SOOOOO....it's 2024. My Honor roll, Honor classes, sweet DD somehow got sucked into AI and online chatting. Please don't think homeschooling protects them fully. As someone mentioned, " Where there's a will..." This generation FINDS ways around some of the toughest parental apps. We have both iPhone and Android. I prefer Android while some other family members prefer iOS and they're apps.

We use Family Link. Now whilst that was Somewhat great for downtimes. Locking and unlocking, it could get glitchy. We still use it though.

However even though I wasn't hypervigilant before, I sure as heck am now. After seeing the wormhole. I bought the BARK phone AND the home Internet box and WOW! First and foremost, BARK doesn't sell "Baby phones". Their latest version is the Samsung Galaxy A14 and the phone is cute and highly functioning. Better thank the Motorola Stylus 5G I have her before she lost open phone privileges. With the cute Covers and accessories in her favorite character we got her, even my family thought it was a newer iPhone.

IF your child is being bullied over a phone, it's your job to steer that loved one AWAY from those people and teach them NOW why they shouldn't be with those kinds of people, lest they grow up to feed into the trends and phone foolishness as adults, rushing to spend thousands for literally the newest SOFTWARE upgrade and a camera smh..

Anywhooo...back to Bark. I can now control whether she has access to GMAIL and she does NOT because Good ole' Gmail does NOT do enough to verify a child's age and they create adult emails that give access to 17+ apps and content. Ummm....no thanks! Been down that road. Mind you , my DD is a sweet girl, a girl of faith(her choice), one who KNOWS better after having a cousin literally kidnapped and one of the cousins friends trafficked and not returned like she as and is still missing now a year later and she STILL got wrapped up. This can happen to anyone's child....and DOES.

BARK, Has been a game changer for this household already. As she conducts herself well, does her chores, homework, etc, I allow her Tv and Playstation time and yes BARK alerts me for those devices as they are smart devices with the HOME MODEM they have.

I'm working on integrating Parental controls on her Galaxy Watch now. Since it connects to the phone we are alerted.

Another great think wot the Bark phone or app, if your child leaves home, comes home, or is at a designated checkpoint location set by the guardians, Bark alerts you via text and email. I also have my daughter press the check in button for extra cash each week in her allowance on her Greenlight card. That's another great system by the way. Love that thing!
Bark tells you how long they've left for AND you can track your child in real time.
I have NOT told my child this because children don't need to know everything. That's when they start working to go around. BARK does NOT super snoop and give you all out access to texts. That's what being CLEAR whatever password is used is shared and Not Changed is for. BARK alerts you for suspicious words or bullying. Funny story I was alerted to a text I sent my own child because Bark though me calling one of her unknown standing drivers crazy for driving a longer and different route in morning traffic was bullying! I was like huh!? Well it works! We had a chuckle over it.

Synopsis, if anyone is on the fence about the Bark Phone, don't be. Get it! As I shared a very personal tragedy in our family with you all. These traffickers don't care anymore and it's not just $-x trafficking. It's organ trafficking. They lure them with gift cards, CashApp, Amazon wish list purchases you name it! This is real. So protect them....from themselves. They have No idea AI are REAL PEOPLE typing ok the other side. Gaining and selling info. Hacking into your home devices. Google check this if you think what I'm saying is hype. It's not. I've been in the tech field for over 10 years. This is why I finally bought BARK. She'll thank me later for the boundaries set and the safety I've put in place.

Just as her adult siblings thank me and try and school her. Godspeed and covering to ALL of your babies and I hope BARK and whatever better comes down the line helps to protect and or save your cherished loved ones.

~Empres

I'm late but if your daughter has not found one yet than good because I'm actually using a bark phone right now, I'm a boy and I'm also a hacker. I got admin on my school computer and that stuff but just don't let her get anywhere near the bark app in settings because before the security code pops up you can actually force stop the app disabling VPN, Uninstaller Google play updates, reinstall any app and boom

I got the Bark phone, as it seems a perfect balance between safety and privacy, that in theory cannot be hacked. My daughter is a hacker. I hope she does not find the weak spot.

Yeah, PP, that’s a setting. Happened to me! Thankfully, my naive daughter told me about it or I would have had no clue. This is what worries me about Apple! Kids know all the workarounds and if they don’t, their devious friends do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are considering this for our DD’a first phone. She’s in sixth. Anyone else?
https://www.bark.us/bark-phone/?utm_source=aw&utm_medium=paid-search&utm_campaign=kids-phone-google&utm_content=147666934708&utm_term=e&gclid=CjwKCAjw8JKbBhBYEiwAs3sxN7YvKebYz1BcoV1q-niuAVy4ulhq1XPgc_-6tNBRmVhd61ghTUdn7BoCLbwQAvD_BwE

I think giving a kid a Bark phone is going to make them feel really self conscious and awkward. Why not just install the Bark software on a regular iPhone. That's what we do.

Also, you can set it up so your tween/teen's texts go to a different user profile on tour laptop if it's a Mac. I have that as back up, so I can basically read all her texts. I don't do it often but it's a condition of having the phone.

So is my knowing her password.

No need to give him/her a baby phone that will embarrass them.

Not sure how many parents do it right. At a recent sleepover I overheard them all taking about how they got their parents old phones or iPads and could read all their mom or dad's incoming texts!

I find the green annoying too but that’s why I use WhatsApp!

Anonymous wrote:So, they can still text others with non iphone phones, right? It just shows up as the dreaded different color texting blocks, right?

Yes, that's right. I had no idea that the "green" text was such a big deal. I guess its the brand name for this generation?

So, they can still text others with non iphone phones, right? It just shows up as the dreaded different color texting blocks, right?

My MS kids have gabb phones and to date it seems that their friends are willing to tolerate the texting divide.

Their older sister had an iPhone locked down and she hacked the parental controls so she has ruined it for them. She may end up studying computer security (eg hacking)….