There aren’t many things our phones can’t do these days. With an idea and a little bit of coding, you can solve a variety of problems.
Take one of the primary complaints of parents of the digital age: when their kids ignore texts and calls from them. As the saying goes, there’s now an app for that.
Ignore No More
Sharon Standifird from Houston, a veteran of the Gulf War, came up with Ignore No More, an app for Android phones that locks down a kid’s cell phone remotely if a parent feel the need for the child’s attention. The app costs $1.99. An iOS version is in the works.
Only a four-digit code provided by the parent can unlock the phone. If locked, the phone can only call the parent or emergency services. No games. No texts. No calls.
The downside
Although parents being ignored is definitely an important issue—one that has potential safety ramifications—other parents and some child psychologists aren’t sure that forcibly taking the phone away remotely is the right answer.
Instead, parents should consider openly talking with the child before even handing them a phone, explaining what the phone is supposed to be used for and what the expectations are. Only if those expectations aren’t being met should the parent consider alternative strategies like Ignore No More.
How we move forward
What this conversation does do, however, is bring up the larger issue of technology safety and how to raise a child in this brave new world. Gadgets like phones and tablets are featuring parental controls that are more comprehensive while also being more granular. Amazon’s Kindle tablets feature FreeTime, an app baked into the system where parents can set specific time limits on certain activities like games and movies but leave reading for an unlimited time.
And though, like everything, some moderation when setting these limits is probably a good thing, there will always be parents who go overboard in their helicopter parenting. Perhaps they ignored your text or call because they were in a movie. They walk out and their phone is locked down?
The key to this issue, like most topics in parenting, is the relationship you have with your child. Unless they have given you reason not to trust them when it comes to technology, you should leave room for negotiation for any device abilities. It’s important socially and academically for them to be able to use technology wisely, maturely, but also independently.