EFFECTS OF INTERNET ADDICTION AND THE USE OF WEB FILTERS!

Internet addiction is one main concern that worries large majority of parents. Knowingly or unknowingly, kids of this digital age spend most of their time surfing the web and lose track This is just one problem. To help you get real idea, here we have listed some of the effects of the Internet addiction on teen behaviour. Have a look!

1. Low tolerance

It is difficult to generalize because each case can be very different from others, but most of the times, it comes to teens with little tolerance for frustration. This low tolerance brings many other difficulties for teens in their everyday life (in the study, work or social life) hence, they retract their social exchange with people of their age.

2. Social withdrawal

This withdrawal is often accompanied by a loss of interest in work, studies or any other productive and necessary activities. The Internet offers quick entertainment sites, an activity without waiting or delays without exposing themselves to the others.

We consider it an addiction when an abuse of time spent at the expense of other activities and a dependence which manifests itself in that deprivation of these games occurs. However, temporarily, it produces great irritation.

3. Depression

Constituting all their attention at one place, teens become more concerned about their cyber life which makes them fail at many real events. This failure and extra attention on cyber activities also elicit the feeling of depression is them which is the result of their deep thinking.

If we realize this, we can understand that it is not just to limit the recurrence of this activity, but to solve the problems that cause it: the low tolerance for frustration, depression and withdrawal underlying first. Otherwise, this may lead to family conflicts with a repetitive cycle of limitations (often necessary), prohibitions, more or less violent arguments, rebellion, anger, etc. To cope with the situation efficiently, one smart move can be using the web filters on teens’ digital devices as there are apps like FamilyTime that let parents monitor the internet use of their kids along with providing them a better solution to restrict the excessive screen use. Using this app parents can enable:

1. Digital Monitoring: Monitoring helps parents keep their kids on track. With FamilyTime app, parents can actually have a look at all the activities your kid performs through their digital device and get to know when they make a new contact, dial, receive or miss a call, send or receive SMS; check apps that they etc.
2. Safe internet search: Parents can enable safe search option on their kid’s digital devices and keep their kids from seeing content not appropriate for their age. 
3. Internet filters: Another amazing feature of FamilyTime is internet filters that empowers parents to block all unwanted topics such as drugs, pornography, violence, sex, dating etc. Enabling this feature, the app will automatically block all websites and content related to that topic.
4. App Blocking: Strengthening kids’ safety, FamilyTime allows parents to block apps too. Be it social, entertaining or secretive; parents can now restrict the use of unwanted apps as well. All they have to do is blocking the app either on a temporary basis or permanently.
5. Limiting Screen Time: Every parent gets irritated to see kids glued to their devices 24/7. If you too feel the same wand wish to manage their screen time, FamilyTime is the tool for you. You can stop them from using the screens either by put a scheduler for screen use, or remotely locking the device.

Hence the app offers everything you may need to curb the internet addiction in your teen. So, don’t waste your time anymore and get the app now. To start with, you can try the app for free. The trail version of the app can be downloaded from the app store on your phone i.e Google Play in the case of Android device and iTunes for iOS based device. You can also get it in a jiffy from the buttons given below:

PARENTS ALERT - TECHNOLOGY USE IS HARMING YOUR KIDS’ SLEEP AND GROWTH; HELP THEM WITH FAMILYTIME APP!

The use of technology, such as tablets or cell phones, before going to bed disrupts your child's sleep cycle.

Currently, children often go to bed with a video game or cell phone to play in bed while their time comes to sleep. However, this habit can significantly alter your sleep cycle due to the light they emit, affecting your sleep quality and even your growth.

The light emitted by technological devices such as cell phones, computers, tablets, video games and television is harmful especially if they are used at night because it alters the biological or circadian rhythm, responsible for the secretion of hormonal substances during sleep, Doctor Armando Blanco, pediatric endocrinologist, announced.

Less sleep = less growth

During the development stage, the sleep cycle in children determines the quality of their rest and growth because it is when the growth hormone reaches its maximum level of segregation, shortly after the children fall asleep.

A new-born should sleep approximately 16 hours a day and small children need between 10 to 13 hours a day. However, children with altered sleep cycles will not produce the growth hormone levels necessary for their development, which can trigger problems of height and short stature, the specialist warned.

This light emitted by electronic devices becomes harmful, especially at night, even more than the light bulbs and lamps, because it alters the biological or circadian rhythm, which is responsible for the secretion of hormonal substances during sleep, as cortisol, melatonin, prolactin and growth hormone.

According to the specialist, the maximum peak of growth hormone segregation coincides with the presence of deep delta sleep; that is, during the first two hours of sleep.

This growth hormone depends on age, so it is important to keep children away from the use of the computer, television, cell phones or any other technological device before going to bed, since these will prevent children from falling asleep.

The endocrinologist mentioned that according to a study published in 2011, by the research team of the Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital in Italy, children with growth hormone deficiency slept less hours and, therefore, had low quality sleep. .

In addition, growth hormone deficiency also affects the immune system, making children more vulnerable to disease, cautioned the pediatric endocrinologist.

Save Kids with FamilyTime app!

Let’s admit the fact that no matter how many times we warn our kids about these dangers and risks, ids always follow their will and adopt habits that amuse them so, rather than telling them one thing hundred times, parents are encouraged to make use of the digital tool such as FamilyTime app that lets you schedule auto screen locks and provides the ability to remotely lock the phone anytime you want.With the help of scheduler, you can regulate their time table efficiently. No doubt, you’ll have to face rebellious attitude initially, but staying firm and being loud and clear, you can make your kids conform to the set rules. This is just one feature of FamilyTime. The app offers a list of handy parental features too. To see how does it help in limiting the kids’ tech use before going to sleep, give this app a free shot. You can get the free version of the app from the app store on your phone. So, visit Google Play or iTunes now and get the app from there in no time.

4 TIPS FOR YOUR CHILD TO USE THE CELL PHONE SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY

Cell phones are part of one of the most used technological devices in the last decade. Its use has become popular worldwide and we can now see that adults, young people, even children use it to send messages and texts, make calls and surf the Internet. Are there any restrictions?

As parents we must take care of the children and establish rules for the use of these devices with which they have access to a large amount of information and contact with known and unknown people. We share some recommendations that you should take into account before buying a cell phone for your child or letting a child use it.

1. Do they need a cell phone?

The first thing we have to take into account, is it necessary for my son to have a cell phone? Most children want to have a cell phone - because others have it - or because of the innumerable functions presented by mobile devices today. Games, applications, cameras and video, Internet access, games, etc. But is cell phone a toy? The cell phone is an electronic device that serves to communicate with others through various channels and use the multimedia resources they offer. If they provide good use, it might be useful, but not necessary.

2. Do they know the risks and benefits?

First, we must know what they can do with a cell phone in hand. This varies according to the functions offered by the device, most offer the possibility of accessing the Internet, others are limited to making and receiving calls and text messages. By accessing the Internet they can download viruses or inappropriate content without any restriction, they can also share their phone number with others and these in turn with others, can receive calls or messages from stalkers if they do not maintain some privacy with their data. The benefits of having a phone is that they can communicate with parents at any time, they can also use it to conduct research via the Internet and use multimedia resources for further work.

3. Should they carry the cell phone everywhere?

As part of the limits you should take into account when and where to use these mobile devices. Should they use it at the table, during the class, when walking down the street or while traveling by bike or motorcycle? The cell phone is a portable device, but these should not be used during class time or in activities that do not require its use. If an adult speaks to them, they should pay attention to the adult, not the cell phone, nor should they use it when they perform activities that require concentration, the cell phone could be a great distraction. To make them use the phone appropriately and responsibly, it is recommended to allow them specific numbers of hours for the device use. To implement this schedule effectively, parents can take the assistance of iOS parental controls such as FamilyTime that let parents allocate screen time to their kids on a daily or weekly basis along with putting remote screen locks on their devices. Not only this, there are bundles of other features that parents can use to keep track of their kids’ digital activities. Do you want to try this app? Give it a free shot by getting it from the app store on your phone. You can also get it in a jiffy from the button given below:

4. Do you set limits and conditions?

Taking into account the dangers and benefits, you should establish some conditions and one of them is not to share their phone number with strangers, nor should they share their friends’ information with other people. They should not contact strangers and should not neglect their daily activities, study, perform exercises, help at home, etc. Nor should they use these devices as a means of disseminating inappropriate materials or calling and sending messages to others in order to offend or annoy them.

CURB YOUR TEEN’S GAMING ADDICTION WITH THE LIMIT SCREEN TIME APP!

Anyone who has experienced it can tell you for sure that it really is! Playing games occasionally is harmless, but once addicted to gaming, it can become a compulsive behavior for gamers. Gamers tempted to escape reality, become so wrapped up in their games that they tend to forget everything else around them. And whenever they are deprived of their chance to play, they are likely to display annoyance, depression or even violence.

If your teens are constantly on their phones and tabs playing video games there is a high chance they might be a gaming addict. The chances are not that rare. A nationwide survey found out that, 1 out of every 12 kids, show signs of gaming addiction. Though, gaming addiction has not been recognized by the American Psychiatric Association. But this does not mean it is a false condition.

There are many self-help ways you can use to reduce this addiction in teens, one of them is limit screen time app. But first you need to observe these symptoms in your teens to make sure if they are gaming addicts or not:

Symptoms of gaming addiction:

• Secretly playing or lying about the hours spent playing.
• Giving up time at school to play games.
• Depression or anxiety.
• Alienation from friends and family
• Becoming irritated when unable to play.
• Sleep deprivation. 
• Losing interest in hobbies and activities. 
• Declining grades. 

How can limit screen time app help?

If you can clearly observe most of these symptoms in your teen, then it is time to take steps to help them overgrow this addiction. Counter technology with technology and use limit screen time app like FamilyTime to not only monitor the time spent on games but also to control it. Give this app a try for yourself and download it from your iTunes or in a jiffy from the buttons below:

This app lets you reduce gaming addiction in your kids by giving you the control to:

• View all the apps installed on your kids phone. 
• Check the app usage frequency to see the time spent on each app. 
• Reduce their screen time by remotely locking their phone. 
• Blacklist any app you want. 
• Assign specific minutes to play a game 
• Schedule auto screen locks to manage their screen time 
• Remotely lock their device to curb the use of the device instantly 

You can start in the same order; first see all the apps you teens use on their iPhone/tab, and then check how much time they spend on gaming apps. Remotely lock their phone from your Dashboard to lessen the addiction and if still doesn’t work, simply block the game.

Don’t Let This Addiction Consume Them!

Being a parent means taking hard decisions for your kids’ own good. You should know when to put your foot down without damaging the relationship of trust and respect between you and your kids. Screen time limit app can help you a great deal in this. Stop the gaming addiction smartly!

Weekends are treasured by teenagers, they have a whole list of plans and they look forward to it all week. Whether they include going for movies, chilling with friends, attending a concert or a party at some friends place. One thing will be present there for sure, alcohol. Alarmingly children as young as the age of 11 start drinking. But what is more frightening is that pre-teens and teens these days are not just drinking alcohol, they are Binge drinking.

Binge drinking is consuming 4 or 5 drinks in a matter of 2 hours, which means teens are not sipping; they are just gulping down alcohol like soft drinks. Parents do whatever they can to stop their children from accessing binge drinks. From just talking to them about good and bad to putting rules and restrictions. Many tech savvy parents of this age use family locator apps apps to keep track of their teens’ activities. But the question here is, how can these apps help parents in restricting the abuse of alcohol in their children’s lives?

7 Signs to help you identify underage drinking:

The first step is to determine whether your children are a part of this activity or not. A study by by SAMHSA gives 7 signs from which parents can tell if their child is binge drinking.

1. Mood changes: Binge drinking can cause severe mood swings such as, temper outburst, touchiness, and getting defensive in situations. They are on a roller coaster of emotions.
2. School problems: Low attendance, bad grades, and discipline issues are also caused by binge drinking.
3. Rebellion: Teens are inclined to become disobedient and do rebellious. 
4. Change of friends: Witness a change in your child’s company? They are switching friends and are reluctant to let you get to know the new ones? It’s time to be alert. 
5. Nothing matters attitude: They don’t show interest in everything. They appear slack; are not involved in previous interests, and generally have low energy.
6. Alcohol presence: Finding alcohol in your child’s room or bag or smelling alcohol on their breath is a definite sign.
7. Physical or mental problems: Alcohol abuse has severe effects on one’s mind and body, such as memory lapses, bloodshot eyes, lack of coordination, poor concentration or inaudible speech.

How parental apps can help?

Once you have established that your children abuse alcohol, there are certain steps you can take to ensure their good health and safety. Some tech-savvy parents use family locator apps like FamilyTime to keep a track of their child’s location history and knowing their whereabouts instantly. With FamilyTime you can:

• Keep track of the places your children visit.
• Know the whereabouts of your children as it updates their location every 20 minutes.
• Geo-fence the address of a pub or bar and get alerts every time your children visit the place.
• Look at their call logs to see who they call and how many times.
• See their contact list.
• Watch-list a suspicious number and get alerts every time they contact it.
• Look into their web history and bookmarks to observe their search patterns.

And much more. You can give this app a free try by downloading it now from the app store on your phone. So, visit the app store on your phone. You can also get the app in a jiffy from the buttons given below:

DO MONITORING APPS FOR PARENTS REALLY HELP IN PROTECTING KIDS ON THE WEB?

The usage of smartphones among kids as young as 10-11 years of age has become extremely common. Even if you do not give your child a smartphone to use at a younger age, there is a chance their friends might have one and your teen may explore different digital apps along with their friends. It is a parent’s responsibility to guide their children how to be safe while using digital media. This means parents have to teach their kids about the do’s and don’ts of digital media, whether or not their child has the privilege of using a cell phone. But, once you buy an electronic gadget for your child, monitoring them digitally becomes inevitable. 

The Importance of Monitoring Apps in Today’s World

Even before you buy a cell phone for your child, make them agree on the usage of a monitoring app. Your teenager needs to understand that monitoring apps for parents available on the Google play store or iTunes do not aim on spying on kids, but they are used in order to protect children from dangers on the Internet. A monitoring app assists parents in staying in the loop with their kids. When you prepare a smartphone contract, make sure you include digital monitoring in that contract. A parental monitoring app makes your children follow the rules written in the contract more religiously. 

The monitoring apps for parents empower them to ensure a healthy digital life of their kids. One such app which is quite popular among parents these days is the FamilyTime app. By using this monitoring app, parents can:

• Monitor App Usage: View the list of the apps on your teen’s device along with the date of installation of every app. You can have a look at the usage frequency of multiple apps as well. FamilyTime enables parents to block the addictive or questionable apps on their teen’s smartphone.
• Monitor Web History: Have a look at the frequently visited URLs along with the date and time stamps, bookmarks and compete location history on your child’s cell phone to make sure they are not exploring inappropriate content on the Internet.
• Monitor Smartphone Conduct: Track the sent or received text messages on your teen’s mobile phone to know whether your teen is becoming a texting addict or not. Parents can also monitor the call logs and the contact list on their teen’s phone.

These are not the only features provided by the app. There is a lotmore that can help parents in their parenting. If you want to explore several more features of the app, go to Google play store or iTunes to download the app. You can also have a quick look by clicking the buttons below!

SELF-HARM IN ADOLESCENTS AND HOW TO TREAT IT?

There are few things more disturbing for parents who learn that their daughter is things intentionally hurting. Unfortunately, it is very common, especially in girls. Experts call it "self - harm", and one in four teenagers do.

The most common forms of self-injury are cuts or scratches on the skin with anything that can draw blood, such as razors or even paper clips and pens plugs. However, there are people who are also hurt by burns, skin hitches and injuries or shock. Usually they begin around puberty.

When a girl starts habit of cutting arms, it may seem suicidal behavior, but actually it is not. People who self-harm are not trying to kill himself, but trying to alleviate the emotional distress they are feeling. However, this behavior indicates a depth of psychic pain that can lead to a suicide attempt. The behavior itself is also inherently dangerous because people who self-harm can be done more damage than intended, or develop infections or other medical complications.

Understand the impulse

It is hard to understand why someone would intentionally hurt, or why the injury is a relief, as described by many people who practice self-injure. Some people say it serves as a distraction from some other intense emotional pain, says Ron Steingard, psychiatrist Child Mind Institute.

In some cases, self-injury can also become a way of communicating. When you discover that a child is cut, it is likely to arouse empathy and concern of their parents and other adults. The next time they feel desperate, they may use it as a way to communicate their emotions.

One way to deal

Self-injury is not always a form of communication. Some children do in secret, and focus only on easing their pain. While self-injury is not the best way to deal with a problem, it can be a temporary relief.

Unfortunately, this relief reinforces self-injurious behavior, so that children come to depend on it to meet their painful feelings. And the more they do it, the more it strengthens.

Tip for Parents – How can they treat it?

To treat this habit of self-harm in teen, it is advised that the parents start communicating with their teens and make them feel comfortable to the limit they can. In addition to that, keeping an eye on their activities – online and offline – can make a huge difference. Or this monitoring, you can take the assistance of the Android family locator apps such as FamilyTime that lets parents see the places, their kids’ visit, contacts they save and talk to, websites they browse, applications they use and much more. With this information in hand, they can get to know about the mindset of their kids. And this is not all. There is a lot more that parents can do with the app such as contact monitoring, SMS tracking, call log monitoring, Contact Watchlisting, Web history monitoring, Location tracking, Geo-fencing place, Alerts and much more. There as a parent, you may find a variety of valuable features once you download FamilyTime app. You can download the app from Google play store, from iTunes or just by clicking the buttons below:

Be close to your teen as much as you can. This way, you can bring them out of this traumatic condition. With that, talk about things they like.