Almost every other day, we get to read or hear news about kids being bullied, harassed, and blackmailed after being victims of several different online attacks. There was a time when parents used to worry about their kids not being safe outside the confines of their homes. The digital age has made parents worry more because now they have to think of ways of keeping their kids safe in the online world. Cell phone signal booster is a good choice for better service.
It’s impossible to not let your kids use smartphones and other devices in this digital era. Almost every kid possessing a smartphone of their own pressurizes parents to hand over one to their kids as well. The second kids get a hand at a smartphone, they start exploring the device and the apps they want to install on it.
With a smartphone in their hands, kids can seek entertainment, watch videos and movies, look for information that could be helpful for their homework, and communicate with their friends through text messages and social media platforms. Texting is something they enjoy the most. Most parents believe in the idea of tracking their kids’ messages with a parental control app. If they won’t track, kids will be likely to cross limits or do things that they shouldn’t be doing.
Due to the rampant increase in risks and threats associated with the internet and social media, parents cannot afford their kids to have a secret online life let alone communicate with someone via text messages without them knowing.
However, it is almost impossible for parents to hover around their kids all the time. They cannot stay with them and see what they are doing on the internet and who they are talking to. Most parents have jobs and chores of their own to look after. Moreover, sticking around your kid all the time may affect their confidence.
They would depend on you for every small thing which is unhealthy for their growth. That is why parental control and monitoring apps are being seen as a lifesaver for many parents as they help them monitor their kids’ smartphone activity from anywhere and at any time.
Why Tracking Your Kids’ Instant Messages Is Important?
Below, we have outlined some reasons every parent should consider a parental control or monitoring app to track their kids’ messages before things can go out of their hands. Let’s discuss why tracking your kids’ instant messages is important in the digital age.
Protect Kids from Cyberbullying
Innocent and young kids are more prone to cyberbullying because they can’t defend themselves, unlike adults. They receive harsh and threatening messages from the bullies without informing their parents or school authorities.
They bear the brunt of cyberbullying all by themselves which eventually leads them to develop feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Some kids also have suicidal thoughts due to being constantly bullied online.
Parents need to monitor their kids’ messages to know if someone is trying to bully them on the internet. By tracking their messages, parents can learn who their kids talk to and what sort of messages they receive from others.
Parents who pay close attention to their kids can instantly know when something is wrong with them. They can look and identify the signs of cyberbullying and abuse by noticing any behavioral changes in your kids. Then, they can take immediate measures to protect them against internet threats.
Keep Kids Safe from Sexual Predators
The easy access to the world of the internet and social media has made a lot easier for predators to target innocent kids. Gone are the days when parents used to worry about their kids being followed or kidnapped while they were outside without any protection.
The internet and social media world have opened doors for predators who can prey on their targets whenever they want. All they need to do is look for a kid’s profile on the internet and reach out to them. They entice kids with their lovey-dovey conversations only to gain their trust and confidence.
Once they befriend kids, they demand inappropriate photos and videos from them. In other situations, they can even demand to meet with kids in person so they can fulfill their sexual needs from them. Parents need to be aware of their kids’ conversations to know if they are in touch with a predator online or someone they do not know in real life. This is only possible if they frequently monitor their kids’ text messages with the help of parental control apps.
Prevent Kids from Sexting
Another major reason every parent needs to keep track of their kids’ instant messages is to protect them from sexting. Sexting is another growing online threat that has become widespread among the younger generation.
When kids start exploring the world of social media, they come across all sorts of people. It is likely for them to meet someone who may seem charming and caring. In an attempt to please them, they come into a relationship with them.
However, relationships have not remained basic and platonic these days. Kids are exposed to adult content much sooner when they spend too much time on the internet. Watching inappropriate content urges them to have sexual feelings for their partner. This leads them to exchange messages of explicit nature with their partner on social media or instant messaging apps.
Sexting is as dangerous for your kids’ mental and physical health as pornography. They should not be exposed to the inappropriate stuff much sooner in their life because it is likely for them to develop wrong concepts about love and relationships. This can affect the real relationships that they may develop with their spouses much later in life.
Therefore, parents need to keep a close eye on their kids’ text messages to ensure they are not engaged in sexting with their friends or partners. Only parental control apps can give them details about their incoming and outgoing text messages.
We do say advanced technology has ruined our kids because they get exposed to many things that they shouldn’t at their age. However, we are also fortunate to be a part of this digital age because we can be informed of our kids’ online activity with the help of parental control solutions.
Using parental control apps is one thing but having an open-minded and honest conversation with your kids about internet safety is another thing. Always teach your kids how to use the internet and social media safely and responsibly. Tell them about potential online dangers and how they can stay safe from them.
