5 Parent Tips for Responsible Device Use at Home

Below are 5 quick tips for parents of students with iPads at home. This list is adapted from the Eanes ISD 1:1 LEAP program.

1.) Vigilance

Be vigilant and request that homework be completed in a common area of the home (if possible).

In the evening, children definitely need their sleep, perhaps it is best that the iPad does not go to bed with your child. Setting up a charging station that is in a common area of the home will help keep the iPad out of the bedroom at night. The iPad may not be needed for all assignments.

* Please contact the teacher with specific questions regarding assignments.

2.) Accountability

Help your child by teaching him/her how to deal with  distractions through self-discipline or discipline through accountability. One option is to change the wireless router  password and don’t let your children on the network until  they have earned the right. Continue to change the password as needed.

Another way you can set up an accountability situation with your child is to ask  your child to shut down all running apps on the iPad (double click the home button, or place four fingers on the screen and slide up, hold finger down on app until it wiggles and then tap minus sign (see video here http://goo.gl/gs9aW) before he/she begins “homework time”.  Once all apps are shut down you can monitor  what he/she does throughout the evening homework period.  You can double tap  home (or four finger slide up on screen) to see all previously opened apps.  If he/ she has Angry Birds, Twitter, Facebook, etc.,  open at all during that time, you can  view this in the recently used apps area.  You, as the parent, can setup consequences.

3.) Turn Off Notifications

Utilize the Notifications Center in Settings.

The iPad user can easily turn off all notifications (iMessage, Social media apps, email, etc) so the user will not be disturbed while working in another app.

This feature was enhanced in iOS 6. You can also set up the “Do Not Disturb” option in the Settings menu.

4.) Guided Access

Guided Access can be configured to work with any application on the device, locking it into the application until a passcode is provided. You can restrict areas of the screen (or the entire app) from responding to touch, and turn off responses to the accelerometer as well to prevent rotating the screen to try to gain access to blocked buttons. You can find out more information here.

5.) Use Restrictions

When the first four tips have been exhausted it may be time to use the Restrictions setting. You can create a separate restrictions passcode that will allow you to block access to certain features of the iPad. Midway ISD has already pushed out certain restrictions to devices, but there may be other options you would like to change in this setting. To find out more information about Restrictions (parental controls) click here.