Order my debut book! - 5 Habits of the Tech-Ready Family 📑

Device Review

The Complete Guide to Apple iPhone and iPad Set-up and Parental Controls

‍What's Better - Apple (iPhone) or Android Parental Controls?

‍

Android devices are definitely cheaper.
Apple devices are typically seen as “more cool” by kids.
Android’s operating system is much easier for a solution like Bark to monitor, for example Snapchat and Instagram’s direct messages (DMs), Instagram’s search (Explore) feature, and deleted text messages. These activities are much more difficult or just not possible on an iPhone.
Although both come with decent parental controls (Screen Time for iOS and Family Link for Android), Screen Time is more robust, but also more complicated.
Android’s Safe Mode is unfortunately a very effective parental control circumvention. We’ve been told that encrypting the Android phone might solve this issue by requiring a password, but we’ve never tried it.

‍

Bottom line - both devices have problems. Android allows for much better third-party software monitoring, but most kids have iPhones. With that in mind, most parents need to know who to set up an iPhone as safely as possible. It always starts with protecting them in layers!

‍

Guard your iPhone or iPad with Layers

‍

We believe the best way to prevent digital harm on all digital devices is by following our 5 Layers of Protection:

‍

Layer 1: Relationships

Layer 2: WiFi (Router)

Layer 3: The iPhone or iPad Device

Layer 4: Location

Layer 5: Apps

‍

‍

In a digital world that is increasingly hostile toward children, our response must be strong and relevant. That's why we believe in wrapping our kids in multiple layers of protection. One or two are often not enough.

‍

Layer 1: The Relationship (Build Digital Trust)

‍

To learn why our relationships with our children are the foundation of protection and how to build digital trust (Layer 1), here are relevant blog posts:

‍

Layer 2: WiFi (Router)

‍

The Router is the most important digital hardware in the house! And, it’s often the most ignored. But, you are responsible for every digital click on your home’s network, so monitoring and controlling its activity is important.

‍

Popular options for parents are:

‍

Gryphon Advance Security & Parental Controls router. This is the router used by our CEO, Chris, with his four children. It gives you time control, YouTube Restricted Mode, and more. Easy set-up and a parent app that allows you to pause the internet with one touch.
Alternatively, if you love your current router, but simply want to exert more control over it, then we recommend Bark Home. It connects to your router, giving you stronger parental controls over your home’s network. It’s not a router, but connects to your router. Easy-to-use app for you to exert screen time and app control over your kid.

‍

The Gryphon Router, Protect Young Eyes Founder and CEO, Chris McKenna, uses this router for his family.

‍

Bonus content – we tested the best routers out there and here’s WHY we picked Gryphon.

‍

Layer 3: The iPhone or iPad Device

‍

Are you ready for the world's greatest FREE iPhone and iPad set-up guide? We created it! Click here or the image below. We keep it constantly updated!

‍

Click Image to Access the Google Doc iPhone and iPad Setup Guide!

‍

Layer 4: Location (It matters)

‍

Guard the location of the device. Why? Because where kids use technology often dictates how they use their technology.

‍

We have strong opinions about managing where kids use their tech. For example, let’s keep all internet-ready devices out of bedrooms at night, where kids take more risks, and sleep is constantly interrupted.

‍

Just know that the combination of boredom, bedrooms, and darkness (the Toxic Trio) often lead to bad digital choices, whether you’re 14 or 40 years old!

‍

Layer 5: Apps

‍

To learn why apps are often the least protected digital spaces and how to set them up safely (Layer 5), here are popular app reviews:

‍

Do I Need any Other Parental Controls on my kid's iPhone?

‍

It depends on your situation. As you can see from above, if you get the router right and enable Screen Time, along with great conversations with your kids, that might be enough. But if you want to go one step further, then layer in Covenant Eyes or Bark. As we said above, using software communicates a family culture of monitoring, which we think is important.

‍

Cell phone providers have their parental control services, too. We've found them to be a bit clunky, but here are links to each:

What if I have more questions? How can I stay up to date?

‍
Two actions you can take!

‍

If you have more questions: Order Chris's book (or audiobook)! Supported by science, built on deep experience, biblical truth, and proven by thousands of success stories, 5 Habits of the Tech-Ready Family will help readers raise wise kids in a wild digital world.
Stay up to date: Subscribe to our tech trends newsletter, the PYE Download. Monthly, we’ll share what families need to know, what the PYE team is up to, and a message from Chris.

‍