Does anyone actually use parental control apps, or is it just me?

Jan 111 min read

Genuinely asking because I feel like a dinosaur sometimes. I use Google Family Link on all three kids' devices and I actually like it? People act like monitoring is controlling but like... they're 8, 11, and 13. I'm not trying to spy on their conversations, I just want to know what apps they're downloading and make sure they're not up until 2am gaming. My friends act like I'm checking their text messages but I'm not. Is there actually a middle ground that doesn't exist or am I just lucky that my kids accept this?

5 comments311 views

Comments(5)

JJames M.New DadJan 13

Family Link user here too. It's not perfect but it does the job without making parenting feel like surveillance state vibes. My 11yo knows it exists and accepts it.

CCole B.RegularJan 11

These apps work best when the kids know about them though. If you're hiding it that's a different situation entirely.

TTyler M.New DadJan 13

Family Link plus talking to them about WHY you set limits seems to work for us. Kids respect boundaries more when they understand the reasoning.

JJasonNew DadJan 13

I use it on my older two and honestly it saves arguments. They know what the limits are and there's no sneaking around. Pretty transparent setup.

JJoeRegularJan 14

You're not a dinosaur, Google Family Link is solid. I use it and my kids actually understand why it's there instead of feeling like Big Brother is watching. Way different from hidden cameras.