App-solutely attached: Android’s Digital Wellbeing tool just got smarter with Screen Time Reminders, aka gentle nudges when you’ve been glued to an app for too long. To turn them on, go to Digital Wellbeing and parental controls > Screen time reminders > Turn on. The catches? You can’t set a time for them to appear, and you can’t control how often they pop up. Still, give it a shot, and let me know if they help!
Set up parental controls on all your kid's devices: Windows, Apple, Android
Put simply, parenting isn’t easy. And it can be tough to keep up with the long list of responsibilities, like keeping your kids safe, promoting safe hygiene practices and as an added bonus during the coronavirus pandemic, being their teacher at home.
Now that your kids are home all day, they’re likely online most of the time as well. Tap or click here for an app to help manage your kids’ screen time. But other than managing how long they’re connected to the internet, it’s also important to ensure they’re being safe on it.
Although it can be a chore to keep up with everything your children do, especially online, you can help protect them by setting parental controls. Not sure how? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Let’s start with setting up those controls on your Apple devices.
Apple’s parental controls
The Apple Screen Time feature allows you to control the settings on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. You can block or limit certain apps, content, purchases, downloads and privacy settings.
Set Content and Privacy Restrictions
To adjust privacy and content restrictions:
- Tap Settings >> Screen Time.
- Click Continue, then select “This is My Device” or “This is My Child’s Device.”
- If the device is yours and you want to prevent another family member from making changes to any settings, click Use Screen Time Passcode and create a passcode. Re-enter passcode to confirm.
- If this is your child’s device, follow the prompts until you get to Parental Passcode, enter passcode. Re-enter passcode to confirm.
- Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. If asked, enter your passcode and enable Content & Privacy.
- For iOS and iPad OS 13.4 and later, after you confirm the passcode, enter your Apple ID and password. This can be used to reset the Screen Time passcode if you forget it.
Be sure to choose a passcode that is unique and not so easy your children can figure it out. Stay away from birthdates, anniversary dates and other numbers that have significant meaning.
Turn off passcode
To change or turn off the passcode on your child’s device:
- Go into Settings >> Screen Time >> your child’s name.
- Tap Change Screen Time Passcode or Turn Off Screen Time Passcode.
- Verify the change with either your Face ID, Touch ID or device passcode.
How to set up parental controls on a Chromebook
When you’re a parent, your list of worries feels a mile long and it grows every day. Once your kids are old enough to use a computer, that list gets even longer.
It’s important your kids understand your internet rules once they get their own laptops, and Kim can help. Tap or click here to download Kim’s free safety contract for parents and kids.
How to set up parental controls on your Windows computer
Parenting in the 21st century is more difficult than in the past. We used to just worry about what our kids were up to when they left the house to hang out with friends.
These days we also need to worry about what they are up to in the digital world. There are tons of threats facing kids online that you need to protect them from. Tap or click here for 5 ways to protect your kids online, from remote monitoring to limiting messaging apps.