Mom, Can I download this app?

Mom, can I download this app?
We’re coming to the end of our first week of school closures, online learning, canceled sports activities, and in general - doing whatever bargaining necessary to keep the kids entertained. At the same time, we try to maintain a “work-life balance.” 

I suspect, along with our current circumstances, there will also be a significant spike in parents getting this question from their kiddos: “Mom/Dad, can I download this app?” 

​Hopefully, you have measures in place already that require your tiny-techies to get permission BEFORE downloading a new app. If not, click here for a tutorial on how to install “Ask to Buy” on Apple devices and click here for step-by-step on how to require purchases for all downloads (free or not). For Android users, click here for Google Play app downloading restrictions.
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Now that we have the parent permissions covered, how do you know if the answer should be yes, or no? Here are three great resources for doing your due diligence when it comes to the apps you allow (or in some cases, ban!):

1. National Online Safety has guides for numerous apps. What I love about this resource is that it gives specific insights into the dangers of the particular app. Here’s an idea - read these warnings with your child and ask them this, “given what we have learned about (insert app here), do you think I would be keeping you safe by allowing you to have this?” I used this strategy with my daughter when she asked for TikTok, and she hasn’t asked for it since!
2. Common Sense Media is excellent! Just plug in the app, game, movie, etc. and read the reviews.
3. Join Parenting in a Tech World on Facebook! This group is hosted by Bark, an Atlanta-based company whose monitoring tool covers text messages, YouTube, email, and social media platforms and notifies parents of concerning content. The Facebook group has been very enlightening as parents post examples of what they are finding on their kids’ devices and others chime in explaining how do decode the emojis or ‘text codes.’ I also love staying in tune with how kids are finding workarounds to access the internet (and many other hacks). I feel like when I finally do allow my daughter to have a device of her own; I will be ahead of the game. Maybe!?!? We’ll see…. 

To stay up-to-date with helpful parent resources, discussion, and upcoming events, please connect via any (or all!) of the following:
www.fosteringsuccessllc.com
facebook.com/fosteringsuccessllc/
instagram.com/fostering_success_llc/
linkedin.com/in/collinsfoster/
 
 
 
 

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