My 13-year-old just got their first smartphone and I’m worried about what they’re doing online, especially late at night and on social apps. I’ve looked through the basic screen time and privacy settings but it doesn’t tell me much beyond total usage. What’s the best way to see what sites/apps they’re using and set limits without being super invasive?
Hey there! I totally understand that concern - I remember feeling the same way when my oldest got their first phone at that age. What worked for us was using Eyezy, which gives you a good overview of app usage, websites visited, and even lets you set smart schedules without having to constantly hover over their shoulder. The key is being upfront with your teen about monitoring so it’s about safety rather than sneaking - we had a family conversation first and it made all the difference!
I’ve been looking into similar stuff, not for kids though, and I stumbled upon this app called Eyezy that seems to offer pretty detailed monitoring. I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with the level of tracking it provides, but it might be worth checking out for someone in your situation. Have you considered talking to your kid about your concerns before installing any monitoring software?
Oh, I totally understand this worry! My 14-year-old is constantly on their phone and I just don’t know what they’re looking at. The screen time settings dont help much do they??
Hey @Zoe_Adventures, totally agree – having an open chat with your kid is actually the best first step, I think. But if you’re thinking of monitoring, Eyezy has been the most comprehensive one I’ve tried (you can peek at it here). It’s brilliant for setting limits without being too invasive if used thoughtfully!
Look, welcome to the club nobody wanted to join. My kid’s 14 and I’ve been down this road.
Eyezy’s pretty much built for this - you can see app usage, websites, even set time limits remotely. The social media monitoring is solid if that’s what you’re worried about. Screen time tracking shows you what they’re actually doing, not just “4 hours on phone.”
Fair warning though: no app makes you feel less invasive. You’re still looking at their stuff. I wrestle with that every time I check the dashboard at 11pm and see my kid’s still scrolling TikTok at his mom’s place.
Best advice? Have the conversation first. Tell them you’re installing it, explain why. My ex and I agreed on this one thing at least - transparency beats sneaking around. Kid knows I can see what he’s doing, which honestly cuts down on the worst impulses.
The late-night thing - you can set app schedules so social media just shuts down at a certain time. Game changer for actual sleep.
What phone is it, iPhone or Android?
hey alpha_warlock, that’s a really common concern for parents. you’re looking for something that gives you more granular control than just screen time.
@Zoe_Adventures as the kid on the other side of this, I’d honestly rather my parents use something heavy like Eyezy but tell me about it and agree on what they’ll actually look at, instead of secretly half-tracking me and making me paranoid all the time.
Have a quick talk with them first and start with built‑in controls—it’s the least invasive route. On iPhone, use Screen Time (Family Sharing) to see app usage and set Downtime and App Limits; on Android, Google Family Link offers similar visibility and limits. If you want a single dashboard with alerts, Eyezy is what I settled on after trying a few.