Ongoing screen monitoring two other macs? Best options? Apps?

[ThatsMrsGeek2U]

I would like to keep windows open to monitor two other macs in my house that my kids are doing their virtual schooling on. while i know how to share screens in general when helping someone with something, this seems like a bit of a different set up need.

• Need to watch the screens two different Macs
• I do not need to control either of them
• I would like it set up in a way in which it is not distracting to the computers being monitored, that my kids can not easily stop the monitoring intentionally or on accident. (they 100% know I'm doing it, my computer is just a few feet away)
• I have easy access to all computers involved, they are all in the same large room, part of my family plan and I do all the IT for them.
• I also have separate admin accounts on both at my disposal.

any suggestions?

Update: SOLVED by Brian33 below, thanks

 

[Brian33]

If I understand correctly, this should be straightforward using macOS's built-in Screen Sharing feature:

On each of the kids' Macs, go to System Preferences-->Sharing and turn on Screen Sharing (you can also lock this setting with an admin password if desired).

On your Mac, using Finder, find one of the kid's Macs in the sidebar (may require certain Finder perferences set), select it and click Share Screen in the upper right corner. There's a way to share the screen with the current user (I don't remember the details but you'll get a window asking you about it). Then it will open a new window on your Mac showing the kid's Mac screen.

Repeat the previous step for the other kid's Mac. You will be able to have both screen sharing windows up on your Mac at the same time without any problem.

 

[ThatsMrsGeek2U]

If I understand correctly, this should be straightforward using macOS's built-in Screen Sharing feature:

On each of the kids' Macs, go to System Preferences-->Sharing and turn on Screen Sharing (you can also lock this setting with an admin password if desired).

Thank you this worked perfectly, and is now set up going forward. Yeah, i have their User set to lock system wide preferences, so this was part of that.
Turned it on, they clicked approved, and then I made sure to turn off cursor control, it is on by default.
I have yet to check if i have to have them prove each time i restart he program for some reason and will look into the other setting options if that is the case. Its fine to have them do it each day, but honestly starting up morning distance school is enough work already, so i will look to streamline.

I'm not sure why my brain got stuck in the screen sharing the is imbedded in FaceTime, but forgot the more system wide version is the preferences, thanks for the memory jog.

 

[ThatsMrsGeek2U]

OK @Brian33 smartypants, don't fail me now. Can I pull the sound from one of the screen shares? does not have to be both, and I'm fine with it overriding my own audio.

I'm probably in range to set up a BT speaker as a 2nd output of the computer, but i wonder if there is a software solution. or a better or worse plan. also looking at various external controls for muting switching, so im driving in

 

[Brian33]

Ha ha -- made me laugh!

Hmmm -- macOS standard screen sharing doesn't do audio, as you've found out. And I don't know of a way for sure to meet your need.

One possible solution might be a commercial screen sharing product. macOS screen sharing is based upon "VNC", which doesn't define audio sharing as part of the standard, but there might be software products that have extended the capabilites of VNC to include it. Sorry I don't know for sure.

I had another possible solution involving a product called AirServer (https://www.airserver.com/) that turns a Mac into an Airplay receiver. I use it to Airplay iTunes music to my iMac, but it will do screen mirroring too. Unfortunately when I use it to Airplay my Macbook (think kid's Mac) to my iMac (think your Mac), the screen and audio from the Macbook do go to the iMac, but no audio plays on the Macbook -- it seems turned off. So it seems like your child wouldn't hear the audio and you would. Probably not what you want.

I don't have any other ideas at the moment, but I'll post again if I think of something...