Raising kids in this day and age is more challenging than ever. The digital era forces parents to make choices that no generation before them has ever had to face. Sometimes this can happen on a daily basis, if not hourly. Unfortunately, unlike our parents and grandparents, we have no one who has already faced these problems to turn to for advice. It’s up to us to figure out how to deal with the problems created by the technology that we each carry around in our pockets.

As parents, our mission is to raise confident, independent children who can see all the beauty the world has to offer. But how can we do this while keeping them safe from its darker sides, especially the newer digital dangers that we’re just learning about ourselves?  Cyberbullying, digital stalkers, smartphone addiction and loss of privacy are all concerns that we need to educate our children about before we can let them use their smartphones independently.

But we can’t just forbid our kids from using smartphones. Today, smartphones are an essential part of our lives. Kids use them to entertain themselves, socialize and to help them with these studies. Children must learn how to stay safe while using their smartphones so that they can continue on their path to independence.  

So how do we keep our kids safe while giving them the space they need to grow?

Smartphones should be treated just like any other new social tool that your kids use as they move towards adulthood. There is a right way to use them, and there’s a wrong way to use them. It’s up to us to show them the right way. Just like we were told never to tell a stranger on the phone where we live, or to call someone’s house after 9PM, kids should have strict  rules and learn proper behavior before we can let them use their smartphones without supervision. 

FamilyKeepers was built to help children develop awareness about the dangers of the digital world while keeping them safe as they learn to navigate their new independence. Advanced rule setting capabilities let you place usage limits and instill safe behaviors. AI-driven monitoring tools alert you to any problematic behavior and ensure that your kids are protected, even when you’re not around.

**Awareness**. Like it or not, your kids need to know that what they do on their smartphone is definitely not private. Phone usage can be monitored by anyone, at any time. With FamilyKeepers on their smartphones  your kids will quickly internalize that fact, and learn to always act appropriately and never share or store sensitive data on their devices.  

**Behavior**. Rules define the behavior that we expect to see in our children. Use FamilyKeepers to set up clear guidelines about the way you want your kids to use their smartphones. Establish usage limits, block inappropriate websites and apps and block the phone while your kids are at school or doing homework. 

**Monitor**. Get customizable, real-time alerts regarding any inappropriate behavior or problematic usage. Access in-depth analytics that offer insights into how your kids are using their smartphones. 

Modern times call for modern measures. FamilyKeepers gives you everything you need to keep your children safe while teaching them how to use their smartphones wisely as they learn to become independent.  

Remember, to work correctly FamilyKeeper should be installed on your childrens’ devices and your own. [Contact us](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/contact/) if you have any difficulties setting it up.

How to keep our kids safe online while giving them the space they need to grow.

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Let Your Kids Spread Their Wings, Safely!

We live in interesting times. Unfortunately for us, interesting, in the context of the latest news, is more akin to the famous “Chinese curse” than anything positive. Globalization and technology are double-edged swords; they bring with them both tremendous, life-altering benefits that we can no longer imagine living without — like smartphones and the internet — alongside newer digital threats and global health dangers that we’re still learning to come to terms with. 

With the coronavirus [now confirmed as pandemic](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51839944) by the World Health Organization conferences, sports stadiums, schools and houses of worship across the world are shuttering their doors. But that’s not all. Mass gatherings and public events — even small ones — are being canceled and outright banned left and right. In some regions, quarantines have been put in place across entire cities and counties.

All of this means that most likely, kids will be at home for some time. They’re going to be bored and will look to their smartphones mostly for entertainment, but also as a way to socialize during extended periods of social distancing and mandated quarantine. It’s safe to say that smartphone screen time and app usage will significantly grow during these trying times. 

And with this rise in usage, we can also expect a proportional growth in the potential online dangers and problematic digital behavior that may come along for the ride. 

Unfortunately, that’s just the beginning — we’re not just talking about cyberbullying, online predators and inappropriate usage anymore. Specifically now, in the time of corona, it’s critical that you’re able to keep tabs on your kids’ whereabouts at any given time. This is not just to ensure that they stay away from containment zones and public gatherings where the likelihood of exposure to the coronavirus is particularly high. It’s also to make sure that quarantined children stay at home even when the adults are out shopping or working.

Now’s the time to have a serious talk about the steps we can take to keep our kids safe during these challenging times. Luckily for us, some of the advantages of technology include powerful tools that we can use to protect our kids from the dark side of the internet, as well as from the spread of the Coronavirus. 

Here are 4 ways you can use FamilyKeeper to keep your kids safe.

**Stay on top of their location** — Use FamilyKeeper’s real-time GPS location feature to instantly locate your child. Coronavirus’ highly contagious nature means that gatherings of any size can pose a real danger. If that isn’t enough, children aren’t always fully equipped to understand the acute danger of coronavirus and may take risks like visiting sick friends or going into areas with high concentrations of the virus. 

**Set up digital fences** — Take advantage of advanced geofencing capabilities to set up ‘no go’ zones for your kids. You’ll get an immediate update if your child approaches a geofenced area so that you can take appropriate action. With geofencing you’ll instantly know if your child goes anywhere near dangerous areas, or tries to leave quarantine. That way, you can rest assured your children are safe, even if you’re not in their proximity.

**Establish rules and monitor usage** — Filter and block problematic websites, set up screen time limitations and block applications during specific hours. Access in-depth analytics on how your kids are spending their time on the smartphone. With the kids at home, they’ll be looking for entertainment. The smartphone will be the first place they look for it. Use FamilyKeeper to set up clear boundaries on how and when your kids use their smartphones. 

**Protection from cyberthreats** — Advanced monitoring capabilities detect suspicious behavior patterns, cyberbullying and other online threats across leading social networks and other platforms. Get customizable, real-time alerts if your child is exposed to inappropriate messages or photos. As kids around the world continue to use their smartphones more and more as a way to cope with the impact of the Coronavirus, the dangers of the digital world become more real. 

During these stressful times, the need for vigilance is greater than ever. With FamilyKeeper, your child is kept safe — both from the dangers of the internet, and from the spread of Coronavirus.

Remember, to work correctly FamilyKeeper should be installed on your childrens’ devices and your own. [Contact Us](https://familykeeper.reasonlabs.com/contact/) if you have any difficulties setting it up.

Here are 4 ways you can use FamilyKeeper to keep your kids safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Child safety during Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Wednesday, October 12th has come to be known as National Stop Bullying Day. A little brief history for you: 

‘In 2009, eighteen sixth-grade students from St. Stanislaus Kostka declared October National Stop Bullying Month, the second week of October National Stop Bullying Week, and Stop Bullying Day on the second Wednesday of October.’

While originally motivated to prevent bullying towards children, the advent of cyberbullying, bleeding into other arenas like the workplace, has actually given rein to anti-bullying for people of all ages.

When did bullying become cyberbullying?
The move from physical bullying to cyberbullying really got underway in the 2010s, when smartphones became mainstream and social media platform accessibility exploded. Anyone anywhere can view, post and comment online – and as such, it’s opened users up to being extremely vulnerable.

What is cyberbullying?
Stopbullying.gov defines cyberbullying as ‘bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets.’ 

Cyberbullying involves sending, posting, commenting or sharing derogatory, false, or nasty content about someone, whether it’s text or images, in order to deliberately harm or humiliate them. It can often be done anonymously, using a fake profile, or by internet ‘trolls’. With new awareness of the harm it can inflict, these days cyberbullying may cross the line into unlawful or criminal behavior.

Where can cyberbullying occur?

Unfortunately, there are many outlets for cyberbullying: 

🙁 SMS, and other messaging services

🙁 Social media platforms e.g. Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

🙁 Chatrooms or other forums where people can view, participate in, or share content.

🙁 Connected online games

As parents or teachers, one of the most worrying things about cyberbullying is that it can be happening under our noses and we may not even know.  Class WhatsApp groups, your child’s social media accounts, online chat rooms – unless you are constantly supervising every single message or photo that enters your child’s phone (which let’s be honest, they may not appreciate), it’s not so easy to detect if someone is being harassed or bullied.

What can you do to commemorate National Stop Bullying Day?
You may see the hashtag #StopBullyingDay trending on social media – join the conversation and get informed about the dangers of bullying in all its forms – and how to recognize where and when it may be happening.

This may also be the time to rethink what we as parents can do to prevent cyberbullying in all of its forms. Using a parental control app that can identify offensive keywords or images, and alert you if such a thing occurs, is an important step to take in defense against cyberbullying.

FamilyKeeper was developed with these challenges in mind – providing parents with peace of mind that their child can navigate the internet without being susceptible, in a safe, age-appropriate way.

For further information on FamilyKeeper, or to download the app, visit the Google Play Store. 

If you have other concerns, or are looking for advice surrounding cyberbullying, you are most welcome to join Digital World Parenting – an online discussion forum for parents, where you can get expert advice, and join the conversation regarding all parenting issues in the cyber world.

Wednesday, October 12th has come to be known as National Stop Bullying Day. A little brief history for you.

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