6 Safety Gadgets and Apps to Keep Your Kids Safe!
How to keep your kids safe on the internet is a question pondered over by a lot of parents who worry about the danger lurking out there in the world. Concerned parents often ponder over how to keep their kids safe on the internet, fearing the dangers that lurk in the digital world. Even when children are merely heading to school, parents’ worries persist, especially regarding internet safety.
The internet, undoubtedly, is a captivating realm offering entertainment and knowledge. Children have the opportunity to find answers to complex questions and watch amusing videos of pandas. Furthermore, it serves as an exceptional educational tool, featuring resources like Wikipedia, social platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and educational sites like Khan Academy. However, the darker aspects of technology, such as phishing, cyberbullying, and image morphing, remain unknown to them. While children may surpass adults in tech-savviness, it ultimately falls upon adults to shield their progeny. Fortunately, technology itself provides a beacon of hope in ensuring internet safety for our young ones.
How to keep kids safe from Cyber Attacks?
Children can be a victim of cyber-attacks because they are not as cautious as adults are. Although parents can block or filter some websites, that is not the best way forward.
Children can find a way to break restrictions and access things they want through their friends or by other means. Hence, multiple strategies are needed to keep kids safe in the virtual world. In addition to the parental role, many applications can act as a virtual nanny and protect kids when parents are not watching.
A few of the strategies include:
- Treat your kids as adults and talk to them –The rules which apply in the real world also apply in the online world. Discuss the process of online safety with your children. Tell them not to talk to strangers and tell them not to open strange emails or post too many pictures. They can also limit the screen time on TV, video games or the internet.
- Develop Rules – Assess which websites, games are safe for kids and how they can get affected by it. Set a fixed time for each device and outdoor activities as well. Store them in a safe place when they are not in use.
- Connect with school and other parents – Parents should work with their child’s school to develop a platform which educates them about the school policies for internet education and external aggression. Internet education is the new sex education, and we must get serious about it!
Safety Gadgets and Apps to Keep your Kids Safe:
For starters, there are several safety gadgets and app available which can keep track of a child’s whereabouts. Here are some of the safety app and devices which you can use:
1. PocketFinder:
PocketFinder is a GPS Tracker which is ideal for active families with school-age children, flight-risk seniors, pets who occasionally get loose, and teenage drivers who may need monitoring. It’s all about having peace of mind when you’re not there with them.
PocketFinder is a device which can fit in a backpack or a pocket. It is a handy device that updates parent’s smartphone with their location in a fixed interval. You can also set up a “Geo Fence”; this feature alerts you immediately if your child goes off route.
PocketFinder also helps you track and monitor where they are within less than 10-feet, with updates as frequently as every 2-minutes.
PocketFinder Key Features:
- GPS Location – See their location on Google Maps using a smartphone, tablet, & computer.
- Tracking – PocketFinder is updating the location every 2-minutes.
- Geo-Fences – Easily create an unlimited number of virtual safe zones or “Geo Fences” using the PocketFinder App.
- Low Battery Alert – PocketFinder can set your power level in the app for when you want to be notified to charge your battery.
- Speed Alerts – You will be alerted when PocketFinder exceeds the speed limit you have set.
- S.O.S Signal – Your loved ones can send an S.O.S signal by tapping the unit against a solid surface three times.
More About – PocketFinder
2. Life 360:
Life 360 is the best solution for families, where they can keep track of each other’s location on a map and receive alerts when someone reaches their destination. Most of the core services are free, but you can pay extra for premium features.
With Life360 you can:
- Create your groups, called “Circles,” of loved ones, friends, teammates – whoever matters most and chat with them in Family Locator for FREE.
- View the real-time location of Circle Members on a private family map that’s only visible on Family Locator.
- Receive real-time alerts when Circle Members arrive at or leave destinations (Eliminate disruptive “Where are you?” texts).
- Track stolen phones or lost phones.
- Enjoy a more diverse array of features and benefits than those found on similar apps.
- Locate both Android Phones and iPhones with Family Locator!
Life360 Key Features:
- Organize with Circles – Create groups for family, friends, caregivers and more
- Flexible Location Sharing – You decide when to share your location with each Circle
- Invite Only – Only Circle members can see each other’s messages and locations
- Group Chat – The easiest way to send a message to everyone at once
- Private – Private messaging is just a click away
- Free – Ditch potentially costly text messages
- Automate with Places – Set up alerts when Circle members get to their favourite spots
- Check-in – Avoid annoying “where are you” messages when you’re out and about
- At-A-Glance Info – See locations and get easy access to messaging, check-in requests and more from your home screen
More About – Life360
3. Vigilant PPS22bl 130db personal alarm:
The PPS22BL is designed to look like a car remote to disguise it from potential attackers. It features a 130 dB alarm, which is one of the loudest personal signals sold by Vigilant. Fears are one of the fastest growing segments of retail in the self-defence industry because an attacker’s worst enemy is attention. Personal alarms are legal to carry in all 50 states (even on aeroplanes!) and are a very safe method of self-defence.
It looks like a simple keychain, but it can emit a loud alarm which can be used to scare off an attacker and alert people for help. With its siren and strobe light, it can be used to ward off any attack or to find the way in the dark.
Vigilant PPS22bl Key Features:
- 130dB ear-piercing panic alarm.
- Shaped like (and disguised as) a car remote – attackers may not realise it is a personal alarm.
- Emergency activation – just pull the pin for up to one-half hour of a continuous alarm sound.
- Robust and bright white LED light, suitable for illuminating a dark walkway or finding a keyhole.
- Convenient keychain design is perfect for use with house keys or car keys.
- 3 pcs x LR44 demo batteries included.
- User-replaceable batteries.
- Designed to be carried with you wherever you go.
- Aimed at diffusing dangerous situations.
- Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but loud enough to call attention and get help.
More About – Vigilant PPS22bl
4. Net Nanny:
Net Nanny is an Internet Monitoring Software for Windows. Whether your child is 6 or 16, you don’t want him to watch porn or communicate with predators lurking online. Luckily, with this software, you can control what websites your child is visiting and the games he plays. It keeps a tab on all activities and alerts you if your child is being bullied or is accessing harmful content.
Net Nanny Key Features:
- Keeps pornography from appearing on your computer.
- Mask profanity before it appears on the screen.
- Control access to set time limits on internet usage.
- Send alerts and reports to your console or email.
- Create user profiles to tailor protection to your individual family members’ needs.
More About – Net Nanny
5. PoolGuard In-Ground Swimming Pool Alarm
Drowning is a leading cause of deaths for children. If you a pool in your house, you can install this device and prevent a tragedy. It goes off when any object weighing more than 18 pounds hits the water, giving you ample time to act.
PoolGuard Pool Alarm Key Features:
- The PoolGuard Pool Alarm, once installed in the pool, cannot be de-activated; it is always in the alarm ready mode.
- Tamper Proof: PoolGuard POOL ALARM will sound an alarm when removed from the pool.
- Sleep mode: when you would like to use your pool, just remove the alarm from the pool and put it into sleep mode.
- Automatic Wake-up: The PoolGuard Pool Alarm will automatically wake up and run a system test when installed into the pool.
- The PoolGuard Pool Alarm comes with an in-house remote receiver that has a range up to 200 ft. With 12-volt power supply.
- The PoolGuard poolside alarm works on a 9-volt battery (not included); with a battery life of approximately one year.
- The in-house remote receiver also indicates an audible low battery indicator at the poolside alarm.
- New sensing technology provides less chance of false alarms due to wind, rain or small objects such as sticks or toys entering the water.
- PoolGuard Pool Alarms have been tested and comply with the ASTM Standard Specification for Pool Alarms ASTM F2208, in a 16’ x 32’ pool. PoolGuard Alarms is usable in pools up to 20’ x 40’ or 800 square feet.
- The PoolGuard Pool Alarm is usable with a solar blanket.
- Most reliable, advanced, and affordable alarm available.
- PoolGuard PGRM-2 is designed to detect intrusions similar to a one-year-old child.
More About – PoolGuard Pool Alarm
Conclusion
There are various other gadgets which can be used to alert the location of a child, install the car seat or even check if your baby is breathing right. As every parent knows, it is a scary world out there for them.
They know what is lurking outside and technology can play a huge role here. It can assuage the concerns of parents and provide tools for the safety of kids.
Also Check: How to choose a school for your child
