Planning to gift your child an iPhone this holiday? Make sure to check these settings first.
Alongside clothing, gift cards, and nostalgic toys, electronics are increasingly dominating wish lists this year.
A recent survey by the Entertainment Software Association shows that roughly 62% of U.S. kids aged 10 to 17 have expressed interest in receiving electronic devices like smartphones and smartwatches this holiday season.
According to Statista, parents in the U.S. are anticipated to spend over $50 on holiday gifts for each child this year, suggesting that many children may get their desired presents.
Apple’s personal tech products are among the most popular in the U.S., so if your child is unwrapping an iPhone this winter or just needs a quick review, here are some expert suggestions for parents on managing smartphones and useful parental settings.
Set It Up but Review It Regularly
Regarding smartphones and parental controls, Ron Kerbs, CEO of the cybersecurity firm Kidas, emphasizes that settings need to be checked regularly, not just set once and forgotten.
“Don’t assume everything is foolproof just because tech companies have assured you,” Kerbs warns. “That’s rarely the case. You must actively set up parental controls and discuss what is expected and what isn’t with your children.”
As technology advances, the features are updated rapidly, and the way children engage with these changes may need to be reassessed periodically.
For instance, younger children may require guidance on setting healthy boundaries concerning their device use and the apps they access.
“The primary issue with technology is that we’ve essentially eliminated boundaries,” Kerbs states. “Devices are always around, leaving no room for boredom. Especially for young children, a quick distraction can easily pull them towards their device instead of exploring other activities.”
Have Open Discussions
Establishing parental controls should be more than a task; it should be a chance for parents to engage in conversations with their children, exploring the settings together to understand how they function.
This approach is a crucial recommendation Kerbs gives to parents regarding digital devices: “You can research all you want, but once you get the device, it’s vital to interact with your child while using it.”
Kerbs advises that parents and kids discuss risks, acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, who they can communicate with, and the rules that govern device usage.
Key Settings to Examine First on Apple Devices
â—¾ Create a Child Account. Parents with their Apple devices can establish a family group, then create a child account. This allows for monitoring and management of parental controls. Through these controls, parents can approve purchases from the App Store, choose to share their child’s location, share information with family members, and add another guardian to help manage the child’s settings.
â—¾ Set Up the Device. After creating the child’s account, parents can use the Quick Start feature to set up the child’s device. Simply turn on the new device, place it next to the parent’s device, and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the setup. Parental controls can be adjusted after the initial setup.
â—¾ Examine Screen Time Settings. One key setting to explore is Screen Time. Here, parents can limit how long apps may be used, both individually and by category, while monitoring usage and receiving weekly activity summaries. Children can also request extra time for an app either through a message to the parent’s device or via a code that the parent can approve. Additional parental controls are located within the Screen Time settings.
â—¾ Establish Downtime. Downtime is a feature that allows parents to restrict access to certain apps or notifications during designated periods, like making games unavailable during bedtime on school nights.
â—¾ Check Restrictions. Restrictions enable parents to block their children from installing new apps and making in-app purchases. Parents can tailor settings to limit access to adult content or only allow specific sites. Options also include turning off the Safari browser in favor of child-friendly browsers that filter content.
- Assess Communication Safety and Limits. Communication limits allow parents to determine which contacts their children can message or call and any restrictions on those communications, such as permitting access to group chats only if they know someone in it or contacting specific people during downtime. The Communication Safety feature is enabled by default for users aged 13 and younger, monitoring messages, photos, and other applications to detect sensitive content that a child might receive or attempt to send.
- Access is restricted and requires a passcode to view.
