In the ever-changing world of social media and mobile phones, parenting today is a tough task! It's estimated that 91% of teens worldwide are actively texting everyday. Feelings about mobile device rules can differ greatly from one family to another and even between two parents in a household.
Parents, Families, Teens, and Texting Depending on a child or teenager's age and maturity level, some parents choose to give their children a mobile phone with the sole purpose of the son/daughter being able to call the parent; they limit or prohibit use of social media apps, games, or other device features. Meanwhile, other parents might decide to grant permission to use more robust features of their device including messaging apps such as Snapchat, WhatsApp, or use of the built-in Messages app on an iPhone or iPad.
It's a very personal decision for parents regarding what is best for their child. As most parents today know, young teens will often lobby their mom or dad to let them use the same messaging and social media apps that their friends at school are using. Most kids want to feel as "part of the crowd," with the ability to also partake in Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media platforms.
For many kids, being allowed to use the Messages app on iPhone or iPad is often the first foray into the world of text messaging. Unlike Snapchat or other "self-destructing" messaging apps, many parents feel that the iOS Messages app is a good starting point since, by default, the Messages app does not automatically delete or erase text messages. Apple's Messages app is also the messaging format that most parents are familiar with and use themselves on a daily basis. As most parents know, Apple's Messages app allows iOS users to send and receive both regular text messages and iMessages. Messages sent and received in "blue chat bubble" format are iMessages where as messages sent and received with "green chat bubble" formatting are regular text messages. You can read more about iMessage vs SMS from Apple here.
Messages app features include the ability to send photos and videos as well as the option to initiate group text message conversations. Apple's Messages app comes default with every iOS device and there is no way to delete the application from the device. The Messages app can also be installed and used on a Mac computer, however today's focus is related the Messages app and its use on both iPhone and iPad.
What's the best way for a parent to keep track of their child's iPhone text messages? When a child or teen uses uses their iPhone or iPad to send and receive text messages, it can be a challenging task at first for parents to decide on an appropriate and sensitive way to monitor the messages that their kid sends and receives. Many parents simply ask their child for their device and the parent then scrolls through multiple contacts and messages while their child waits for them to hand the device back. If there are a lot of messages on the device, this can take a large amount of time, making the process hurried, awkward, and uncomfortable for everyone involved.https://www.ttspy.com/how-to-monitor-your-kids-text-messages-on-android-and-ios.html
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