You Got Your Kid A Phone. Now What?

There is no going back now! Your child holds the key to the World Wide Web. The good and the bad. 
Whatever the reason, to keep up with the Joneses, or to ensure they are safe every minute of the day. You must ensure you have installed all the safety measures you can take and keep communicating with your child, with strict boundaries around the usage of that phone.  

Remember:
1) Once something has been seen, it cannot be unseen.
2) Our children can easily be influenced by outsiders, so make sure they are always sharing their experience with you.
3) The fear our children have of losing the technology far outweighs the risks of engaging with strangers.

Here are some protective cell phone tips and rules to bear in mind.

Tip: Download our Technology agreement
This is a contract that you both agree to the terms of the mobile device use.
You can update this as you build your trust and relationship with your child.  

Secure your child’s phone:

1)     Install kid-friendly browsers
That way, they can access all the information they need for school, while reducing the risk of being exposed to adult content

2)     Agree to No Tech Zones.
This is a time for the entire family to unplug.

3)     Ensure you start the clock for screen time.
When the alarm goes off, they can be mad at the clock and not you.

4)     Look to install monitoring tools on the phone.
That way, you will have a full view of their online activities.
Warning: It’s easy to override these tools by going in Incognito mode.  

5)     Keep the Phone away from the bedroom and school.

These should always be phone-free areas.

6)     Ensure there are no social media platforms
installed if your child is under 13 years old. (We would encourage 16, if possible.)

7)     Know their passwords
You have every right to do spot checks on its contents.

We’re not anti-technology; we are all about forewarning our children that there are positive and negative consequences for being online. You need to be aware of the very real risks our kids can face and the effects it can have on their emotional and physical development.

Have you signed your school up for the Phone Free School Pact? 
Childhood is too short to be spent on a phone!