We understand the importance of balancing online safety with the educational needs of our students. As our students use personal devices for their studies, we encourage parents and guardians to set up parental controls that suit their family's needs.
Aeon's student devices are not managed by Aeon's IT or Help Desk teams. Instead, we want to provide guidance on what has worked well for families historically, and allow you to decide what guardrails work best for your family!
Choosing the Right Parental Controls Tool
We do not recommend specific parental controls tools since every family and student is unique. Instead, we suggest families explore various options and select a tool that best fits their needs. Here are some general guidelines to consider:
Start Broad: Begin with broader settings that cover a wide range of content. This approach helps ensure that your child has access to necessary educational tools, like YouTube, which are used in Aeon's curriculum.
Adjust Over Time: Observe how your child interacts with their device and the internet. Based on your observations, you can narrow the restrictions to better align with your family’s values and your child’s learning requirements.
Communication is Key: Engage in regular discussions with your child about their online experiences. Encourage them to share what they encounter and discuss how to navigate any challenges together.
Privacy restrictions: Aeon is unable to support any parental control (or third-party) software that requires permission to manage or configure Aeon student accounts due to privacy restrictions.
Useful Resources for Setting Up Parental Controls
Device Settings
To assist you in setting up parental controls and managing screen time, here are some useful guides from popular operating systems:
Microsoft Family Safety: A comprehensive tool for Windows devices that allows you to set screen time limits, content filters, and more.
Apple Screen Time: Apple's built-in feature for managing screen time, app usage, and content restrictions on iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Google Account Management for Personal Use
While parents/guardians cannot manage their student’s Aeon accounts, they may find it helpful to set up parental controls on their child's personal Google account or Android device. Google offers a variety of tools to help parents manage their child's online experience:
Google Family Link: This tool allows you to create a Google account for your child and manage settings such as screen time, app usage, and content restrictions. It’s particularly useful if your child uses a separate Google account outside of Aeon.
On Android devices, Google Family link allows you to:
Manage Apps: Approve or block apps your child wants to download from the Google Play Store.
Set Screen Time Limits: Set daily screen time limits for your child's device.
Monitor Activity: See how much time your child spends on their favorite apps.
Content Filtering: Set filters to limit the type of content your child can access on Google Search and YouTube.
General Online Safety Tips
For broader guidance on online safety and responsible internet use, we recommend checking out resources from Common Sense Media. Their guides cover a wide range of topics, including digital citizenship, privacy, and media balance, helping families make informed decisions.