Parenting, also known as child-rearing, is the never-ending process of supporting and promoting a child’s development physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually from an infant to an adult. Usually, the caretaker of an infant or child is the mother, father, or both of them as they are the parents of the child. Sometimes other people such as surrogates, uncles and aunts, grandparents, older siblings, or family friends take care of the child. In the contemporary world where technology is prominent, parenting is becoming extra difficult!
It is seldom to see a child not holding his or her mobile device. Look around you. Whether inside restaurants, in the sidewalks, public vehicles, churches, malls, and parks, and even in schools during lunch, the presence of mobile devices is astounding. As a parent busy for providing the daily needs of the family, it is hard to monitor every activity your child has in their mobile device. Why not utilize technology to check out and protect your child at the same time?
Defining Cell Phone Spy Apps
Cell phone spy apps such as mSpy, also known as spy apps, spy phone software, and cellphone monitoring software, are software programs that allow you to monitor your children’s mobile devices. These apps can be installed in your mobile devices that could send data from your child’s mobile device to yours. Spy apps such as these could be disguised as other apps or hidden from view and undiscoverable from anti-viruses and other cell phone applications to keep you, children, from noticing that you are monitoring them. It is also to prevent them from uninstalling the application, whether on purpose or by accident.
It has always been a debate on whether to ban this software or not as these applications unknowingly send data and information- in the situation, from your child’s mobile device to yours. If you and your spouse are both busy working to provide for your family’s needs, installing these apps in your children’s mobile devices is then a convenience to monitor your children’s activities and their browsing wherever you are. This serves as an assurance to you as a parent that your child is away from harm’s way. In this perspective, it is then more accurate to use the term cellphone monitoring software for these applications.
Features of Cellphone Spy Apps
With the constant innovations in technology, cellphone spy apps nowadays can virtually record almost every activity done in your children’s mobile devices. This software comes in packages to choose from, each with different features.
The basic features you can get from any software are monitoring the following:
- Detailed Call Logs. A lot of swindling schemes are used nowadays, and many start with a single call. Some pretend to be promoters or as long lost relatives needing financial help. With a detailed call log, you can easily see and verify if the persons talking to your child are trustworthy. If not, some of the spy apps offer a feature that blocks these numbers in your child’s phonebook.
- Browsing History. Not all information found on the internet is safe for your children. Truth be told, your child could easily be redirected to an 18+ website just because of a misspelled word or an accidental click on a pop-up ad in the middle of the videos they are watching. With the help of spy apps, you can monitor the browsing activities of your child and block the websites that you think are inappropriate for them to see or visit, whether intentionally or unknowingly.
- SMS History. These spy phone apps could also give you access to the messages your children receive every day. Checking if these messages are spams or from unknown senders helps in protecting your children from harm or being victims of swindling schemes.
- File Storage. Monitoring all the installed and uninstalled applications in your child’s mobile device can give you an idea of his/her habits and what application they spend their time the most. This also helps identify malicious apps that could be disrupting the mobile device’s performance. Also, you can see the photos, music, and videos stored in their devices that will help in identifying illicit items such as those that contain sensitive and sexual themes, violence, drugs, and rude language.
- GPS Locator Feature. This, by far, is the most helpful feature a spy app could offer to a parent. Through this feature, you can easily track your child’s whereabouts and location in real-time through a map. For young children, this is especially handy as they could lose their way or be kidnapped by a syndicate in extreme cases. This is also useful to find your child’s phone if ever they lost it.
For a price some software programs also offer these advanced features:
- Record your child’s surroundings. This feature turns on the microphone of your child’s mobile device and records whatever is happening in their immediate area. Think of it as a bug that you can remote control from wherever you are.
- Snap a picture. Some apps allow you to turn on the camera on your children’s mobile device and take a photo of their vicinity.
- Monitor Social Media Accounts. Bullying is very evident in the cyber world. With the help of cell phone spy apps, you can monitor your children’s social media accounts (such as Facebook if they have one) most important messages they receive that may contain threats or taunts.
- On and Off. There are spy apps that allow you to choose when to start or stop monitoring your children’s mobile device activities. Pretty convenient when you only want to check on them now and then or continuously.
Final Thoughts
These cellphone spy apps provide you, a parent, the freedom to check on your child and monitor their activities now and then. This also serves as the clue to what your child needs and then ultimately build a stronger tie with each other. What they are experiencing now will affect their physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth. By providing them safe means to grow, you are also ensuring the best for your children. Remember, ensuring your child’s safety is your top priority!