I gave into the dark side of parenting and got my 5 year old a new tablet for Christmas. It's a cheap knockoff brand designed for kids but uses a Android/Google software platform. When I first signed in, I had to use my Google account to get started and apps to download.

Having said that, I would like to remove my Google account from this tablet, I do have a credit card stored under Google Pay so I am concerned about him potentially "accidentally" buying stuff. There is a Chrome browser, so I want to put limitations on the browser to limit any websites along with blocking inappropriate YouTube videos. I have plowed through the settings and I can't find where to set up these limitations. I read something about adding his profile to my Google account so that he can use that profile and settings, but I am struggling to identify how to do that.

Any tips on how to set up parental security on his tablet without messing up my own account?

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

Make sure time access is severely limited and abided by?
Unfortunately gave my now 10 year old son access to tablets at about 5 (makes parenting easier, eh?, now it's a pain to take it away, lock it out or not give access. He would easily just spend all day on it if able.

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

Thank you for those links, those are helpful

tu204 wrote:

Make sure time access is severely limited and abided by?
Unfortunately gave my now 10 year old son access to tablets at about 5 (makes parenting easier, eh?, now it's a pain to take it away, lock it out or not give access. He would easily just spend all day on it if able.

I think locking him out crosses the line of mutual trust. I have tried to do my best at limiting his screen time. When I tell him he has 5 or 10 minutes remaining, he's very good at respecting those commands and putting away the phone/tablet. But the key is to give him the early warning.

I've kept my daughter away (now 5) from electronics and have spent a lot of time with her on Lego, puzzles, chess, drawing & painting, running a pretend restaurant (with a menu, cash register & balance sheets). She's not interested in phones or tablets unless it's to watch one of her cartoons. I'm super happy about that.

I've also set up a crypto trading account with her 2 months ago, and I'm teaching her about charts, investing, saving, buying the dips and selling the tips etc,.. She's pretty interested in it especially when she realizes how many more toys she can buy herself if she keeps going. She's turned $100 USD I gave her at the start into $190, percentage-wise much better than I've done in the same period.

Create another Google account, never use your main mail account to setup devices. Android has lot of parental control options, its a learning curve, kids generally figure out a way around it, you have to plug the hole. Have a hard limit on daily usage. Don't let them get addicted one site or game.

Expect him to spend more and more time behind the screen, and — subsequently — less and less time in real life. Well, this is my experience. You may of course be blessed with a different one. Technology is cancerous, to some extent.

I started early and already wasted at least 10 years of my life on screen time. Maybe closer to 20 years.

It is much better to live in the real world, and make a list of things you want to do online, then do it, and log off. Pointless roaming online is thought cancer. So I suggest you make your youngster do exactly that. Make your kid write down what they are going to do online, before logging off, and they will remain conscious of their actions online instead of falling victim. Avoiding the technology is no longer a real option. This may help your kid... new ideas are needed in this area.

LittleFokker wrote:

I gave into the dark side of parenting and got my 5 year old a new tablet for Christmas. It's a cheap knockoff brand designed for kids but uses a Android/Google software platform. When I first signed in, I had to use my Google account to get started and apps to download.

Having said that, I would like to remove my Google account from this tablet, I do have a credit card stored under Google Pay so I am concerned about him potentially "accidentally" buying stuff. There is a Chrome browser, so I want to put limitations on the browser to limit any websites along with blocking inappropriate YouTube videos. I have plowed through the settings and I can't find where to set up these limitations. I read something about adding his profile to my Google account so that he can use that profile and settings, but I am struggling to identify how to do that.

Any tips on how to set up parental security on his tablet without messing up my own account?

An iPad would have given you complete control over what you describe. If you own an iPad yourself, you wouldn’t have any worries as you can lock it all down and control the purchases as well..

LittleFokker wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

Thank you for those links, those are helpful

tu204 wrote:

Make sure time access is severely limited and abided by?
Unfortunately gave my now 10 year old son access to tablets at about 5 (makes parenting easier, eh?, now it's a pain to take it away, lock it out or not give access. He would easily just spend all day on it if able.

I think locking him out crosses the line of mutual trust. I have tried to do my best at limiting his screen time. When I tell him he has 5 or 10 minutes remaining, he's very good at respecting those commands and putting away the phone/tablet. But the key is to give him the early warning.

He’s 5. Mutual trust? Please.

LittleFokker wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

Thank you for those links, those are helpful

tu204 wrote:

Make sure time access is severely limited and abided by?
Unfortunately gave my now 10 year old son access to tablets at about 5 (makes parenting easier, eh?, now it's a pain to take it away, lock it out or not give access. He would easily just spend all day on it if able.

I think locking him out crosses the line of mutual trust. I have tried to do my best at limiting his screen time. When I tell him he has 5 or 10 minutes remaining, he's very good at respecting those commands and putting away the phone/tablet. But the key is to give him the early warning.

It's 50/50.

Sometimes yeah sure. Other times "just a couple more minutes" (over and over again, till the argument and tears start).

Is the tablet compatible with family link?

if so you can control using google accounts, without having your actual account on the device.

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

I hope this app is still available for use? Because the mentioned link doesn't work So can you please share another valid source where I can easily download these apps. thanks in advance.

Set his internet connection to the HotSpot on your phone.
You can then turn your HotSpot off or on to get his ass off the screen.
You can also set it so that the only APPS and games on there serve as some sort of education and learning purpose.

DL717 wrote:

LittleFokker wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

Thank you for those links, those are helpful

tu204 wrote:

Make sure time access is severely limited and abided by?
Unfortunately gave my now 10 year old son access to tablets at about 5 (makes parenting easier, eh?, now it's a pain to take it away, lock it out or not give access. He would easily just spend all day on it if able.

I think locking him out crosses the line of mutual trust. I have tried to do my best at limiting his screen time. When I tell him he has 5 or 10 minutes remaining, he's very good at respecting those commands and putting away the phone/tablet. But the key is to give him the early warning.

He’s 5. Mutual trust? Please.

Seconded...the way I was raised, there was no negotiating on anything till 12 or so.

douglesmiller wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

I hope this app is still available for use? Because the mentioned link doesn't work So can you please share another valid source where I can easily download these apps. thanks in advance.

Which link? I'm still able to access both links, actually.

LittleFokker wrote:

I gave into the dark side of parenting and got my 5 year old a new tablet for Christmas. It's a cheap knockoff brand designed for kids but uses a Android/Google software platform. When I first signed in, I had to use my Google account to get started and apps to download.

I would take it off him and give it back when he's 9. 5 year olds should be outside playing not inside on a tablet.

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

douglesmiller wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

I hope this app is still available for use? Because the mentioned link doesn't work So can you please share another valid source where I can easily download these apps. thanks in advance.

Which link? I'm still able to access both links, actually.

Thank you so much for your reply and I have also got solved my issue I just checked those link's on other browser and it's working well.

DL717 wrote:

LittleFokker wrote:

I gave into the dark side of parenting and got my 5 year old a new tablet for Christmas. It's a cheap knockoff brand designed for kids but uses a Android/Google software platform. When I first signed in, I had to use my Google account to get started and apps to download.

Having said that, I would like to remove my Google account from this tablet, I do have a credit card stored under Google Pay so I am concerned about him potentially "accidentally" buying stuff. There is a Chrome browser, so I want to put limitations on the browser to limit any websites along with blocking inappropriate YouTube videos. I have plowed through the settings and I can't find where to set up these limitations. I read something about adding his profile to my Google account so that he can use that profile and settings, but I am struggling to identify how to do that.

Any tips on how to set up parental security on his tablet without messing up my own account?

An iPad would have given you complete control over what you describe. If you own an iPad yourself, you wouldn’t have any worries as you can lock it all down and control the purchases as well..

So does android.

Family link is what the OP is looking for. It's android native and very intuitive to use.

We bought our first smartphone when my son was 10, about two years ago. I wish I had never bought it.
That's true for my son as well as myself. I used to read such a lot of books.
On the other side posting here makes me think about topics in depth and makes me realize unfounded assumptions and gaps in knowledge. So there is a positive side to it. Though at the moment I sit on the computer, not the smartphone.

On the positive side my son recently said that he has not as much interest in gaming as before. These last months he found an artist who was willing to teach him drawing, became friendly with a guy which has a snooker table and also spent more times outdoor.

I think you should take it away again.

tu204 wrote:

LittleFokker wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

Thank you for those links, those are helpful

tu204 wrote:

Make sure time access is severely limited and abided by?
Unfortunately gave my now 10 year old son access to tablets at about 5 (makes parenting easier, eh?, now it's a pain to take it away, lock it out or not give access. He would easily just spend all day on it if able.

I think locking him out crosses the line of mutual trust. I have tried to do my best at limiting his screen time. When I tell him he has 5 or 10 minutes remaining, he's very good at respecting those commands and putting away the phone/tablet. But the key is to give him the early warning.

It's 50/50.

Sometimes yeah sure. Other times "just a couple more minutes" (over and over again, till the argument and tears start).

I can relate this man...and these days, they are also using the excuse of online classes for using phones.

After reading your posts, i'm sweating thinking about the future when i will become the father. Mannn. I'm not gonna get married. Problem solved. whatsapp mod

Kiwirob wrote:

LittleFokker wrote:

I gave into the dark side of parenting and got my 5 year old a new tablet for Christmas. It's a cheap knockoff brand designed for kids but uses a Android/Google software platform. When I first signed in, I had to use my Google account to get started and apps to download.

I would take it off him and give it back when he's 9. 5 year olds should be outside playing not inside on a tablet.

100% this but I'd up it to 10 or as long as you can resist. My wife and I struggle every day with our son's usage of devices. We take them away as punishment and you can almost see the transformation back to a normal kid over 2-6 hours. First comes the tantrum and then the calming of the central nervous system begins to unfold until the child you knew remerges from the Device Alter Ego (maniac) that had taken over. It's hard to argue his point when he complains I'm on devices too but my response is always the same - I did my 18 years of schooling and I just put in another 9 hours of earning. When you get there you can have as much device time as you want and I won't be there to monitor you in your apartment or your tent, wherever you end up.

Since this thread was rehashed, I'll provide an update. Two months after I gave him the tablet, he stepped on the it and cracked the screen (glad I went cheap). My ex wife bought him a Nintendo Switch around his birthday back in April, so he got addicted to all things Mario Bros. But he lost all Switch privileges due to bad behavior (in the process of trying to earn it back for 2022). His school provides him with an IPad with limited capabilities, and there's other ways he gets his hit of screen time. I don't feel any urgency to get him another tablet, and it seems like technology is changing as rapidly as what parents should and shouldn't do with said technology.

Welcome to modern parenting I guess.

LittleFokker wrote:

Since this thread was rehashed, I'll provide an update. Two months after I gave him the tablet, he stepped on the it and cracked the screen (glad I went cheap). My ex wife bought him a Nintendo Switch around his birthday back in April, so he got addicted to all things Mario Bros. But he lost all Switch privileges due to bad behavior (in the process of trying to earn it back for 2022). His school provides him with an IPad with limited capabilities, and there's other ways he gets his hit of screen time. I don't feel any urgency to get him another tablet, and it seems like technology is changing as rapidly as what parents should and shouldn't do with said technology.

Welcome to modern parenting I guess.

How generous of the school. I remember when beepers were a no-no on school property .

I would stay clear of knockoff brands of tablets.

Apparently the Lenovo M10 FHD Plus (a budget brand name tablet) has a Kids Mode.

phatfarmlines wrote:

How generous of the school. I remember when beepers were a no-no on school property .

Fairly common now. My nephew had a school-issued Chromebook laptop computer when he was in high school (he just graduated and is off to college now). According to his dad, giving everyone a fairly basic laptop was cheaper/easier than buying and dealing with stacks of textbooks. Plus easier to update when the new edition comes out in 2-3 years.

Not sure how they handled the inevitable damaged laptops, the nephew in question is fairly responsible.

And I remember beepers too, from my college days as the "on call" residence hall staff member.

My son (2 years 10 months) is better at using an iPad than I am.

I don't have any qualms about letting him use it. He plays a bunch of educational games, and I think they've definitely helped his vocab and such.

He spends plenty of time outside, and playing with toys, and whatever else, so I have no concerns.

No reason to make screen time such an evil thing. Just maintain balance in kids' lives (or ensure they are maintaining their own balance - I don't really have to be the iPad police with my son).

phatfarmlines wrote:

LittleFokker wrote:

Since this thread was rehashed, I'll provide an update. Two months after I gave him the tablet, he stepped on the it and cracked the screen (glad I went cheap). My ex wife bought him a Nintendo Switch around his birthday back in April, so he got addicted to all things Mario Bros. But he lost all Switch privileges due to bad behavior (in the process of trying to earn it back for 2022). His school provides him with an IPad with limited capabilities, and there's other ways he gets his hit of screen time. I don't feel any urgency to get him another tablet, and it seems like technology is changing as rapidly as what parents should and shouldn't do with said technology.

Welcome to modern parenting I guess.

How generous of the school. I remember when beepers were a no-no on school property .

Last year my daughter had an iPad supplied by school, her brothers had laptops, older son has gone on to senior school, he received a new laptop, middle son has a school supplied laptop. Daughter now has two laptops, one for use at home the other at school. All supplied by school.

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an https://gbplusmod.com/download-gbwhatsapp-apk/ for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

Thanks for post and very helpfull links.

Redd wrote:

I've kept my daughter away (now 5) from electronics and have spent a lot of time with her on Lego, puzzles, chess, drawing & painting, running a pretend restaurant (with a menu, cash register & balance sheets). She's not interested in phones or tablets unless it's to watch one of her cartoons. I'm super happy about that.

Thank you for being a parent..

Those of you who hand your child an electronic pacifier rather than actually talking, working with, playing, or story-telling with your kids really irk me.

I see families sitting in restaurants; every child with some sort of device, heads bowed, hunched over some screen as if in prayer, while "mom" and "dad" talk with each other. If you are doing this, please at least shut the sound off so the rest of us dining do not get to hear the beeps, boops, tinny laugh tracks, and explosions from the games being played.

I'm sure when your kids hit their teens, you will wonder why they never talk to you, never ask you anything. You won't know who their friends are, or with whom they hang out.

WesternDC6B wrote:

Thank you for being a parent..


I see families sitting in restaurants; every child with some sort of device, heads bowed, hunched over some screen as if in prayer, while "mom" and "dad" talk with each other. If you are doing this, please at least shut the sound off so the rest of us dining do not get to hear the beeps, boops, tinny laugh tracks, and explosions from the games being played.

Thank you!!

The most annoying thing these days is going to maybe a nice restaurant with a bit of atmosphere, some music going, and then all you can hear is the intrusive annoying sounds of computer games from the table next to you. They are nearly always people that can`t be bothered to entertain their kids in any other way than to inconvenience the other guests around them.
I speak up--> I will approach those people and politely request them to mute these useless little games. With great success, most if the time!

I hope new etiquette will slowly arise in which these electronic sounds inside an establishment are generally considered to be rude .

No Tax On Rotax

Make another Google account, never use your main mail account to setup devices. Android has lot of parental control options gbwhatsappits a learning curve, kids generally figure out a way around it, you have to plug the hole. Have a hard limit on daily usage. Don't let them get addicted one site or game to spend too much time on them.

Also you can use some tricky apps..

douglesmiller wrote:

TheFlyingDisk wrote:

Here's how you can set up parental security on the tablet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCe3XD ... e=emb_logo

You can also install an app for more indepth parental control.

https://www.androidauthority.com/best-p ... d-1133716/

I hope this app is still available for use? Because the mentioned link doesn't work So can you please share another valid source where I can easily download these apps. thanks in advance.

I think link is available in the comments. And hope so that it is available.

Gew wrote:

Expect him to spend more and more time behind the screen, and — subsequently — less and less time in real life. Well, this is my experience. You may of course be blessed with a different one. Technology is cancerous, to some extent.

That happened to my brother's son. Never away from the phone or tablet. With my daughter, she's had no access to any electronic devices (aside from a laptop for graphic design) until she turned 6, we gave her a smartphone after that..; But the internet is turned off, unless she's around us. Me or her mom.

I'd be careful, some kids seem to be able to manage it, some get obsessed. Probably depends a lot on the parenting, though.

Redd wrote:

I'd be careful, some kids seem to be able to manage it, some get obsessed. Probably depends a lot on the parenting, though.

As I noted earlier:

vikkyvik wrote:

No reason to make screen time such an evil thing. Just maintain balance in kids' lives (or ensure they are maintaining their own balance - I don't really have to be the iPad police with my son).

As long as kids have other interesting/engaging things to do as well, they won't spend all their time on the phone/tablet. And that's up to the parents - to ensure there are other sources of interaction/play/learning.

It's much nicer to have a positive approach (hey, let's go outside and play soccer) than a negative approach (get off the iPad).

Granted, every kid is different.

vikkyvik wrote:

Redd wrote:

I'd be careful, some kids seem to be able to manage it, some get obsessed. Probably depends a lot on the parenting, though.

As I noted earlier:

vikkyvik wrote:

No reason to make screen time such an evil thing. Just maintain balance in kids' lives (or ensure they are maintaining their own balance - I don't really have to be the iPad police with my son).

As long as kids have other interesting/engaging things to do as well, they won't spend all their time on the phone/tablet. And that's up to the parents - to ensure there are other sources of interaction/play/learning.

It's much nicer to have a positive approach (hey, let's go outside and play soccer) than a negative approach (get off the iPad).

Granted, every kid is different.

I agree with you that it's up to the parents. Unfortunately, many parents use phones/tablets/TV as a substitute babysitter. Hard to blame a lot of them when they're working all day and have very little time. But that's probably why so many kids nowadays spend so much time on their electronic devices.

Create another Google account, and never make use of your primary mail account to configure devices. Android comes with a variety different parental options. It's an ongoing learning process, children typically find ways around it. However, you must to fill in the gaps. Set a strict limit on the amount of time you spend on it. Do not let your child become addicted to an app or website and spend too much time in them. I've installed a premium child spy app on the playstore. You can look it up on Google, there are a lot of them. I'd advise buying one of them based on your budget.

Regards!

kimonlope wrote:

Make another Google account, never use your main mail account to setup devices. Android has lot of parental control options gbwhatsappits a learning curve, kids generally figure out a way around it, you have to plug the hole. Have a hard limit on daily usage. Don't let them get addicted one site or game to spend too much time on them.

great tip! That's what I am doing