Fanfic, short for fan fiction, is a popular medium where fans write new stories based on existing works. Fanfic creators draw inspiration from books, television, movies, and video games. It’s a huge phenomenon that’s captured the attention of many teens. But what is fanfic, and what are fanfics used for?
If your child has latched onto the craze, consider this your primer. We’ll get into what fanfiction is, why it’s popular with teens, terms parents need to know, potential concerns, and how to help your child stay safe.
Fanfiction (or fanfic) is a genre of writing where fans use characters, settings, and plots from existing stories to create their own narratives. These stories often explore “what if” scenarios, new romances, alternate endings, or completely different worlds for familiar characters.
Fanfic originated in Star Trek fanzines in the 1960s. Then, in the ‘90s, when the internet exploded, fanfic really took off.
FanFiction.net gave fanfic writers a global platform to connect with readers, and other sites like Archive of Our Own (AO3) and Wattpad eventually followed.
Here are some of the reasons that people are drawn to write and read fanfic:
Fanfic is very jargon heavy. Here are some terms parents need to know:
For more fanfic terminology, check out this handy glossary.
Fanfic communities are most active on platforms like:
Many of these platforms have large teen audiences and offer both public stories and private messaging, which can introduce safety risks.
Although fanfiction can be a wonderful space for teens, there are some risks parents need to know:
You don’t need to ban fanfiction, but you do need to stay involved. Here’s how:
Fanfic itself isn’t dangerous—but the online spaces where it lives can be. That’s where BrightCanary can help.
BrightCanary can help you supervise your child online. The app’s advanced technology scans their online activity (including social media, texts, and Google searches) and alerts you when they encounter something concerning.
BrightCanary helps you stay informed without micromanaging. You’ll get notified if your child interacts with mature content or receives inappropriate messages—so you can step in only when it matters.
Download BrightCanary in the App Store and start for free today.
Fanfic is a vibrant, creative community. While it does pose some risks to kids, with proper precautions, mature teens can participate safely. Parents should educate themselves on the fanfic community their child is interested in, educate them on the risks, and stay engaged with their activity on the site.
BrightCanary is the best way to stay in the loop without overstepping. Try it free and give your child the safety — and independence — they need online.
The warnings have been around for decades: violent video games lead to real-life violence. But this assertion doesn’t hold up to the scrutiny of current research. Some experts actually suggest potential positive benefits from violent video games.
In this article, we’ll go over current research on violent video games, their potential upside, and how parents can make responsible choices when deciding whether or not to let their children play them.
From the media to politicians, the claim that violent video games cause violent behavior has been treated as fact. However, recent research doesn’t support this claim.
While some studies have associated video games with aggressive behavior, current medical research and scholarship have not found any causal link between gaming and criminal violence.
Some experts argue that video games can provide developmental benefits when played in a healthy environment.
Safely imitating aggression in play — otherwise known as “playful aggression” — is developmentally beneficial.
According to psychotherapist Katie Stickney Watson, LMHC, of Taproot Counseling Services, “Play is how children learn about the world around them, and playful aggression can support the healthy development of stress management, emotion regulation, and social skills like negotiation and conflict resolution.”
Many video games, including those with violence, involve complex strategy, teamwork, and decision-making — skills that can translate to real-life problem-solving abilities. Plus, games that require kids to work with other players can help improve their communication and collaboration skills.
Aggression is a natural human emotion. Because natural impulses towards aggression don’t magically go away when banned, prohibiting children from using mock violence in their play may increase the chances they’ll engage in real violence.
Watson says that violent video games can be a healthy form of playful aggression for kids and that as they become teens, “more sophisticated games may support them [in] learning and practicing these skills at more sophisticated levels.”
Of course, not every child will respond the same way to violent games. It’s important for parents to observe their child’s individual reactions.
Does all this mean parents should let kids loose on violent video games with no supervision? Absolutely not. Watson cautions that children still need guidance to help them learn the boundaries between playful aggression and real harm.
According to Watson, here are some warning signs that video games might be doing more harm than good:
If you notice these warning signs, it may be time to adjust your child’s gaming habits and introduce more balance.
While research suggests violent video games don’t cause real-world aggression, every child is different. Parents should consider their child’s unique temperament, emotional regulation skills, and social interactions when making decisions about the media they let their child consume.
Here are some points to consider:
Remember: parental involvement, rather than strict bans, is key to ensuring a positive gaming experience.
Recent research suggests there isn’t a link between violent video games and violent behavior. Instead, video games — when played in moderation — can offer social, emotional, and cognitive benefits to kids.
However, experts suggest that parents should remain actively engaged with their child’s video game habits, watching for any warning signs of problematic behavior and maintaining open conversations about online interactions.
BrightCanary can help you supervise your child’s online activity. While it doesn’t cover gaming platforms, the app’s advanced technology scans your child’s social media, Google, YouTube, and messages, so you can keep an eye on what media they’re consuming online — like video game playthroughs on YouTube and conversations with the friends they game with. Download today to get started for free.
The internet can be a risky place for kids, which is why parents should play an active role in monitoring their child’s online activity. When that role becomes too active and crosses into micromanagement territory, those monitoring efforts can backfire — leading to secrecy, mistrust, and missed learning opportunities.
This guide will help parents find the right balance between monitoring and micromanaging, so they can keep their kids safe without being overbearing.
If you’re wondering whether you’re too involved in your child’s digital life, here are some signs you might need to pump the brakes:
If you recognize these behaviors, it may be time to rethink your monitoring approach.
Generally speaking, micromanaging is not a particularly effective parenting strategy. Here are some of the ways micromanaging your child online may be counterproductive:
As parents, our job isn’t just to make sure our children act right in the moment. We also have to play the long game, teaching them the skills they need for adulthood. Micromanaging prevents kids from learning essential digital literacy skills and interferes with their natural development, making it harder for them to navigate online spaces safely on their own.
A benefit of giving kids access to online spaces and social media is that kids learn how to engage safely and responsibly while still under your guidance. When you micromanage your child online, they miss out on the opportunity to practice skills they’ll need later in life.
Children need (and deserve) appropriate levels of privacy and trust. When you constantly hover over their online spaces, kids can easily feel like you’re spying on them and that you don’t trust them. This can lead to secrecy, resentment, and a breakdown of trust.
Half of U.S. teens receive over 237 notifications per day. That’s not even counting the messages they send! Trying to read every word is liable to eat up your precious free time. Most of what kids do and say online falls somewhere between innocent and ridiculous yet harmless. Pouring over every word is unrealistic and unnecessary.
Like all things in parenting, there are always outliers. While micromanaging is generally discouraged, there are times when more oversight is needed:
In these cases, try to find little ways to give them independence and adjust as things normalize or they prove capable of managing themselves safely and responsibly online.
Luckily, it’s possible to monitor your child online without micromanaging. Here are some strategies:
Take full advantage of the free, built-in parental controls on your child’s device and the apps they use. Use tools like:
Set aside regular time to spend with your child where you look at your device together and discuss their online activity. Instead of reading everything, ask them about their social interactions. Keep the conversation open and non-judgmental.
This approach fosters trust and encourages kids to come to you when they have concerns.
Teach your child how to adjust the privacy settings on their favorite apps, and explain why that matters. Not only does this step help protect them against contact from strangers, but it also helps limit the personal information they share online.
The most effective way to monitor your child online without micromanaging is with a service like BrightCanary, which was designed for Apple devices. The app uses advanced technology to scan your child's online activity and flags anything concerning.
Did you know? BrightCanary’s text message summaries are great ways to skim your child’s text threads without having to read every message, and you can tap the “Concerning” tab to review anything potentially problematic.
Monitoring kids online is vital for helping them stay safe. However, when parents are too involved, it can be counterproductive. Parents should find ways to monitor their child online without micromanaging. One particularly effective strategy is to use an AI-powered monitoring tool like BrightCanary.
BrightCanary provides the best coverage across Apple devices and online platforms where children are most at risk. Download the app and get started for free today.
If you’re considering monitoring your child’s online activity but are concerned about breaking their trust, you’re not alone. Many parents struggle with finding a balance between protection and privacy.
So, how do you monitor your child’s online activity without damaging their trust? This guide will walk you through why online monitoring matters, how to approach it with transparency, and how to maintain your child’s privacy while keeping them safe.
The internet poses a number of threats to children and teens, from online predators to addictive algorithms. Here’s why online monitoring is crucial:
Kids need support to mitigate these dangers and learn how to navigate online spaces safely. That’s why experts recommend parents take an active role in monitoring their child’s online activity.
You need to monitor your child online, but you don’t want to break their trust, you want to respect their privacy, and you don’t want them to feel like you’re spying on them. These are all important things to consider, and it means you’re on the right track.
Luckily, it’s possible to monitor your child online while still respecting their privacy and maintaining trust. Here are some tips:
Don’t go behind their back. Monitoring your child online without their knowledge is spying, and it’s a surefire way to break their trust. Be transparent with them about your plans.
They might not like the idea, but they’ll appreciate your honesty (although they’ll probably never admit it in a million years).
Refrain from digging around on their phone for gossip or bringing up every little thing you notice. Focus your monitoring on safety issues and let your child decide what other aspects of their online world they want to share with you.
Mistakes are how people learn. It’s especially valuable to let kids make their own mistakes when they’re still under your protective wing. It’s important to address major issues that you come across in your monitoring, but for issues that don’t impact their safety, give them room to fail so they can grow from their mistakes.
Explain to your child exactly what behaviors are acceptable online and which ones aren’t. Otherwise, they’re likely to feel blindsided if you bring something up that they didn’t realize was a problem. Even better, put it in writing — a digital device contract helps set clear guidelines.
Not only will you wear yourself out if you try to read every text, social media comment, and DM, but that level of scrutiny is likely to feel to your child like you’re spying on them.
BrightCanary can help. The app uses advanced artificial intelligence to monitor your child’s online life without reading every message. It’ll summarize their activity and alert you to any concerns, allowing you to give them privacy while staying in the know on the big stuff.
It’s perfectly natural to be nervous about talking to your child about online monitoring. It’s not a dynamic you had to navigate with your own parents, so this is new territory for you both.
Having open conversations about online monitoring helps ease pushback and reduce secrecy. Here are some talking points to get you started:
Educate your child on the dangers of online spaces and why it’s so important for you to help them stay safe.
Reassure them that monitoring isn’t about control — it’s about protection. Frame it as a partnership, not punishment.
Make it clear that you trust your child, but you don’t trust Big Tech or social media companies. Frame this as a partnership between the two of you.
Ask them how they feel about online monitoring, and take time to address their concerns and validate their feelings.
You may not be willing or able to address all of their concerns in the way they want, but it’s still valuable to hear them out, make adjustments where you can, and, above all, validate their feelings.
Younger kids need more hands-on supervision, while older teens can have more independence while following safety guidelines. Teens are also more likely to be resistant to the idea of being monitored, so be prepared to explain potential risks in an age-appropriate way.
It’s important for parents to take an active role in their child’s online activity, including monitoring them. This helps keep them safe. However, it’s equally important that parents approach their monitoring efforts in a way that’s respectful of their child’s privacy and helps build rather than break trust. This can be done through open communication, clear expectations, and a focus on safety.
BrightCanary is a great tool for keeping an eye on what your child does online without spying on them or hovering. The app’s advanced technology scans your child’s activity and alerts you if there’s a red flag. That way, you can take action on the important stuff and give them their space on everything else. Download the app and start for free today.
The animated musical series Hazbin Hotel has become incredibly popular despite having only one season released, with a second season planned for 2025. But is Hazbin Hotel for kids?
Hazbin Hotel is located in Hell, and its proprietor is none other than Lucifer’s daughter, who offers sinners a chance at redemption to enter Heaven. Because the show originally rose to fame on YouTube, it has a lot of buzz among younger viewers. However, Hazbin Hotel is far from child-friendly.
Here’s a breakdown of its age rating, mature content, and what parents should know before letting their child watch it.
Is Hazbin hotel appropriate for kids? Not at all. The show has a rating of TV-MA (mature audiences, 17). It isn’t suitable for children.
Parents should know that this is not a typical animated series. It is created for adults and contains themes that are inappropriate for younger viewers.
Heads up: If you’re concerned about what your child may be watching online, BrightCanary can help you supervise their online activities.
If strong language is a concern for you, Hazbin Hotel is definitely not kid-friendly. It would take nearly this entire article to list all of the profanity and questionable language used in Hazbin Hotel.
Bottom line: the characters have the exact vocabulary you might expect from a group taking up residence in the fiery pits of Hell.
Yes, Hazbin Hotel contains strong sexual themes.
The frequent sexual content makes Hazbin Hotel highly inappropriate for kids and young teens.
There’s no getting around the fact that Hazbin Hotel is an extremely violent show, even by adult animation standards. (Granted, any violence is animated, which does make the impact a little less intense.)
The pilot sets the tone right out of the gate, opening on the bloody aftermath of extermination day: an annual event where any sinner or demon found in plain sight is violently culled.
Weapons of every sort abound and are regularly used. Characters pour gasoline on their heads and set themselves on fire, and sexual violence is a common occurrance.
Hazbin Hotel certainly strives to strike fear into its audiences. The show is a horror series set in Hell, after all. The show features:
The frequent violence is likely to scare many children, especially younger ones.
While substance use isn’t as rampant in Hazbin Hotel as violence and sex, it’s certainly present. The show features a lot of drinking and some instances of drug use and references.
So, is Hazbin Hotel appropriate for kids? No. Despite its animated format, Hazbin Hotel is an adult show with extreme violence, explicit sexual themes, strong language, and mature content. It is not recommended for anyone under 17.
Parents should be aware that even if their child isn’t watching Hazbin Hotel, they may encounter clips, memes, and discussions about the show on YouTube, TikTok, and other social media platforms.
If you’re concerned about Hazbin Hotel content appearing in your child’s social media feeds or search history, parental monitoring tools like BrightCanary can help.
Want to keep tabs on what your child is exposed to online? Try BrightCanary today for free.
Knowing what your child searches for online and what sites they browse is a valuable tool for keeping them safe on the internet. Setting up Google parental controls through Google Family link helps parents filter content, manage screen time, and monitor app activity. However, these tools also have limitations. In this article, we’ll go over how to set up Google parental controls, where those controls fall short, and how to fill in the gaps.
The internet is a fabulous resource, but it can also be a risky place for children and teens. As a parent, it’s important to know if they encounter potential risks, such as:
Monitoring your child’s Google account can help you protect them from digital dangers and support them in making good choices.
To set up Google parental controls, you’ll need to use Google Family Link. Here’s how:
Once you've added supervision to your child's Google account, here are some of the things you can do:
Heads up: Google Family Link gives parents control over their child’s digital environment, but it doesn’t provide full visibility into all online activity.
At age 13 (or the applicable age in their country), children using Family Link can choose to continue parental supervision or manage their own Google account.
If your child is over 13 or has a birthday coming up and you’d like them to be on a supervised account, explain your reasons to them and discuss options together.
As children mature, it makes sense to adjust your approach to supervising them, so it may be appropriate to keep their managed account in place but loosen some of the restrictions.
Google’s parental controls don’t provide unlimited access to a child’s account. Here’s what it allows you to see:
Google’s parental controls don’t:
Although Google parental controls are a valuable tool, they don't provide comprehensive monitoring. Many parents want to know what their kids are searching for, watching, or messaging about, especially for kids and younger teens — but Google doesn’t provide that level of visibility.
BrightCanary fills in the gaps left by Google parental controls. Using powerful artificial intelligence, BrightCanary scans your child’s activity on their phone and the internet and alerts you to any red flags. This allows you to stay informed without the headache of scanning through a long list of Google searches or their entire YouTube history.
While Google parental controls help with basic filtering, BrightCanary goes beyond by providing on concerning activity. Here’s how it works:
Want to enhance your child’s online safety? Try BrightCanary for free today.
Google parental controls are a useful tool for keeping your child safe on the internet. However, they fall short when it comes to fully monitoring their online activity.
In order to keep an eye on their Google searches, viewed images, and YouTube watch history, you’ll need a third-party monitoring app like BrightCanary. And, as always, keep ongoing and open conversations with your child about their digital world. Here’s how to have an online safety check-in.
Talking to your child about how to stay safe online is super important. But it can be hard to know what to say. For help getting started, check out these essential online safety tips for kids to help protect them from cyber threats, scams, and online predators.
One of the best things you can do to keep your kids safe online is to make sure their social media accounts are all set to private. This minimizes the chances that personal information about them will fall into the wrong hands. It also decreases (but doesn’t totally eliminate) opportunities for strangers to contact them.
Pro tip: Regularly review privacy settings. Social media platforms frequently update their policies.
Children often share more than they realize on social media, including:
Teach your child to think before they post and avoid sharing anything that could compromise their safety.
Online predators often pose as friendly strangers. Teach your child:
While it’s generally not a good idea for kids to connect with people they don’t know online, there are some exceptions.
For example, maybe they’ve really clicked in the comments with a friend of a friend, and you’ve been able to vet them through mutual contacts. Or perhaps they have a marginalized identity but struggle to find a local community to connect with, so you’ve okayed something like TrevorSpace — and they hit it off with someone local.
If your child does make a friend online who they want to meet in-person, make sure they:
Encourage open conversations about online friendships and potential risks. Learn more about how to help your child make strong offline friendships.
Help your child come up with a plan for what to do if someone makes them uncomfortable online, such as:
Emphasize to your child the importance of thinking critically about what they come across online. Teach them digital literacy skills, such as:
Encouraging digital literacy helps kids avoid scams, manipulation, and misleading information.
The marketing of illegal substances on social media has increased in recent years. In fact, around 60% of teens have seen drug content on social media, and 10% report having purchased drugs through these platforms.
Talk to your child about the risks of drugs and why it’s important to never purchase substances online. Depending on their age and maturity level, you may also want to discuss how dealers use code words and emojis to target kids and why online substances are often laced with harmful ingredients.
Scammers don’t spare the youth. In fact, some online schemes specifically target children and teens. Warn your child against clicking on any links sent to them unless they are from a trusted source.
For example, scammers may target kids with phishing links disguised as:
Teach your child: “If you’re unsure, don’t click!”
With so much misinformation out there, teach your child to be part of the solution by checking their sources before they share something online.
Reposting a juicy bit of gossip can also go sideways real quick. Encourage them to take a beat before hitting share and ask themselves if it’s something they would want posted about them.
Parents play a vital role in teaching their kids how to stay safe online. By teaching smart digital habits, setting strong privacy settings, and using parental monitoring tools like BrightCanary, you can help protect your child from online dangers. Want detailed insights into your child’s online activity? BrightCanary helps parents monitor for potential risks on texts, social media, Google, and YouTube. Download the app and get started for free today.
Finding the perfect book for a 14-year-old girl can be challenging. Whether she loves historical fiction, fantasy, thrillers, or stories about self-discovery, this parent guide highlights must-read books that will entertain, inspire, and educate. Ready to help your teen find their perfect next read?
This list isn’t exhaustive, and it’s based on our own editorial perspective as parents of tweens and teens.
Genre: Thriller, survival fiction
Plot: Three sisters raised on the secret compound of a doomsday prepper community train to hunt, homestead, and protect their own. When danger from within puts them in danger, the girls must put their training into action as they realize nowhere is safe.
Why it made our list: This page-turning thriller is a fascinating window into prepper culture. It features strong teenage characters and leans into the importance of sisterhood. Teens will relate to themes of seeking independence, figuring out one’s place in the world, and finding hope in difficult circumstances.
Genre: Contemporary romance
Plot: When Lily ditches her ADHD meds and lands in detention with Abelard, who’s Autistic, she’s intrigued. The teens fall for each other over a shared interest in ancient love letters, but struggle to bridge their differences off the written page.
Why it made our list: Neurodiversity is accurately and respectfully portrayed in this hilarious, sweet, and, at times, heartbreaking love story. The addition of the letters adds an interesting texture to the book.
Genre: Young Adult
Plot: Liz has always believed she's too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. As part of her plan to escape Campbell, Indiana, forever, Liz finds herself an unlikely contender for prom queen in the hopes of earning a scholarship. Everything changes when she falls for the competition.
Why it made our list: Watching Liz and Mack fall for each other in the middle of a small town is the kind of heartwarming portrayal of queer Black joy we want more of in literature. There's gobs of cuteness as the girls discover their feelings for each other and the realistic way Liz’s other friendships are portrayed jump off the page.
Genre: Historical fiction, supernatural
Plot: As infants, twin sisters Charlie and Magnolia were secretly separated after their parents were brutally lynched for loving across the color line. They reunite as teenagers at the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement. Charlie is a young Black organizer in Harlem, and white-passing Magnolia is the heiress to a cotton plantation in rural Georgia.
Why it made our list: Mirror Girls masterfully blends historical fiction, horror, and the supernatural to great effect. It’s a powerful examination of race, social justice, and privilege that will resonate for today’s teens.
Genre: Fantasy, mystery
Plot: When 17-year-old Alice’s grandmother, the reclusive author of a book of pitch-dark fairy tales, dies alone on her estate, things go from bad to worse. After her mother is stolen away by a figure from one of her grandmother’s stories, Alice is forced to venture into the strange and treacherous world where her grandmother's tales began.
Why it made our list: The world Albert creates in this book is rich and absorbing. Alice’s close relationship with her mother is authentic and believable. It’s the rare YA fantasy book these days without a major romance subplot, so if your teen isn’t into the steam, this is a refreshing break.
Genre: Graphic novel, contemporary fiction
Plot: Issaac is an Arab-American college student struggling to live with epilepsy. The doctors won’t listen, his family is in denial, and his social life falls apart as he feels increasingly isolated by his illness.
Why it made our list: Mis(h)adra is a graphic novel with vibrant, manga-style illustrations that create a visual depiction of living with a disability, based in part on the author’s own disabled experience. Universal themes of overcoming self-doubt and struggling to fit in will resonate with disabled and able-bodied readers alike.
Genre: Nonfiction, history
Plot: Flowers in the Gutter tells the captivating true story of a group of German teenagers — known as the Edelweiss Pirates — who resisted the Nazis using whatever means possible.
Why it made our list: In a time when the world feels so uncertain and perilous, it’s easy for teens to feel like they have no capacity to make change. This book provides a powerful example of youth activism in a raw, unvarnished way. Because of its narrative nonfiction style, it reads like a novel, making it appealing to teens who aren’t traditionally nonfiction readers.
Genre: Self-help, nonfiction
About: Huber used surveys and interviews with hundreds of teenagers to discover what does and doesn’t work in their lives, how they perceive the adult world they’re about to enter, and what they want adults to know about them. The result is a self-help book with communication techniques to empower teens to take the lead in the often tricky, but necessary conversations between teens and adults.
Why it made our list: Advice for teens often comes solely from the perspective of the adults giving it. We love that the author talked to teens about their lived experiences and crafted her suggestions based on what they actually need and want.
These titles offer a mix of fiction and nonfiction, showcasing stories that address identity, resilience, activism, and relationships. Whether your teen is looking for an escape into a fantastical world or seeking guidance on real-life struggles, books can provide engaging, empowering, and relatable narratives.
Encouraging a love of reading in teens is about more than entertainment — it’s about offering them stories and guidance that resonate.
Looking for more ways to support your teen’s habits? BrightCanary helps parents stay informed about their child’s digital world while promoting healthy media consumption. Get started for free today!
Monitoring your child’s text messages is a responsible step toward their online safety, but how you approach it matters. Without thoughtful monitoring, you risk breaking trust, overlooking key issues, or overstepping boundaries. Here are the top mistakes parents make when monitoring their child’s texts — and how to avoid them.
Going behind your child’s back to monitor their messages is almost guaranteed to backfire when they inevitably find out. Trust is a two-way street. Once it’s broken, they may try harder to hide their online activity.
Instead, be open with your child about your monitoring and explain that it’s for their safety, not to invade their privacy. They’ll be more likely to return the effort by being honest with you about their behavior.
If you view monitoring your child’s texts as a way to catch them misbehaving, they’ll see you as an adversary instead of a trusted guide. They’re likely to resent your actions and may go out of their way to evade your monitoring efforts.
Instead, approach monitoring as a partnership. You should have a mutual goal of keeping them safe and helping them if they make a mistake.
When monitoring kids, parents need to decide what constitutes “red flag” behavior and what is merely notable-but-harmless behavior.
I just learned the term “beige flag,” and I kind of love it. It’s a dating culture term meaning behavior that may be odd or strange, but that doesn’t rise to the level of concern. I think “beige flags” can also apply to parenting.
If your child uses some swear words in casual conversations but isn’t engaging in risky behavior, it’s likely not worth calling out. Are they actively texting about drugs and alcohol? Red flag — time to step in.
If your kid doesn’t know what’s expected of them, how can they follow the rules? They may feel blindsided when you call them out for something they didn’t realize was a problem.
Be clear about how you expect them to behave when texting and put it in writing with a digital device contract. This helps kids understand what’s appropriate and reduces conflict later on.
Monitoring your child’s texts is not a substitute for open communication. Even the best parental controls can’t catch everything. Talk to your child regularly about online risks and help teach them how to be a responsible texter.
➡️ BrightCanary makes monitoring easier by flagging potential risks in your child’s texts. That way, you can focus on having meaningful conversations instead of reading every message.
As difficult as it may be, you need to respect the fact that your child deserves to keep some things private. The same goes for not deliberately digging around on their phone to find out the gossip about their life. Focus your monitoring on safety issues. The rest is only your business if your child wants it to be.
Suppose that you learn your child has a new significant other, but they haven’t shared the news with you yet. You’ll probably want to run and ask them about the person — and why they didn’t tell you. DON’T do it.
It’s so tempting to read every message! It’s right there — why not? Well, for one thing, trying to read every single one is unnecessary and overwhelming. The average teen receives at least 237 texts per day, according to Common Sense Media.
Reading every single text may also contribute to your child feeling like you’re spying on them. As your child grows older and more mature, you’ll want to loosen the reins, and reading everything only adds to your mental load.
A monitoring app like BrightCanary gives you your time back. You can simply browse the “concerning” tab to view alerts about anything potentially inappropriate.
If you find something concerning, the first step is to (calmly) ask your child about it. Find out the full story from them, assuming the best until you find out otherwise. Ask open-ended questions like:
Approaching with curiosity instead of immediate punishment encourages honesty and growth. Remind them that your job is to keep them safe, and you want to work through this together.
You can’t protect your child from everything. Nor should you try. There’s value in making mistakes, especially when your child is still young and has you to help support them through the aftermath. Address the big stuff that you find on their texts, but also look for places where you can give them room to fail. That’s where the growth will happen.
Monitoring your child’s texts can protect them from digital risks, but it’s crucial to do it thoughtfully. Avoid these mistakes by being transparent, focusing on safety over control, and using tools like BrightCanary to support healthy digital habits.
Want to monitor your child's texts effectively without invading their privacy? Try BrightCanary and get started for free today!
Watching movies with your teen is a great way to bond, introduce them to important themes, and even spark valuable conversations. If you’re lucky enough to have a teen still willing to do family movie night (or if you’ve given them no choice), here are some films to add to your list.
Wicked is the part one of the adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. It tells the backstories of characters from The Wizard of Oz, centering around roommates Elphaba (Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (Glinda the Good Witch).
This untraditional coming-of-age movie follows Mason as he matures from age 7 to 19. Most notably, it was filmed over the course of 12 years so the actors could be shown aging naturally through the story.
A cult-classic fairytale adventure about a young woman and her one true love.
This touching love story about two teens with cancer is based on the book by the same name.
This sci-fi adventure tells the story of a hacker who is led to the underworld, only to discover the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against the evil cyber-intelligence overlords.
This movie, based on an award-winning book, tells the story of a Black teen girl who witnesses the fatal police shooting of a close friend. This movie is likely to lead to some pretty big, but vital conversations with your teen.
Based on the bestselling book, this fantasy film tells the story of a teenager who discovers a secret school for children with special powers.
In this rom-com based on a novel by the same name, teenage Jenny Han’s little sister mails Jenny’s secret love letters to all her former crushes.
Based on the best-selling book series, The Hunger Games takes place in a dystopian world where two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts are chosen at random to fight to the death in a yearly televised competition.
A group of LGBTQ+ high school students form an after-school club as a discreet way to share their experiences and support one another.
From pure entertainment to a stepping stone for deeper discussions, these movies are a great choice to watch with your teen. Which one are you adding first to your next family movie night?
Heads up: while BrightCanary doesn’t cover streaming services yet, the app can help you stay informed about your child’s interests and what they’re watching, searching, and sending online, including YouTube and text messages. Download the app and start monitoring for free today.
