The world is fast evolving technology wise particularly from the 2000s and the evolution seems like it’s just beginning. As result, children born from the early 2000s are growing with the reality, benefits and consequences of these technological evolutions.
The 21st century children rely on gadgets and some schools also encourage it’s usage.
We cannot totally rule out smart phones usage for kids in this generation but we can always regulate their usage. Smart phones are naturally not for kids because of the arrays of solicited and unsolicited information that maybe too sensitive for them (kids) to handle. However, if you must buy one for them, here are 15 ways to make mobile phones safer for kids:
1. When registering Gmail for them, use their correct age and bind your own Gmail as parent.
2. Proceed to install Google Family Link on your own phone.
3. Add their registered Gmail to your Google Family Link.
4. Do Factory Reset on their Android device if they already have one, then login the device with their own Gmail account that you’ve linked to your Google Family Link.
5. If you’ve just purchased a new device, be sure to use their email linked to your Google Family Link to activate or configure the device.
6. Once steps 4 and 5 above the phone will get a notification to allow them activate the device.
7. This is the beginning of taking control and charge of their devices anywhere.
8. I can tell you that all adult contents of any form will never load on their phones.
9. They will not also be able to install anything without your approval remotely from the Google Family Link.
10. You will also be able to lock their devices from anywhere you may be at anytime.
11. You will also be able to set a Start and Stop time for their usage of the devices and the phone will lock once it gets to that time even if you forget the set time.
13. Note that YouTube will not allow them see or have access to adult contents too.
14. You can also alternatively use YKids (YouTube for Kids). I recommend you remove the normal YouTube and install YKidsdoe them.
15. You can also monitor how long they’ve stayed on each App or page (browser) to caution or warn them where necessary using the Google Family Link.