I’m surprised there are 10 pages of postings on this. Other than kids who need apps to control their medical equipment, what exactly is the need for a child to have a phone accessible at all times? Put it away, and keep it away. |
they will be a total ban in the pouch schools |
DP but no, my kids have NEVER complained about other kids' phone use. Does not bother them at all. They DID complain about the new rules and relayed teachers' complaints too! Sounds like a lot of wasted time is being spent on these new rules. |
Yes it feels like a punishment to take away the device my child uses to organize his life. |
Oh if YOUR kids are fine…. |
So without her phone she will forget what class to go to? |
What app are you using? I have not found one that the kids can’t get around. |
My kid has a Pinwheel phone. She hasn't gotten around it yet, but it's very limited. |
For a high schooler? |
If my HS ever got in trouble for phone use, that would be their new phone! |
DP here. The screentime/downtime function on any Apple phone. You can't get around it without the password, which I change regularly. On top of that, I regularly check their actual screentime and apps used because if they managed to correctly guess the password (in under 5 tries without locking the phone, not likely) then I would see what apps they used when and for how long. |
It has texting, Spotify, Google maps, Google calendar, Google pay, Google translate, Gmail, a calculator, a weather app and Canvas. That's a pretty good list. You can add other apps, but it certainly has many of the basics covered. |
Sounds like your kid is following your rules, which is great but heads up to other parents that kids can delete an app re-download it and it will be taken off of screen time controls. And it makes it look like they had no screen time on that app. |
It would have to be an app they already had though, because any new app downloaded is automatically downloaded to every device in the family. So I would notice if Instagram or Tiktok suddenly appeared. And my kids are also well aware that any shenanigans like this would result in swift and total removal of their devices, and not just for a week or two. |
Which is why screentime allows you to prevent app install or deletion. This is a solved problem. Now they can get around downtime if you have guided access enabled, but they have to commit to that one app. |