Love is NOT an Unrestricted Smartphone

A recent study by Pew Research Group showed that only 16% of parents use parental controls to restrict their child’s cell or smart phone. To restate this in a more obvious and ominous way: 84% of parents DO NOT USE parental controls to restrict phone usage. As a parent in the 16% I assume this […]

What Every Parent Needs to Learn from Recent SWATting Tragedy

In late December 2017, a news story out of Wichita, Kansas brought a growing issue into full light: SWATting. While this may seem like an issue for large cities or a crime-riddled subculture not affecting the average family, there are valuable lessons every parent and child can learn from this story. “SWATting” SWATting refers to […]

The Doctor That Helps You Recover Deleted Data

If you have a child with a smartphone, then you need this Doctor. In the teenage subculture where sexting and nudes are now “first base,” wouldn’t you want to know if your son or daughter was partaking? In their world, where vicious words and unkind accusations flow fast and free from their fingertips, wouldn’t you […]

Apple iOS 11 & Earlier Parental Controls: Part IV

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. These Allow Changes parental controls is Part IV of password-protected parental Restrictions for a child’s iPhone. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to set up the Part I: […]

Part IV: Parental Controls for iPhone, iPad, and iPod

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. These Allow Changes parental controls is Part IV of password-protected parental Restrictions for a child’s iPhone. If you haven’t already, you’ll want to set up the Part I: […]

Part III: Parental Controls for iPhone, iPad, and iPod

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. Privacy Parental Controls is Part III in setting up password-protected parental Restrictions. If you haven’t already completed the Part I: Basic Restrictions and Part II: Content Filters, you’ll […]

Apple iOS 11 & Earlier Parental Controls: Part III

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. Privacy Parental Controls is Part III in setting up password-protected parental Restrictions. If you haven’t already completed the Part I: Basic Restrictions and Part II: Content Filters, you’ll […]

Part II: Parental Controls for iPhone, iPad, and iPod

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. Content Filter Parental Controls is Part II of setting up your password-protected parental Restrictions on an iPhone. You should have already completed Part I: Basic Restrictions and then, […]

Apple iOS 11 & Earlier Parental Controls: Part II

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. Content Filter Parental Controls is Part II of setting up your password-protected parental Restrictions on an iPhone. You should have already completed Part I: Basic Restrictions and then, […]

Apple iOS 11 & Earlier Parental Controls: Part I

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. Basic Parental Controls  is Part I and where to begin activating the password-protected Restrictions on an iPhone. Once these are set you can move on to Part II: […]

Part I: Parental Controls for iPhone, iPad, and iPod

Apple products have fantastic parental restrictions built into the operating system. These restrictions are the same across all generations and regardless of which iOS version is running. Basic Parental Controls  is Part I and where to begin activating the password-protected Restrictions on an iPhone. Once these are set you can move on to Part II: […]

Windows Family Safety Parental Controls

If you use Windows PC in your home, Family Safety settings are essential for children’s accounts. They are easy to set up once you’ve created an account for each child who will use the PC. Finding the Family Safety in Windows is the only tricky part. Step 1: Tap the window icon on the toolbar […]

MAC Computer Parental Controls

Similar to Apple iPhones, Mac computers offer fantastic parental controls to protect your child’s internet and computer usage. Step 1: Go to System Preferences, which looks just like the Settings function on an iPhone. Step 2: Create separate user accounts for each child. Select Users & Groups. Step 3: Unlock to make changes. Click on […]

ANDROID Phone and Tablet Parental Controls

Android devices pose a unique challenge to parents who want to protect their children from inappropriate content and apps. There are very limited restrictions built into the device. Their open app environment, variations in each version, and ease of customization make it very difficult to effectively protect children. There are third party monitoring apps which […]

Outsourcing Your Role as a Parent

“Honestly, I don’t know what I would do.” This was an honest confession from my neighbor about kids and screens. She and I were sitting on my front porch in the sweltering Texas heat. Jeanne is wise in her years, especially after raising 4 children as a single mother. But, the one feeling that came […]

Porn-Proofing your Home

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links to products for which we may receive a commission. We purchased all products mentioned at full price and only became an affiliate after using and loving them ourselves. Do you recycle in your home? If so, chances are you have discussed with your children the importance of recycling in […]

It Starts with Dinner: Phones Off the Table

Over the past ten years our culture has allowed for a seismic shift in acceptable and respectful behavior between people. Phubbing, sharenting, exposing, roasting, and sexting are now everyday, household behaviors. We’ve been swept off our feet from a tsunami of smartphones. Everyone now seems to be clinging to their devices for dear life. The […]

Teaching Texting: The Parent’s Responsibility

Parents gain wisdom from experience. Children make foolish mistakes. One of the fundamental responsibilities of parents is to teach lessons from our wisdom in hopes to prevent foolish mistakes. Most of us like to think we champion this responsibility with excellence. Unfortunately, too many lessons happen in the silent recesses of our brains known as […]

The Most Important iPhone Setting Every Parent Should be Using

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It is hard to enforce healthy boundaries for our kids when it comes to their smartphones and devices, even harder is trying to enforce a strong “NO” to inappropriate apps. Kids are savvy and with the internet readily available they can Google or YouTube their way around your “healthy boundaries.” For a lot of parents, […]

Post. Shame. Delete. Repeat: The Way Social Media is Changing Friendship Among Teens

The Pattern “Ask me who are the 3 people I hate and I’ll tell you”  the girl’s Instagram post starts out. Quickly, fellow high school students jump in guessing who, preferring this gossip rich distraction to their teacher’s lesson or assignments. Before long, the girl reveals the names on her new “hated” list. “Wait – […]