Category: Parental Controls

When Bill Belsey, creator of a website to fight traditional bullying, coined the term ‘cyberbullying’ in 1998, even he wouldn’t have envisaged the transformation that electronic devices would undergo in the next two decades. Nor would he imagine the frequency with which ‘cyberbullying’ would be used as a topic of serious concern for the younger generation.

A cyberbully is someone who harasses you using a digital device such as a computer, a mobile phone, or a tablet. Harassment is perpetrated in many different ways: through text messages, applications, social media, forums, or interactive games.

The dissemination of offensive, harmful, false, or cruel information about someone simply for the purpose of humiliating or embarrassing them may constitute cyberbullying. The acts in question are often illegal and thus condemned.

The Hidden Dangers of Cyberbullying

Parents often dismiss cyberbullying as trivial due to the belief that minor damage can be caused via the internet. Cyberbullying, however, can be even more harmful than in-person bullying.

Cyberbullying occurs at all times of the day and night, so kids and teens who are victimized have a hard time getting away from bullies. While many parents consider home a safe haven for their children to escape bullying, cyberbullying follows them home.

The anonymity and difficulty of tracing such bullying make it particularly damaging and upsetting. As well as being difficult to control, the victim has no idea how many people (or how many hundreds of people) have seen what they have written. People can suffer from constant anxiety every time they check their gadgets or computers.

Despite the importance of understanding the various forms of cyberbullying, getting a complete understanding of it also requires understanding the bullies themselves and why they attack others. Boredom, revenge, anger, and the desire to provoke a reaction from their victims are some of the reasons students engage in these behaviors.

It’s also true that what may seem like online harassment may at times just be an accident. Online communication is impersonal, which makes it hard to determine whether someone is being sarcastic or not.

Cyberbullying Related Stats

• A survey by Bullying Statistics found that half of all young adults experienced cyberbullying at least once. Another ten to twenty percent reported it regularly.
• In some ways, cyberbullying might be linked to suicide. Depressive thoughts are prevalent among 80 percent of young people who commit suicide. Suicidal thoughts are often more frequently triggered by cyberbullying than traditional bullying.
• According to PewResearch, the prevalence of cyberbullying among girls is higher than among men. On average, 36% of girls reported being cyberbullied, compared with 26% of men.
• The amount of cyberbullying students experience at school can negatively affect their school performance. The odds of mental illness and behavioral problems are also higher with them. (https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying-factsheet508.pdf)
• According to a report published by Bullying Research, gamers are significantly more likely to be both the victims and perpetrators of cyberbullying.

Impact of cyberbullying on children

Cyberbullying is becoming more cruel, and the impact on those involved is becoming even more profound. Cyberbullying is worse than traditional bullying in many ways, infiltrating every aspect of the victim’s life and causing psychological trauma.

1. Emotional Impact

People who are victimized by cyberbullying may suffer long-term emotional, behavioral, concentration, and social issues. Their social lives might also be affected by these problems, as they may have difficulty relating to others. A higher proportion of them experience trust problems and abuse alcohol and drugs earlier in life. Peers may treat cyberbullying victims with shame, which can result in dangerous stigmas.

Many cyberbullying victims have a hard time feeling safe because of it. The feeling of vulnerability and helplessness may be overwhelming. Online bullying can affect someone at all times of the day via computer or cell phone since it can invade their home through that device. The place where they could escape is no longer available to them.

2. Physical Impact

Although cyberbullies are not physically threatened, they still suffer from physiological symptoms. Their excessive nervousness often results in headaches and stomach pain. It is also possible for them to commit self-harm. Psychological problems such as digestive issues and eating disorders can be caused by feelings of stress and anxiety caused by cyberbullying.

A child being cyberbullied may skip meals or binge eat as a result of the bullying. People who experience cyberbullying may experience sleep disruptions. Insomnia, sleeping more than usual, or nightmares are among the sleep issues they might experience. Additionally, a bullied individual’s stress can also aggravate or cause stomach ulcers, intestinal pain, or upset stomach.

3. Mental Impact

Symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are exacerbated by cyberbullying among adolescents, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. The study found that cyberbullying worsened depressive symptoms more forcefully than other indicators in children from challenging backgrounds. Researchers hypothesize that cyberbullying may result in psychological maladjustment, reduced well-being, and eventually low self-esteem in young people because young people have an intense psychological need to belong to and be accepted by a peer group.

Additionally, the study indicated a vicious cycle. The likelihood of being bullied online was more significant for those who were depressed or suffering from mental health issues than those who did not suffer from such issues. Study results confirmed previous findings, the researchers said.

4. Behavioral Impact

A cyberbullied child may exhibit the same behavioral changes as a child who is bullied in a traditional setting. These individuals lack interest in activities and are secretive. In certain circumstances, when kids have been cyberbullied, going to school is too much for them. In order to avoid school, they sometimes skip classes or behave in such a way that results in their suspensions.

A further effect of cyberbullying is anger, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. In a victim’s emotional range, anger is often a dominant emotion. Some children may even consider revenge plans, as evidenced by the school shootings and other aggressions committed by bullying victims who couldn’t deal with what had happened to them.

Remember – a parent or trusted adult is informed of cyberbullying by only one in ten young people. The low number may have been caused by embarrassment, fear of not being believed, or fear of losing access to technology. To ensure your child seeks support when they need it, you can take proactive steps to educate them about how to combat cyberbullying.

You should have a gentle, honest, and open conversation if you suspect something is wrong. It’s hard to avoid being involved in a situation when your children are stressed, but there are steps that you can take to help. A parental monitoring app that tracks your child’s text message is one of the best options if chosen and implemented correctly to ensure that you know what your children are doing with their digital devices.

Parental Monitoring Apps

Giving children digital freedom and knowing when that freedom ends can be a challenge for parents. Many parents are aware that cutting off kids’ access to the internet may have adverse effects on their development and learning. Sadly, this also means that children are exposed to cyberbullying.

Therefore, installing effective security software with parental control on all devices can help parents help their kids remain safe in the digital world. Children should learn to use a security system on their devices just like they learn to lock doors when they’re alone at home.

The use of parental monitoring tools is practically essential for making sure your children are protected. It monitors what kids write and what they do on their computers, tablets, and smartphones. Although you can do this by looking over their shoulders, this is much easier to do today, thanks to technology. An accomplished and efficient parental monitoring app like Fenced.ai, Bark.us, Kaspersky Safe Kids can act as a highly amicable tool to help you protect your kids from being cyberbullied.

How Do Parental Monitoring Apps Helps To Prevent Cyberbullying

• Parents can track and monitor SMS, calls, and emails to be aware of any uncertain activities.
• Parental alerts will be sent on suicidal indications and cyberbullying immediately.
• Contributes to the development and teaching of anti-cyber self-defense
• Blocks and filters unwanted applications and websites
• Sets time limits aimed at limiting the use of social media and digital technology

Applications that provide monitoring functions of their own.

Qustodio – Best All in One Parental Control

NetCut – Best For Internet Control

FamilyTime – Best for Schools

DNSFilter – Best For Website Filtering

ReThink – Best Anti-Bullying App

How to use parental monitoring apps to prevent cyberbullying

We should begin by saying that prohibition is something you should not do with your children. In situations where cyberbullying is present from the start, the minor may want to remain silent if they are prohibited access to the devices. Parenting should be characterized by calmness and alertness, not restriction.

A kid’s phone book can be blocked from seeing suspicious contacts, certain apps can be restricted, texts and emails can be monitored, and locating them can be done through GPS tracking. As evidence when reporting cyberbullying, you can also see and use the multimedia files that bullies send to your child. It is also possible to set triggering words for your kid and receive notifications every time your kid sends or receives a message containing these words.

Cyberbullying can be prevented even before it happens when you monitor your children’s online activity with these programs. As soon as your child is the victim of cyberbullying, block the offender, preserve all evidence, take screenshots, take notes, print out text messages, etc. Cyberbullying can and should be dealt with by involving the child’s parent. Involving parents can immediately stop the behavior.

Parents never want their kids to hurt others, but if a child is being bullied, they are indeed being bullied by someone else. And that child most probably has a loving parent as well. If you find out that your child is a bully, getting them to stop bullying is the first step, but you shouldn’t overreact. Tell them you know what they’re up to and make them understand the implications of their actions. So, a parental monitoring app can’t just help you stop your kid from being bullied but also prevent them from being a bully themselves.

It is never a bad thing to have a lot of information about our children’s online activities. New platforms are popping up all the time, so knowing the ones your child is using is the best way to keep them safe.

Conclusion

In the internet-active age groups, including teenagers and pre-teens, cyberbullying is an incredibly prevalent problem. Bullies are rude, violent, unrelenting, and mean people. Learn what social media platforms your child uses and educate yourself on the many types of cyberbullying that exist. Arm yourself with information when attempting to prevent cyberbullying.

It is not uncommon for parents to be concerned their children are being cyberbullied, being targeted in some way, or simply overusing or otherwise abusing their technology privileges. As you remind them, access and use are privileges, not rights, and with those privileges come responsibilities.

Our children suffer when they are hurt, and we naturally want the pain to stop as soon as possible. Slowing down and listening is almost always best, as this can lead to a victim’s healing. Children, at least, expect it, and it illustrates our respect for them, helps them understand what happened, learn from it, gain more resilience, and regain the dignity that they felt taken away from them.

A parental monitoring app that can monitor your child’s online presence enables you to monitor your child’s online activities, identify bullies and predators, and prevent communication between your child and these people. A bullied child can suffer a lot of stress and suffer from severe consequences. Make sure your child knows they can talk to you at any time. Go even further. Monitor their online behavior to keep them safe.

Most parents seeking parental control software options have kids in their home using multiple computers and devices, not just smartphphones. Even a young child may have access to a phone as well as a computer or tablet. They also are often using their parents personal computer from time to time for school projects or simply to print something.

If that isn’t enough to manage, your family members are connecting to the internet at school or at a friend’s house. With proper parental controls you can ensure the safety and security of your kids online. Otherwise, it’s difficult to know where to begin. It’s hard enough for a person who has some technical savvy, but what if you are technically challenged?

This article features options to protect kids on all devices using parental controls, not just apps but software solutions for PC’s and Macs as well.

Parental Control Software | App

Download Qustodio Parental Controls for Windows | Mac | Chromebook | Android | iPhone/iPad | Kindle

Scan QR Code on your mobiles devices to download compatible parental control app for free:

Schools: Download Online Student Safety and Content Filtering

In addition to iPhone and Android mobile devices, our recommended parental controls also works on Amazon mobile devices.  In fact, multiple devices within your home can be monitored and controlled.  Comprehensive solutions for complete online safety is a parental control app that Filters and Monitors all aspects of online activity for kids. It provides an easy to use app or access from and computer dashboard that gives parents peace of mind knowing their children are protected online.

When selecting a parental control programs for mobile devices as well as Windows and MAC computers you will need to find a software program that works on all devices. It not only an app that works on mobile devices, it also provides monitoring, filtering and multiple control features on desktops and laptops at home, as well as in schools.

Let’s face it, a lack of technical knowledge is common for most of us. We live in an ever changing world where the optimal “kid safety zone” is a moving target. This is where parental control software becomes an essential tool in managing the various needs of any family, according to a range of ages and responsibility.

The good news is, effective parental controls allow you to help keep your family safe in one software download. At Safe Search Kids, we recommend parental internet filtering for PC and MAC users to meet the needs of any family large or small.

Access Free Downloads | Create Your FREE Parental Control Account

Parental Control is Internet Filtering

Internet filtering is certainly the first priority when thinking about protecting kids from harmful aspects of the internet. This is the primary focus of our search tools on Safe Search Kids, but we are only a single access search engine. Parent control software takes it one step further by filtering the entire internet, regardless of what search engine your kids may be using.

Quit simply, it allows you to completely control access to the internet including and blocking websites no matter what device is being used.  The level of restriction can be customized by age. After all, the places your 16 years old can go online is much different than your 7 year old. This includes allowing or limiting access on apps and social media, some platforms of which are only appropriate for older kids.  Some software platforms provide additional tools that allow you to combine parental controls with accountability.

Parental Control is Screen Time Management

Once you have the peace of mind of knowing all the bad areas of the internet are completely blocked on every device in your home, you can think about controlling the time your kids spend online. Imagine having peace of mind going to sleep at night knowing your teenager is not able to access the internet past 10 or 11 pm.

These controls can easily be set within the dashboard of your account. Likewise, you can restrict access from your 7 year old so that they can not get online after 8 pm, for example. This screen time management control is at your fingertips for any day of the week from the app or desktop dashboard.

Parental Control Software Monitors Apps

The dangers of the internet are not just through a website browser. With a software application you can also monitor what apps your kids are downloading. You can choose to also block apps like TikTok, Reddit or Discord that you don’t want your family to access at all. As with managing screen time, you can individually customize accessibility for every one in the house and on every one of their devices.

New apps are being developed and made available on the app store everyday. Whether the app is on an iPhone, Android or Kindle Fire device, you will be notified when a new app is downloaded and installed on any device.

• Calls and messages monitoring: Keep an eye out for suspicious contacts and distractions.
• Games and App Access: Allow access to the appropriate games and apps.

Parental Control is a Family Locator

Check that your kids have safely arrived at school. Within the parent dashboard, you can also track the location of each family member in real-time from your computer or smart phone. There’s no need to login to an iCloud account and no additional location tracking software is needed. The location tracking feature also allows you to check the past history of where your kids have been.

You can coincide their location with whether or not they’ve been online during that time. Let’s say you agree that it’s OK for your child to go to a friend’s house but you just want them to play. You don’t want them spending time surfing the web or going on social media. This is a way to check up on their activity while out of the house.

Alerts and Activity Reports

With all these parental controls include features that work in the background to filter, block, and monitor online activity there is an additional feature that will help you keep track of things. Firstly, only need to initially set up controls and restrictions for each family member one time. From there it’s easy to fine tune controls as needed. 

Get instant alerts when suspicious photos or texts are detected on your child’s phone. Be notified when specific search terms are entered or when an app is being downloaded. What your kids are searching for online is also an insight into struggles they may be having, including bullying or feelings of alienation with friends or at school.

Safe Search Kids recommends software solutions, which include parental controls with dashboard access on mobile devices, computers and lap tops. Features can be applied on multiple platforms, including Android and iOS smart phones, Kindle Fire, Windows and Mac computers.

Teaching Internet Accountability and Responsibility

Monitoring and Controlling online activity should always be coupled with showing kids how to be responsible on their own. We all know putting kids in a cocoon will not prepare them properly for life in the read world. Setting up boundaries for kids is of course important, but some of those boundaries can be more lenient for older aged kids while allowing them to learn online responsibility. An internet blocking software can protect kids while they learn how to be responsible with the level of freedom you give them. The older they get and the more responsibly they use that freedom, the more trust we extend. 

Qustodo Care Plus

This feature begins with a welcome your of the parental dashboard by a live person in the Qustodio support staff.   You’ll continue to receive priority help through all stages of implementing and maintaining your parental controls, from personalized guidance during installation and setup, to remote technical support and regular check-ins.  The experts at Qustodio will be there to assist you throughout all channels of providing the right parental control settings for each one of your family members, including personalized customized device set up and tweaking as children grow, required a different level of monitoring.

Parental Controls answer these questions about your kids’ activities:

1. What exactly are my children doing online or on their mobile phones?

• Are they chatting with social network sites like Facebook, Snapchat?
• Are they visiting pornographic or other inappropriate sites?
• Are they being bombarded with inappropriate ads on pages for guns, cigarettes, drugs or other illegal activity?

2. How much overall time is really spent on a daily basis on their phone and computer talking to friends or other socializing?

Now Here are Some Facts That May Surprise You

1. One in 5 kids between 11-18 have been solicited online.
2. 60% of kids are exposed to porn before age 12.
3. Over 65% of kids have accidentally visited an inappropriate site online.
4. More than 25% of kids have been cyberbullied, but only 10% of these incidents were told to parents.

We trust our kids to do what is right, but there is so much filth lurking on all corners of the internet and as parents, we should be very concerned – even for the innocent child who is 100% aware of all the dangers involved, it is next to impossible for our children to be 100% protected. In addition to our lack of time, it is an impossible task to manually monitor our children’s online activities. The latest internet and mobile technology make it impossible with software working in the background.  This includes cyberbullying prevention made possible by monitoring.

Why Every Parent Should be Using Parental Controls on Every Device in their Home

Even with the most strict guidelines in place, it is nearly impossible to monitor your children’s activity online doing it manually. In the past several years, a new niche of software has been developed to help families monitor overall online and computer activity.

Parental Control Software is a must.

While there are several in this field, what they all have in common is that the specific monitoring is automated. This does not mean that you can rely on the system 100% of the time to monitor what your kids are doing – parental supervision is essential, whether they are using a laptop, desktop, tablet or mobile phone.

Parental Control Software provides an integrated time management and internet blocking & monitoring solution with the following key features:

• Restrict Internet & Computer Usage based on a customizable schedule or time limits.
• Monitors chatting/instant messaging based on a time limit or schedule.
• Access phone activity reports including what apps they install or uninstall.
• Award-winning automated filter of porn, illegal, vulgar and other inappropriate websites.
• Ability of parent to create White “Trusted” list and Black “Restricted” lists.
• Dynamic Content Blocker – blocks inappropriate banner ads on webpages.
• Download Complete Parental Control Software Solutions!

Qustodio works on all devices. 

If you only desire filtering and monitoring on iphone’s or Androids phones, download a parental control app that only works on mobile phones and tablets.

If you are planning to buy a tablet for your child this year you may also be exploring parental control options from Google, as well as available safety apps for iPads and Samsung Tablets. There are plenty of buzz words out there related on internet safety, security and parental monitoring.  It can be overwhelming especially for new parents who are giving a child their very first tablet.

We’ll do our best to break everything down for you. The last thing you need is to duplicate processes, while overlooking safety and security essentials, in an effort to make sure your new tablet or iPad kid safe.  We’ll explain the difference between reliable parental controls from external sources and those that may already have existing restrictions in place for safe game play.

Finally, we’ll review software or apps that may be redundant if you already have purchased that make other programs redundant.

Parental Control Monitoring

There are a myriad of third-party parental control apps.  Pricing varies and for the most part, they pretty much do the same thing.  However, ease of use is a key factor for parents when decided which application they use to monitoring their child’s activity online.   Key features you’ll want to ensure parental controls offer are as follows;

• Monitoring of texts and calls on social monitoring apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Kik.

• Monitoring of texts and calls on SMS and Messengers.

• GPS tracking so you can confirm where you kids are always.

• Geo fencing, which notifies you when your child leaves designated zone’s they are supposed to be.

• A porn blocker and content filter.

Qustodio offers these parental control features, along with benefits of easy installation.  It quietly monitors in the background and is easy to set up.  The initial account creation that takes you through a wizard to learn your monitoring needs according to your child’s age.

If you have both iPhones and Android devices being used by family members, your parental control app of choice should also be able to monitor both platforms and work on all devices, such as iPads, Samsung Tablets, and all smartphones in your home.

Parental Controls On Google

Firstly, if you are seeking a free parental control while searching Google, we have an app to recommend for that.  Apart from bookmarking this website for PC’s or Macs,  download our Google SafeSearch App for any tablet or mobile device.  Then, instruct your kids to only use it to search Google.  It provides the same strict filtering results as featured on the top of our website, but provided within the confines of an app.  You may want to remove/delete all other search apps such as Safari for iPad and Chrome so they are not accessible for use.

Google also offers Family Link.  It provides free tools to guide kids to good content, teach and set digital ground rules, monitor screen time and track location. for children within a certain age, there is also Kids Space, which is controlled by parents within Family Link. It’s a safe place for younger children to explore.

Parental Control Software and Parental Control Apps often refer to programs that block access to the entire web.  Our search app and Google’s Family Link do not block or monitor internet access. Google SafeSearch only filters the web while searching.  Our app and Family Link are free tools you can use to provide a certain level of parental control.

Greater restrictions are needed through a parental control software for those who want to stop older kids from taking steps to download harmful content. This may include re-downloading other search apps that you removed from the tablet.

Social Media Safety

Even if you have Google search covered, kids will also have access to outside content via their social media platforms.  Every parent should have an open and honest conversation about which social media websites are allowed in your home.  You can implement agreed upon guidelines as well, but this is where complete parental control apps can allow parents to see everything that is happening on any device the software is installed.

Parental controls with a paid subscription model will have a parent dashboard to view app downloads on all devices.  The dashboard will also allow you to limit screen time and block specific hours when users are allowed online, such as late in the evening or when you are not home.  And of course, all bad sites can be blocked not matter what method us used to find them, even if accidentally.

Kids Tablets with Parental Control

If you have younger kids and not looking for a fully functional device like iPad or a Samsung tablet, there are fun activity tablets that already come with their own parental controls built in.  These are very basic user-friendly tablets for kids that provide a safe environment for game downloads and internet search.

Schools who supply tablets for kids may also have internet filtering active through their own parental controls set for all users in the school.

Anti-Virus for Tablets

While parental control is all about protecting kids from accessing inappropriate websites, it does not block viruses.   If you are getting a tablet for younger kids that are going to be strictly using Google safe search, then the risk for infection from computer viruses is lower.  Generally, tablets are safer than PC computers but virus infection can still happen.

iPads are more secure because Apple’s operating system is more closed.  Samsung tablets are running on an Android platform, which is more open, and therefore more susceptible.  Just be aware that parental control or any other app designed to deliver safe search does not protect against viruses or malware.

Other than visiting infected website, email is the most common way a computer will get infected from a virus.   If your child is not running email, then the risk of infect is reduced even more.  If they are using a filtering search engine like ours, they are also less likely to end up on an infected website.  To clarify, parental control software does not stop virus infections.

Read more about options related to internet safety related to virus protection.  It’s another article where were break down the various buzz words related to internet safety and security.

Lets Review for Tablet Safety

• At the very least install our safe Google search app. It’s free.

• And it won’t hurt to consider Google’s Family Link app.  It provides additional tools to equip families to be safe online.

• For complete parental control, as well as tools to teach kinds online responsibility, look for a software program that can control different levels is internet access according to each individual family member.

• Install anti-virus software for email and consider anti malware software to safety against infected websites.

Online Gaming Security

If you have an avid gamer in the household using a PC or Macintosh computer, explore options for gamer security.  This stops users from turning off the Anti-Virus program they may have because it slows down their computer operating system.

Lawnmower parenting has been around for years but it picked up steam after an anonymous article was posted on a popular website for teachers. Since this trend is buzzing, it is something that needs to be talked about. It’s a parenting style that has made us appreciate helicopter parents and tiger moms even more.

Lawnmower parents are the overprotective parents who cannot stand to see their children struggle. Their intentions may be good but the consequences of such parenting are devastating. Before you follow this trend, you must understand that you are only setting up your kids for a lifetime of failures.

Some of us are already guilty of being lawnmowers. Just evaluate how you are raising your child whether it’s a toddler, preschooler, teen, or tween. You could be making your toddler wear a space suit whenever leaving home so they don’t catch germs, making your teen’s friends pass through a rigorous screening process to approve, or constantly checking their bedroom during the night to make sure they are sleeping. These are certainly signs that you love your child unconditionally but you could be preventing them from growing into independent and emotionally healthy adults.

Lawnmower parents are willing to intervene and mow down any obstacle that stands in the way of their child. This style of parenting, just like helicopter parenting, focuses on short-term goals. Such parents think “If I could make this thing easier for my child, why wouldn’t I do it?” When you are constantly removing obstacles from the life of your child, you are taking away their opportunities to learn problem-solving techniques and other skills.

Lawn-mowing parenting is not healthy for your children!

I would like to shed some light on ways lawnmower parenting hamper your children’s success:

• They won’t learn how to deal with life

The sting of rejection and the pain of failure could disappoint your child but it doesn’t mean you go above and beyond to solve every problem. If you do that, you are keeping them from developing emotional skills. They won’t be prepared for life after high school. They won’t be able to deal with conflict, loneliness, boredom, and anxiety on their own because they never got to experience these emotions before.

Early life stress actually expands the regions of the brain that help control resiliency. For example, if you console your child for receiving bad grades on paper, you are not benefiting them. You should instead be teaching a lesson that helps in character building and prepares them for the future.

• Their problem-solving skills will be zero

When you remove the problem before even your child knows it existed, how will they develop problem-solving skills? Scheduling meetings or calling your kid to ensure they wake up on time, etc. could make parents act more like personal concierges rather than authority figures. Imagine your child is in college and he doesn’t know how to get help. They must have the skills to figure out things without the help of parents. If your children don’t struggle, they will never learn and their character will never build.

• You are shattering their confidence

Removing obstacles from the life of your child means you are making them learn they can’t handle anything on their own. Your child will hence grow up with self-doubt and anxiety.  Their insecurities will make them feel they are incompetent.

• You are fostering poor mental health

Your parenting style doesn’t allow your kids to gain coping skills. It is understandable that you want them to be happy but ironically, you are sabotaging their long-term well-being. You can’t take full responsibility for your child’s emotions by regulating how they feel.

The American Psychological Association Commission conducted a study on stress in America. Results revealed that the younger generation is more stressed out than the older generation. Millennials and Generation X reported a higher level of stress than the baby boomers. The study also revealed that when parents control the social sphere of their child, they hinder them from growing and developing essential social skills that help them during their adulthood.  Sheltered children miss out on so many learning opportunities. Lawnmower parenting actually makes your child maladapted to the real world, which can take a toll on their mental health.

Signs you are a lawnmower parent

If you are a lawnmower parent, you are simply removing your child’s discomfort in the short run rather than focusing on their needs in the long run. You must evaluate your parenting style if you want your child to grow into a healthy, confident, and adaptive adult. These are the signs that indicate you are a lawnmower parent:

• You do their laundry, clean their room, and even their dinner plates. In short, you are doing all their chores for them.
• Whenever your child comes home with a bad grade, you blame their teacher. You are even ready to talk to their teacher to cut them some slack or give extra time to complete a homework assignment.
• You don’t hesitate in stopping by their school to give them their forgotten belongings even though you are running late from work.
• You step into any situation that would make them uncomfortable. You are the one handling their business instead of letting them tackle the situation.
• You intervene in the sibling fights and even friend fights. Rather than letting your child figure out a way to solve the conflict, you remove the catalyst for them.
• You help them with their homework. Instead of letting them do the research, you come to their rescue every time.

You may not be doing all the above, it could even be one; but if you are handling a few or too many aspects of your child’s life, you must stop!

If lawnmower parenting is so bad, then using parental controls should be bad, too?

Since lawnmower parenting means you are being over-protective, some parents are arguing that using smartphone monitoring apps could mean the same. Well, not really. Whether it is built-in parental controls in apps that our kids use on a daily basis (like YouTube, Netflix etc.) or parenting apps, they are meant to protect our kids from harmful exposure. If you are putting screen-time limits on your child’s tablet or smartphone by using parental control device locking features, you are not keeping them from developing skills.

In fact, you are disciplining them and teaching them how to use technology in a healthy way. Likewise, with the location tracking feature and geo-fencing, you are making sure you know where your kid is without having to inquire about it. Since social media is full of vices such as cyberbullying, body shaming, online predators, catfishing, etc., to keep a check on your children’s mental health, parents have no choice but to monitor their conversations from time to time.

Supervising their digital lives isn’t a bad thing if you are teaching how to protect themselves from the lurking online dangers via monitoring app for parents or any other similar app like Qustodio. In fact, when you don’t set these boundaries, you are exposing your children to dangers that could leave a mark on their lives for a long time. With that being said, lawnmower parenting and using parental controls are not the same things.

How to tell the difference between helping and mowing things for your children?

I know, I know, you must be wondering how you can be sure you are actually helping your child and not being a lawnmower parent. No parent wants to see their child fail. They simply want to set their children up for success. Whenever you are stuck between helping and mowing, monitoring your child or trusting them, consider your child’s future. That will make it easier for you to decide. Back away and let your child gain experience by dealing with adverse situations. That, in fact, is the most loving thing you could do for them.