Parental control apps monitoring is sometimes being criticized on a moral basis. They say it is a way of spying and claim the mind cannot fully grow in a restricted atmosphere. Parents sometimes get influenced by these ideas and live in a dilemma whether or not to use parental control apps. Despite knowing the importance and practical need of parental control apps, they doubt in taking help from it.
Well, spying on kids is not a good thing and it can be averse when the kid comes to know about his parents' spy over him. But it doesn't apply in case of parental control app monitoring.
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Parental Control App Monitoring is not spying[/caption]
Why is it not spying?
Spying is called when someone secretly—Without acknowledging the subject, keep an eye on their activities. Spying is done for selfish purposes and it doesn't anyway relate with the goodwill of the subject.
On the other hand, parental control app monitoring is like an electronic parent which monitors activities of a kid's phone for their betterment. It works just like the rules you make within your family, like restricting hours of television and not to litter waste everywhere; put it in the dustbin. After discussing these rules within your family, and then you monitor who is breaking those rules, by doing this you are inducing good habits in your family members. Due to monitoring, kids adopt these good habits and later realize its importance. Similarly, parental control app monitoring or your kid's phone monitoring is doing the same, hence it is not unethical and not at all spying.
The parental control app is like a digital watchkeeper and not a spy. This app can keep your child away from disinfects residing everywhere around the net, and it also forbids your kid to breach set time duration on the device. It is a boon, which protects your kid like a shield. We all have heard about games like the blue whale, parental control apps ensure not to expose your kid to these spoilers. Also, it guides your kid to use the device as per need.
Parents also need to avoid completely depending on the kid's phone monitor, and they should try to establish communication with kids about restrictions and screen time duration.
What should be the code of conduct for parents using parental control apps?
Parents who are using parental control apps for their kid's phone monitoring should follow some code of conduct. In order to make sure the kid doesn't feel like being watched or under spy.
Discuss the restrictions
It is important to discuss restrictions about using phones as you discuss other restrictions in the family. Like you discuss ethics of talking, behaving, dining, and playing outdoors. You should also discuss the restrictions you want as ethics with your kid. Like using a phone for a certain time, only playing allowed and age-restricted games, what kind of video they can watch on youtube, etc. By doing this your kid knows, for what he is monitored therefore they take it as similar to other laws in the family. They don't build any other perception in mind.
Lead by the example
When you are making rules for the family, it is equally important that you also follow your part. The main aim of parental control app monitoring is not to know what your kid is doing, but to prohibit your kid from doing what they should not do. Hence, your kid should follow the discussed rule on its own. Blocker, given by the app, should be the last option. For that you have to follow your own rules, you have made like not using a phone at dinner, watching television for a limited time, etc. This will make your kid follow given instruction, as it is said parents are the first teacher of their kid.
Make them share net uses with you
Parents should also try to make a relationship with their kids, where kids often share what they are doing on their devices with their parents. To develop this habit, you have to keep telling your kid; what you are doing on your internet. Share a few small things you are doing on your phone, like talking with a commonly known person or surfing anything which kids can also relate with and stuff like that. These little habits will motivate your kids to share what they are doing on their phones with you. Sometimes they guide them with reasons why they should not play violent games because a hard order without any reason will arouse curiosity that will cause temptation in their mind.
What to do if you caught your kid?
If your kid's phone monitor app has notified you of any mischief. Then talk to your kid about it the most natural way possible. In the beginning, don't exaggerate it by acting angry or scolding him. Ask your kid why they have done it and behave exactly how you feel. As a parent, you should know kids will do such mischief, so show maturity, and don't worry so much.
Only take it like you behave when your kid does another mischief. Don't handle them by treating them to beat, unless you guide them to do what they should be doing on the phone. Only communicating in the right manner is the only solution. In a way that is not loose as well as not very strict, just in a moderate manner. So that your kid will take it seriously.