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    • Essential Tips Before Gifting Gadgets to Your Kids During the Holidays
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    Essential Tips Before Gifting Gadgets to Your Kids During the Holidays

    Pabio Posted on

    Jennifer Jolly
    | USA TODAY Special

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    You give your child a smartphone, tablet, laptop, gaming device, or some other variation of the latest, shiny, must-have connected electronic gadget.

    And why not, you think? All their friends have one. They’ve accomplished all their chores without much whining, are doing great in school, and promise to continue being as nice as possible – if they get that gadget gift that will make their lives complete.

    Children so young at the age of four want their own devices. This is a reality of the world we live in today. But that doesn’t mean you should just finish this expensive gadget and hope for the best. After all, the the pitfalls are numerous, and the benefits may be short-lived. (Also, don’t give a preschooler their own smartphone. That’s just crazy.)

    So, before you hand over the keys to the world of smart gadgets, here’s what you need to know – and do – to keep your child safe.

    Do your homework

    Digital parenting is hard. As a tech journalist – and a mom – I know how difficult it is to stay ahead of the negatives that come with being constantly connected. Whether it’s social media, cyberbullying, or even device addiction, the struggle is real: yours and theirs.

    Pew Research Center has just published its latest findings on teenagers, social media and technology. The investigation revealed that “amid national concerns When it comes to the impact of technology on young people, many teenagers are more digitally connected than ever. Most teens use social media and own a smartphone, and nearly half report being online almost constantly.

    Take a moment to think about what device addiction is like from a teenager’s perspective. Reddit threads And parenting magazines provide valuable information. Listen to what teenagers wish their parents knew and did to better understand their difficulties.

    Sign a contract

    I like great tools and contracts that set everyone’s expectations are necessary. I use the Agreement on family devices, that the people behind the Will have security application created. They gave us permission to republish a convenient digital version on Techish which allows you to fill it out, save it digitally, and print a copy that you can post on your fridge. Fill it out with your child and consult it as often as necessary to keep everything at home.

    Raising well-rounded digital humans takes a lot of time, energy and patience to learn a lot about technology, often a step behind your little one. This means that the earlier you start, the better. Set your expectations and discuss “safe browsing” early and often. If you need additional advice here, try Aura’s Digital Parenting site or other fantastic resources from O.G.it’s like Common Sense Media.

    Now they are ready to unbox the gadgett

    The next most crucial step is to create an account tailored to your child’s needs on the specific new device you are giving them. Both iOS and Android offer specialized accounts for children, which integrate seamlessly with the Family sharing (Apple) and Family connection (Android) features.

    To set up Family Sharing on an iOS device, go to the Settings app, add a new account, and provide your child’s correct date of birth. This unblocks age-appropriate app ratings and restrictions. For Android users, setting up Family Link involves creating a Google account for your child and adding them to your family group.

    In both cases, as a parent you see download activity, usage stats and can enable location sharing, which I highly recommend.

    There are several options in family apps, but I recommend these:

    • Block adult websites: Enable “Limit adult websites” on iOS and SafeSearch on Android.
    • Limit app downloads: It is essential to restrict app downloads to the appropriate age group. Choose the age range your child falls into or choose to block app downloads completely, only allowing apps that you, as a parent, install yourself.
    • Restrict movies and TV shows based on age: On iOS and Android, limiting the content your child can see happens in Family Sharing and Family Link, respectively. In either case, setting the content ratings to G and TV-G prevents kids from encountering something too “adult” for them.

    You’re not done yet. These settings take effect in built-in apps like Safari and Chrome, but are not always fully comprehensive. This is where third-party apps come in. Use apps specifically designed for this job, like Aura parental controls ($10/month), Bark ($14/month), Questodio ($55/year) or one of the others we looked at. Make sure whatever you choose works on just about everything – iOS, Android, Windows, etc. – and offers restriction options for specific apps like Snapchat or TikTok.

    The great screen time debate

    How long is too long for a child to stare at a digital screen? If I knew the answer, I’d probably be lying on a beach right now. The truth is that every child is different and every parent’s limitations are unique.

    Even the American Academy of Pediatrics says no specific number makes sense for every child. So, what to do?

    More from Jennifer Jolly: The Best Tech Gifts and Gadgets for the Holidays Featured on ‘The Today Show’

    I prefer a schedule-based system that doesn’t set a hard limit on screen time, but still encourages kids to look at something other than their phone, tablet, or computer for the vast majority of the day (and night). Both iOS and Android offer the ability to limit app usage by scheduling time windows during which they are allowed and blocking apps outside of those times.

    My daughter is well into adulthood, but if I were setting screen time limits for a younger preteen or teen today, it might look like this:

    • 10:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: During the school year, most apps really don’t need daytime or even nighttime.
      • Communication apps – ALLOWED
      • Internet browser – Blocked
      • Entertainment apps – Blocked
      • Games – Blocked
    • 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Children come home from school and should do their homework, but they may need Internet access.
      • Communication apps – ALLOWED
      • Internet browser – ALLOWED
      • Entertainment apps – Blocked
      • Games – Blocked
    • 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Once the homework is done, it’s time to have fun.
      • Communication apps – ALLOWED
      • Internet browser – ALLOWED
      • Entertainment apps – ALLOWED
      • Games – ALLOWED
    • 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.: Falling asleep to a favorite show or music is no big deal, but gaming and web browsing ends now. (Assuming she normally falls asleep around 10 p.m.) But remember, there are no phones in the rooms at night. Load them in the kitchen or other common areas where they won’t disrupt your sleep.
      • Communication apps – ALLOWED
      • Internet browser – Blocked
      • Entertainment apps – ALLOWED
      • Games – Blocked

    There are a million ways to handle this, so this is just one example. You know your child better than I do, so take the time to develop a balanced, logical plan — and don’t be afraid to change things over time!

    Built-in security

    In addition to the safeguards you enable when creating a child’s account, iOS and Android also offer additional protections.

    For iPhone and iPad, allowing Communications security adds a layer of protection against unwanted messages your child might receive, including harmful images. Going a step further, turning off location sharing is also a wise move, as many apps ask for it without really needing it, potentially opening the door to tracking your child’s real-time location.

    Android Features Play Protect to prevent malware from being installed through the Google Play Store, but parents should also turn off location tracking for apps that don’t need it to work. You can also limit messaging to specific phone numbers to prevent spammers from flooding your child’s inbox with messages.

    Activate your intuition

    These controls and guardrails are fantastic ways to keep your child safe with their new device, but remember, your knowledge is the key to making it all work. Encourage your new phone-using child to ask questions and share how they use their gadget. Ask them about cool things they’ve seen on YouTube or their favorite TikTok (if they’re allowed).

    The goal is to empower them to navigate the digital world responsibly so that once you take the training wheels off, the monitoring and interactions you now have generate positive long-term results.

    Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer technology columnist and on-air contributor for “The Today Show.” The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. Contact her at. [email protected] Or @JennJolly on Instagram.

    Pabio
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