom as well as so much more responsibility. Even though you may have loosened the reigns a bit for your child, you still want to make sure that they are safe and staying around age-appropriate materials from the phones and their computers. Just as there are some wonderful things for kids to do with their cell phones and computers, parents are also armed with the technology needed to fight technology.

Parental Controls on Cell Phones … They Are There For A Reason!

If you have already gotten your tween a cell phone, odds are that there will be some kind of parental monitoring software on it. If not, there are companies that provide cell phones that kids love, yet paired with the technology parents need. One of these companies is called Kajeet. Kajeet offers ’must-have’ things like web browsing and texting to your child’s phone but gives you, as the parent, the ability to block certain sites, allow your child to send or receive texts from certain people and even offers GPS technology so you know where your tween is at all times.

Monitor Your Tween’s Computer Use Easily

Just like you can watch the browsing on your tween’s cell phone, you can also monitor their computer use. You will be able to install programs onto your computer or laptop that will make it impossible for your tween to access certain Internet sites, monitor any chat sessions that go on, give you predator alerts, and even set time limits for your child.  There is more powerful software that will record everything your child does online. Monitoring software can also be used to help protect your child when they are online and you are not with them.  This software sends reports and alerts that parents set up to receive to their email anytime, anywhere.  Simply watch the news about children who get abducted or abused by someone they met online and you will quickly see the value of having such a program. You can even monitor social networking sites with this software.

Geo-Fencing for Your Tween

If you have not yet come across geo-fencing, it is a technology of which every tween and teen parent should be aware.  For a tween or teen, a geo-fence uses GPS technology and monitors where they are. The difference between GPS monitoring your child constantly and monitoring your child with geo-fencing is that your child will be able to move freely throughout a certain perimeter. However, once the child goes out of that perimeter, the parent is immediately notified by call, text or email, depending on the system you have set up. Knowing where your child has gone off to can be extremely important in ensuring their safety.

Web Filtering Software

Though computer monitoring was touched on previously in this article, it is important as a parent of a tween or teen that you are watching their web browsing specifically. The web, though it may not seem to be extremely dangerous, can be a horrible or even scary place for children who don’t know what they can stumble upon. There are really no limits to what can be seen or done on the Internet, so purchasing software that will monitor your child’s browsing or prevent your child from doing certain searches or going to certain websites can be very beneficial. The most important things you need to watch out for are cyberbullies, adult predators, and pornography.

Stop Texting and Driving

Once your child is old enough, texting and talking while driving can become a big concern for many parents. Research shows that each year, more than 6,000 people die in car accidents caused by talking or texting while driving. Don’t let your child become a statistic. It is possible to install blocking devices into your car that will disallow texting when the car is in motion. This might even be a technology from which the whole family can benefit.

Monitor the Driving Habits of Your Teen Driver

Speaking of driving, you can also find programs to install in your vehicle designed to monitor the driving habits of your teen. You will be able to receive a report showing instances of speeding, hard stopping, swerving, accidents, and even if they venture outside of a certain perimeter that you have set for them. Not only can this keep your teen driver safe, it can also give you peace of mind as a parent.

Keeping your child safe is a priority for any parent and when you are able to use technology to fight technology, you are keeping your child safe in a modern and extremely effective way.

AUTHOR OVERVIEW

Lisa Shaw Senior Director, Child Online Safety and Protection at SpectorSoft

What do five kids ranging in age from kindergarten to high school, a Harvard MBA and years of protecting kids online get you? It gets you Lisa Shaw, COO of her very busy household, and a Senior Director at SpectorSoft, the number one leader in monitoring and protecting your kids online. She's an expert on the technology and trends that you need to arm yourself with to be the best parent you can be in today’s digital world.

Tags: parenting software, parenting technology