Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can do Apple controls but there are ways to get around them including the school WiFi.

How do they get around their phone being on downtime? This works for us. Everything is locked except calling or texting us.

Wifi in the house, at school...we have it all locked. Instagram allows for a bypass and kids can remove the control.

I am confused. I also use Apple controls and downtime and they work and no idea what you are talking about. If instagram is somehow the problem (which I don't understand but take your word for it), delete it and set up the phone so you have to approve all apps added to the phone.

We've done all that. They can still just bypass it. The only thing I found that works is shutting off the internet off the phone from the phone company when I get annoyed.

Anonymous wrote:Give your kids a dumb phone! Smart phones are really bad for kids- social media, sexual predators, porn, overall addictive and distracting. Give them a chance to learn!

In HS it doesn't work as everything social is posted on social media, including from teachers. And, in class they are expected to use the phone for log-ins via personal email to programs and other things. We tried the no phone route with a watch and it didn't work.

You give your kids a dumb phone.

It would help if MCPS blocked phones from their wifi so restrictions would work better.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can do Apple controls but there are ways to get around them including the school WiFi.

How do they get around their phone being on downtime? This works for us. Everything is locked except calling or texting us.

Wifi in the house, at school...we have it all locked. Instagram allows for a bypass and kids can remove the control.

I am confused. I also use Apple controls and downtime and they work and no idea what you are talking about. If instagram is somehow the problem (which I don't understand but take your word for it), delete it and set up the phone so you have to approve all apps added to the phone.

I'm sorry you're going through this OP. I learned the hard way that the peripherals were the killer for me. The Iphone, Ipad, apple watch even an old Ipod all have their own numbers and can be used to communicate. After we locked those down there are the free services such as Google voice and WhatsApp. The kicker was the discovery of what kids called the "punishment phone." The kids pooled their money to buy a prepaid burner and if someone had their phone privileges taken away, they would use the burner. The leverage we had was the Cash Apps etc. were on the main phone so that was the incentive to get the phone back. Good luck.

Give your kids a dumb phone! Smart phones are really bad for kids- social media, sexual predators, porn, overall addictive and distracting. Give them a chance to learn!

Has anyone had success using the Verizon Family app? I can't get it to work.

Anonymous wrote:flip phone

In HS, its a problem as some teachers require software/programs that need a personal email. (I don't get why MCPS isn't approving the software). And, the teachers have the clubs/sports all communicate via social media/group me.