Is there any type of parental control software that can be used to monitor iTouch usage over wifi? We have a rule during the school year that our kids cannot text until 5pm or after 10pm on school days. We can monitor this on their phones (non smart phones) by checking the usage on AT&T website. However, as sneaky as they think they are, they have figured out that there are texting apps that can be installed on their iTouch's. Im pretty sure that they utilized this for this past school year. I do not want to shut off the wifi, or anything like that as they need the internet for school work. However I do want to know what they are doing when they are on there. I have found computer monitoring software, but nothing that really covers smart devices. I could care less what their texts say, I just want to know if they are sneaking without them knowing Im watching so I can bust them. Can anoyone help me out with this?
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iPod touch Monitor Children using iPod touch over WiFi
- Thread starter Blancasterb
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First thing you'd want to do is setup parental controls on the iPod touch. To do this, use the Restrictions function found under the Settings menu. There you can disable things like app installing, app deleting, and in-app purchases. This will prevent the lil' hackers from installing alternative social networking software. That's step 1.
Step 2 is to limit Messages and FaceTime. To do this, you will need to go online to find out which ports these services use to access the internet. Then you can dig into your router's settings to block these ports. If your router allows you can enable timed blocking, but I'm not sure how prevalent that feature is.
Step 3 (in case the above doesn't work) is to disable wifi access after hours. To do this, you will have to dig into your Wifi router's settings to enable MAC address filtering. MAC addresses are unique identifiers for each network card from a device connecting to a network, wirelessly or wired. Once enabled, you can filter each device to the point where you can dictate which get internet access and when. This way their laptops and desktops still connect online, but not their iPod touch devices. This will stop all internet data including Messages and FaceTime.
Step 4 is to acquire their passwords for the services they use. I find this to be the best as you can develop trust with your kids this way. You won't ever use the password, but it's only as a precautionary measure/threat. The kids will feel that you may randomly check their email or log onto their Messages (from OS X Lion or higher) and will be compelled to avoid any sort of fishy behaviour.
All the best and good luck!
Step 2 is to limit Messages and FaceTime. To do this, you will need to go online to find out which ports these services use to access the internet. Then you can dig into your router's settings to block these ports. If your router allows you can enable timed blocking, but I'm not sure how prevalent that feature is.
Step 3 (in case the above doesn't work) is to disable wifi access after hours. To do this, you will have to dig into your Wifi router's settings to enable MAC address filtering. MAC addresses are unique identifiers for each network card from a device connecting to a network, wirelessly or wired. Once enabled, you can filter each device to the point where you can dictate which get internet access and when. This way their laptops and desktops still connect online, but not their iPod touch devices. This will stop all internet data including Messages and FaceTime.
Step 4 is to acquire their passwords for the services they use. I find this to be the best as you can develop trust with your kids this way. You won't ever use the password, but it's only as a precautionary measure/threat. The kids will feel that you may randomly check their email or log onto their Messages (from OS X Lion or higher) and will be compelled to avoid any sort of fishy behaviour.
All the best and good luck!
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App that might help you
Hi
Check out this app.
It may help your situation.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/parentkit/id600618138?ls=1&mt=8
Hi
Check out this app.
It may help your situation.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/parentkit/id600618138?ls=1&mt=8
I have a router that can block all Internet from time to a time if I wanted to. Maybe your router can do the same.
You think thats a way to develop trust?
Im not a parent and Im not going to question the necessity or wisdom of this. But I am going to say flat out - knowing that someone may check up on you behind your back does not develop trust.
I just installed this.... it includes a free month but requires a subscription to continue past that.
But it does work very well in my limited testing
My fellow Canuck, I agree with you. I'm no parent, but I am only offering options that I know other parents have used in the past. Sometimes what might work for 99 people won't work for 1 or vice versa. It all depends on the parents, children and, heck, even timing. But having options doesn't hurt. One can access accordingly.
My TC allows me to set up time blocks when certain MAC addresses can access the internet. Other routers have the same feature. Or maybe you force little Johnny to complete his homework on a computer in a common area before you turn over his Touch.
Here is the thing
You may not think that build's trust,, Trust is something earned and has to be earned by our children by what ever means. Children/Teens in todays world are totally out of control, so things need to get tighter for the children and more work for us parents. It is not all kids today but it is a good majority of todays kids, lack respect for authority figures, adults in general, and for peers. Why they have no fear,, Schools need to gain back the control they once had many years ago, Parent need to gain back control also, and for the busy-body who has the nerve to call child services on the parent who paddles their kid in the store parking lot for not obeying his parent,, Mind your own business. Before any of you nonphysical discipline honks chime in, there is a difference between physical discipline and abuse. Simplest thing is to have a flip phone for the kids they really have no need for a smart phone, have a community computer in an open area in your house.
Rant Over......................
You may not think that build's trust,, Trust is something earned and has to be earned by our children by what ever means. Children/Teens in todays world are totally out of control, so things need to get tighter for the children and more work for us parents. It is not all kids today but it is a good majority of todays kids, lack respect for authority figures, adults in general, and for peers. Why they have no fear,, Schools need to gain back the control they once had many years ago, Parent need to gain back control also, and for the busy-body who has the nerve to call child services on the parent who paddles their kid in the store parking lot for not obeying his parent,, Mind your own business. Before any of you nonphysical discipline honks chime in, there is a difference between physical discipline and abuse. Simplest thing is to have a flip phone for the kids they really have no need for a smart phone, have a community computer in an open area in your house.
Rant Over......................
Yes, they can text and a lot of kids do that if they have a limited number of texts they can send per month. Theirs no need to try and monitor when they are sending these messages if they get their homework done before 5 o'clock. Also if they know how to get around it from you they probably know how to get around being caught texting after 10 pm too.
I am in 12th grade FYI.
I am in 12th grade FYI.
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Amen!
I spanked my kid on the butt once or twice and she hasn't done that stuff again. People just give kids "time outs", sorry but that doesn't work. I am shocked when I see kids mouth off in public and if my did ever did that, I would slap her.
In this day and age with technology, it's not easy being a parent and us parents needs all the help and ideas we can get. With all this technology and parents trying to stay ahead, we almost can probably have a "parents and technology" section for parents to learn how to do stuff.
HAHAHAHAHA!
Come back when you are a parent of a teenager. Then we can have this discussion.
Is it just me or using excessive tech to monitor your kids speaks of a lack of trust? Kids should have rules and restrictions, I definitely understand this. But you can do this in so many ways. I don't really get the timing restrictions for texting. Rules like don't use your phone in class or before you finish your homework makes sense to me. They teach the kids to be responsible, by managing their own time. And definitely they won't be able to text before 5 pm because of the amount of homework kids get these days. I'm fine with using parental control tools for monitoring sites they're allowed to visit though. That is a sensible precaution.
Did you ever think that the kids might be using the touch for homework help or assistance, or perhaps that texting you are so against is actually them texting back and forth in regards to their schoolwork... If I was in school and had an iPod touch you better bet I would be using it as much as possible in order to make homework and school work easier and more tailored to my learning style.
They shouldn't have electronic devices at the dinner table or after a certain time at night or while sleeping so they can sleep properly without distractions that I agree with but these are powerful devices that can also be used for scheduling, appointment reminders, homework reminders, and home work and school assistance in general. The rest of the class is almost surely using iPhones or iPod touch to do these things so I wouldn't want my kids to be behind the rest of the class because they don't have what the others have, or they aren't allowed to use their devices during a certain time.
They shouldn't have electronic devices at the dinner table or after a certain time at night or while sleeping so they can sleep properly without distractions that I agree with but these are powerful devices that can also be used for scheduling, appointment reminders, homework reminders, and home work and school assistance in general. The rest of the class is almost surely using iPhones or iPod touch to do these things so I wouldn't want my kids to be behind the rest of the class because they don't have what the others have, or they aren't allowed to use their devices during a certain time.
The schools in my area use computers (laptops) or tablets in class - supplied by the school. One school gives each student a Macbook Air at the start of school for all classwork, to be returned at the end of the school year.
In my family, iPhones, iPads, and iPods are a privilege, not an entitlement, and privileges are something that are earned.
Also they will screw up cause hey, they are kids. My other advice is if they are texting while they are not supposed to in whatever way especially for silly reasons during homework time you will probably see a direct impact on their grades if they go from doing productive homework to texting during the homework sessions then you can take action based on that. If you are concerned about grades all the schools at least here allow parents to log in to a school website that shows every grade as it comes in, so you can see if they failed last week's test even if they told you they aced it this way you don't get a surprise when the report card comes.