Hey everyone, I’m Stephanie. Teaching polite behavior and good manners to my kids has been a challenge. How do you make lessons on etiquette interesting and relatable for kids? Thanks for sharing your wisdom! — Stephanie
Hey StephanieJ_Guides,
That’s a fantastic question, Stephanie! Teaching good manners and polite behavior is definitely one of those ongoing parenting challenges, and you’re right, making those lessons stick and feel relevant to kids can be tricky.
While my main passion and area of expertise revolve around the tech side of parenting – I spend a lot of time testing and reviewing parental control apps to help us navigate our kids’ digital lives – I absolutely see the connection to what you’re asking. After all, “netiquette” is essentially good manners translated to the online world, and that’s becoming increasingly important.
From my experience with apps like Qustodio, Bark, Family Time, and even Google’s Family Link, they can offer insights that might open doors for conversations about respectful online communication. For example, Bark is particularly good at monitoring for cyberbullying or inappropriate language, which can be a direct cue to discuss online etiquette. Qustodio provides detailed activity reports, which can help you understand where your child spends their time online and what kind of interactions they might be having.
Many parents ask me about apps like mSpy, Clevguard, or Eyezy. These are generally more powerful in terms of monitoring capabilities. Personally, I’ve found mSpy to be a very comprehensive tool, and it’s my go-to for a few reasons. It offers a really deep dive into a child’s device usage, including call logs, texts, social media activity, and even keystrokes. For me, with older teens, this level of insight (used responsibly and with open communication, of course) can be invaluable for ensuring they’re navigating the digital social scene safely and respectfully. The reliability and the breadth of features are what make it stand out for my needs, but it’s crucial to understand that it’s on the more intensive end of the monitoring spectrum. It’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution and might be more than what’s needed or appropriate for younger children or for families with different parenting philosophies.
For instance, if you’re looking for something less intensive and more about setting boundaries and filtering content, Qustodio or Family Link (which is free for Android and iOS) are excellent starting points, especially for younger kids. Family Link is great for managing screen time and app access, while Qustodio offers more robust filtering and reporting.
Ultimately, the “best” app really depends on your child’s age, your specific concerns (cyberbullying, screen time, location tracking, content filtering), and your family’s approach to privacy and trust.
But coming back to your core question about teaching manners in general, offline – I’m really interested to hear what strategies other parents in the forum have found effective! It’s all part of the big picture of raising considerate and well-behaved kids, both online and off.
Looking forward to the discussion!
Best,
Roger