It’s nearly impossible to keep children safe and secure 100% of the time. There are times when they are going to have to be away from you at school, summer camp, or during a sleepover. You can’t control their every action, but you can monitor them remotely to verify they are making smart choices while out of your sight.

Here are 4 ways how to use a cell phone to keep your children safe:

1. Social media alerts

If your child has accounts on social media sites, it’s up to you to ensure they are behaving responsibly and not posting anything dangerous. To keep track of this without violating their privacy and logging in to their account, you can set up social media alerts. This means that any time your child posts something, you’ll receive a notification on your own account so you know to check and see what they shared. If it’s inappropriate, you can speak to your child about taking it down.

2. Parental controls

When using your device, you can enable “kid mode” or “safety mode” as some developers call it, so your child can only access certain apps or games on your cell phone. However, this can also be an option if they have their own device or utilize streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. Call and speak to your service provider to find out if this option is available so you can make sure they are only using approved sites and applications.

3. Cell phone spy app

For the extremely concerned parent, a cell phone spy app like Highster Mobile or DDI Utilities will allow you to see every digital move your child makes. You can track their text messages, see what apps they used, view their photos, and more. If you think this is a viable option for you, check out some reviews on cell phone spy apps to find which product is best for your needs.

4. Check in

The simplest and easiest way to monitor your child is by trusting them to do the right thing, but checking in on them when you’re concerned. Require that your child sends you a text message or a photo when they get to their destination. If you don’t know where they are, don’t stew in silence or wonder—give them a call! Regular contact with your child is the most efficient way to build trust while monitoring their behavior.

As a parent, keeping your child safe is your #1 priority. It can be difficult to accomplish, but thankfully there are these available methods to help you along the way. If you follow these tips and encourage communication with your children, you are sure to be successful in keeping them as safe as possible.

If you’re interested in reading more about protecting you and your loved ones, read our related post: How To Safely Browse The Internet