Just look around, and tell me how many of them are on their mobile, laptop, desktop, TV, or some form of screen? Probably everybody, right? Finding people talking to a person or reading a book is a rare sight to spot these days! Thanks to technology! It has made our lives easy and complicated at the same time. Today, we have reached a phase where we have to constantly remind ourselves and the people around us to ditch devices and have actual human, face-to-face conversations. No doubt, mobile phones, tabs, computers, and TV are a boon to working parents especially today. While kids spend time with these devices, working parents focus on their work. In fact, in a recent study where 700 parents were questioned, more than half of the respondents felt guilty about how much screen time their children were getting. Being a parent myself, I feel guilty about my kid exceeding the screen time while I manage to finish my work. This is a sad, helpless reality that all parents today are going through. Too much of anything is bad! So is screen time and exposure to mobile phones, TV, and computer/video games. While they keep your kids engaged and entertained – a lot of screen time can adversely affect their health. So, it’s high time we as parents do something to limit our kids’ overall screen time before it’s too late. If technology is the problem, then the same technology will have the solution as well. Here are some pretty cool screen time limiting apps to help monitor and limit your kids’ screen time.
Here are some of the best screen time limiting apps that are available on Android and iOS devices
1. FamiSafe
Famisafe is one of the best screen time-limiting apps out there. And the best part is, this app won’t bug you with interrupting advertisements and most importantly allows you to monitor not just the digital activities of your kids but also track the real-time location of your kids. In other words, this app helps you keep a close eye on your children’s mobile phone/tab location and real-time location of your child (geofences feature), and filters the content that your child watches or engages with while offering you the remote screen time control option. In conclusion, FamiSafe allows you to:
- Control the screen time of your children by setting schedules based on locations
- Monitor the apps your kids use and the content that appears on their devices
- Block apps during study time or bedtime
- Track real-time location of your child
2. ScreenTime
ScreenTime is the parents’ next favorite screen time limiting app. Do you know? This app has over 2 million downloads and bagged the 2019 National Product Award. This super app allows you to set time limits, assign tasks to your kids and reward them with additional screen time when they complete the tasks. Most importantly, it permits you to set schedules. Now, coming to the highlight feature which every parent dreams of – Yes, ScreenTime allows you to instantly pause your kid’s device! Yes, this means – you can get your child to stop what they are doing and get them to come to the dinner table to have a family supper with no mobile phone 😛
Not just that this app even allows your other family members to manage your child’s screen time settings. In other words, you can manage your entire family’s screen time and track all the devices with just one account.
Some of the features this app allows include:
- Monitor the time your kids spend on their smart devices
- Keep an eye on the apps your kids use and the content they watch and for how long
- Receive a notification as soon as your child tries to install a new application and the website they surf
- Block certain apps at certain times of the day like during meal times, study time, bed time and so on.
3. Qustodio
Qustodio is another amazing screen time limiting app that helps you limit your children’s screen time and also monitor their activity on social networks, filter the content they engage with, block certain games/apps, and much more. The best part is that this app allows you to manage devices on multiple platforms.
And the most amazing feature of this app is its reporting and analytics features. Qustodio’s visual timeline offers an engaging minute-by-minute review of your child’s online activities, like how they are using their mobile devices, the time they are spending on the different social media platforms and the content they are engaging with so that you can set appropriate time limits.
Not just that, this app also helps you track your child’s location. In case of any emergency, you can use the ‘panic’ button to call for help wherever your child is. Plus, it lets you turn off in-app purchase ads. One of the interesting features that Qustodio is popular for today is that it allows parents to monitor texts and call logs showing you the details like – who your child talks to and texts with the most.
4. Our Pact
Last but not the least, Our Pact is also one of the popular screen time limiting apps that parents today rely on. This app lets you set screen time, manage access to certain applications so that your children can focus on the assigned tasks like studying, finishing homework, household chores, etc without any distractions. It also helps you keep a tab on the apps your kids use and the content they watch, read, or hear.
