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Today we found out that Disney Circle App is on Android (get Circle here) which reminded me that I wanted to share my online safety tips with you.   Mickey and I have 3 ONLINE parenting safety rules we will not go back on…   Our kids are young right now: 9, 7, 5 and 3.  We put these rules into place now so our kids will not know any difference when they are a few years older.  Our rules will be their norm.   I was not paid by Circle or Disney to advertise this for you today, but I had to share it because we use it & love it.

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So… like I said, today we found out that Disney Circle app is on Android – Yay for Android users (I actually am not an android user, but SO many of my friends are, so this is helpful).  Circle Go is currently only available for iOS Devices. They will have Circle Go for Android in the late summer of 2016.

Kinda think of it this way: Circle + Circle Home App (Manages devices on your home network): Available for iOS + Android
Circle Go (Manages devices on a cellular network + other WiFi networks): Available for iOS, Will be available for Android later this summer

If you don’t know about Circle, watch this video (we have this & we LOVE it).  You can grab it here with my affiliate link:

 

1- Keep the computer in a “public” place in your house.   We have a computer in the living room and a laptop that stays in the office or kitchen (open area).   I have made a rule that no one is allowed to have electronics in their bedrooms.  While they are young and I know that they aren’t doing anything inappropriate, the time will come when they will be tempted, so better to set up this rule now.  I do not trust that when they are teenagers, their friends will not be sending them things that are “funny” to them, but inappropriate. Better to be safe than sorry.
2- Electronics are charged in mom and dad’s bedroom.
I do not want our kids to ever charge their phones in their rooms.   I know that when our kids are tweens/teens, they will probably get texts from friends (it is starting already at age 9) and I know that the ones that I shouldn’t be seeing will happen late at night.   I do use Circle to make it so that this can’t happen, but again, better to start this rule now. Phones, laptops and other electronics go into our room at bedtime and stay there all night.

3- Monitor what they do... Our kids know that I will pick up their iPods (soon to be iPhones in a few years) and check their texts, emails, etc… at any time.  I will look through their pictures & videos.   If I suspect that something has been deleted, they lose their phones or iPods.   They know this and they understand that it will happen.   If a friend sends something they shouldn’t they are to leave it, as well.  I want to know if I need to have a talk with our children about something that they are reading and don’t understand (better to hear it from me than from a friend.)

In the long run, I’m trusting our children to make good choices, but I’m using Circle to make sure that the ads/apps & internet won’t send them things to temp their good choices or things that they shouldn’t be seeing.
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I hope that was helpful!
Becky

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Hi there!

I’m Becky, a former elementary school teacher turned certified child development therapist and blogger. I work at home with my husband and together we are raising (and partially homeschooling) our four children in the Carolinas. I love diet coke, ice cream, and spending time with my family.

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2 Comments

  1. I love these rules! smart and realistic! When do you think they will be old enough to gain their privacy?

    Reply

    1. I suppose when they prove it? Right now they are too young, but I’m sure when they are teens it will change.

      Reply