Babies get bigger, and grow up. Babies become toddlers, then they become kids. I’m at the kids stage with my two, right now. Guess what kids love to do? They love to watch television, and they LOVE to go online and watch YouTube videos. Now, I’m not the perfect parent. I prefer not watching kid shows, so my two sunflowers watch a lot of shows not considered age-appropriate. However, they only watch WITH Mr. Sunflower and me. I’m all about parental controls on our television, and on the Internet. When the kids aren’t watching, or playing on the Internet with us, I make sure they don’t have access to anything but kid-centered everything.
Parental controls with FiOS
Little Miss has become obsessed with learning how to make crazy Rainbow Loom bracelets, necklaces and even rings! I didn’t even know you could make rings with the loom. Leave it to my daughter to find videos about it, watch the videos, just once, and whip out these crazy creations. However, she also loves to find videos to learn how to do amazing hair styles. Her hair is super long, since she’s been taking care of it all on her own. Braids are just the beginning. My girl has learned how to do so many different things just from YouTube searches on both of these topics!
What concerned me is what else she could find if she used certain keywords to search videos. She’s not hunting on there for anything bad, because heck, she’s not even nine years of age yet. All she’s looking for is fun stuff to do with little plastic bands, and her hair. One slip of her fingers, and she could find herself in a world of naughty things she has no business seeing. The excitement of knowing I have full control over what she does online, because there’s parental controls on the Verizon FiOS router for the Internet!
It’s not just available, it’s also easy to use. Totally love it. If I have to step away to use the bathroom, or make a call, or even cook in the kitchen (haaahaaaa, yeah, doesn’t happen often, trust me,) I know that my parental controls are helping keep my baby’s eyes from seeing all the wrong things. Plus, I can control the time she spends online.
Both of my little sunflowers also enjoy television while I’m busy working. Yes, that’s right, I allow my kids to watch television! Right now, thanks to a flood in our home, I made the decision to move my office upstairs. I know what the kids are watching, because I’m right in the same room.
No televisions are in the kids’ bedrooms, and that won’t change. What do they need that for? As they get older, all they’ll need in this ever changing world, is a tablet, to watch television! Heck, they’ll probably watch television on their watches!
Anyway, at some point, the kids are moving into a freshly designed playroom in our finished basement. I won’t be able to control everything they watch, right? HELL NO. I’ve got parental controls on Verizon FiOS Television. Oh yes, yes I do.
I control:
- how much Television time the kids have
- what kind of content they’re watching
- and I can block a ton of stuff that’s not appropriate for their ages
Plus, these kids can figure out quite a bit, and widgets are all over FiOS. Widgets that let the kids go onto social networking, but not my kids and not my FiOS TV. All I do: put my parental controls ON, and boom, the kids only see what I allow while they’re not under my nose.
Do you feel me? Are you a parent that wants to allow their kids a bit of freedom, but still want to keep them safe? I’m all about letting the kids think they have freedom, and they are “old enough” to be on their own. Mama Sunflower doesn’t want to hover, but I do want to make sure the kids only see what I want them to see. Yes, I know I can’t control everything, since the brats go to school, but let me live in this state of ignorance for a bit of time! I’m happy here. It’s a nice #LifeWithFiOS – I recommend it to all of you.
