Hi Geek Fans! Parental controls are a great way to keep tabs on your kids’ safety online. Here’s what they can do, why you should use them, and how to keep your kids safe even if parental controls aren’t in place.
The internet offers awesome learning tools, cute cat videos, and an incredible amount of information. However, there’s also plenty of things online we don’t want our kids to see. Fortunately, parental controls can help you to ensure the less wholesome parts of the internet are hidden from young eyes.
Here’s a little more about parental controls and how they can help.
What can parental controls do?
Most parents know that controls can block adult websites. This is obviously one of the most valuable tools in our toolbox. It can be set up so that no devices connected to your home Wi-Fi can access R18 websites.
However, there are other features that you might not know about.
For example, parental controls can limit the amount of time spent online. Parents looking to restrict the number of time kids spend in front of screens or playing games online can set limits so that kids have to step away from the tech and outside to play (or pick up a book!).
Many parents have also dealt with unexpected in-app purchases on their credit cards. With parental controls, you can block certain areas in apps to avoid costly mistakes.
Another useful tool is being able to monitor kids’ activity online. This can show you how much time kids spend on certain apps, and even give you a general overview of what the kids are up to online. Keep in mind, it’s best to tell your children that you’re monitoring their usage to maintain their trust.
Why you should consider using parental controls
Even if you don’t want to use all of the features that they offer, you may wish to use some of them.
Even adults often get caught in scams, spend too much time online, and share more information than they should. Using parental controls can help to ensure your kids don’t make those mistakes when they are too young to know better.
What they can’t do (and what you can do about it)
Unfortunately, parental controls can only do so much.
Savvy older kids might find out how to disable them. Some kids will also have access to other devices outside of the home.
That’s why it’s important to talk to your kids about staying safe online. Here are some great tips to start with:
- Never share personal details online
- Assume everyone will see everything you post
- Don’t say anything online you wouldn’t say in real life
- If it seems too good to be true, it probably is
- If they ever do something they shouldn’t have, promise you won’t be mad so long as they tell you immediately
- Don’t open emails from people you don’t know
- Don’t download apps or programs without an adult’s permission
- Only communicate with people you know in person
You can also spend time with them online so you can talk through things as they arise, and model good behavior for them to see.
Parental controls with Geeks on Wheels
If you’re interested in setting up parental controls for your family, Geeks on Wheels can help. We offer our customers TP-Link Deco parental controls and can set them up and show you how to use them.
Additionally, we also offer free DNS (Domain Name System) filtering. We can set up your network to use a particular DNS server that blocks access to known malicious sites. This will help you protect your network, even if you’re not interested in a deco.
Depending on what devices you have, we can also set up ‘families’ on Microsoft or Apple. This provides you with all of the parental control tools mentioned above for excellent protection for your kids.
Call us now to make your booking or find out more.
