How To View Your Child's Laptop Screen (Easy Guide)

The internet provides access to information and entertainment that wasn’t possible 20 years ago. However, there are hazards to using the internet, especially for an unsuspecting kid. That’s why parents must be able to view their child’s laptop to guide and protect them while using the internet.

You can view your child’s laptop using an application that allows remote access to a laptop’s screen. You can also set up a separate room dedicated to computers and other internet-enabled devices. Some apps can even serve as control filters to protect your child’s online activity.

In this article, we’ll talk about how you can easily view your child’s laptop and monitor his activity. We’ll also cover a few tips that will help you protect your child online while ensuring that he gets all the benefits of using the internet for education and entertainment.

1. Have a Room Dedicated To Computer Use

The best way to view your child’s laptop is to have a separate room for family members who want to use a computer. Instead of having the computer inside your child’s bedroom, it’ll be easier for you to monitor his online activity and see the people he’s interacting with if he’s in a room accessible to everyone.

It doesn’t have to be exclusively for laptops. You can set up a “game room” where all the internet-enabled devices like cellphones, tablets, TV, and gaming consoles are located. Aside from making it easier for you to view your child’s laptop screen, it’ll also help develop healthy habits that prevent him from using these devices excessively.

Regardless of all the options we have to view a child’s laptop screen, the best way is still to monitor them manually. This ensures that your child uses the laptop appropriately and will remain safe while using the internet.

It also creates a clear separation between the bedroom and the game room, preventing him from staying up late at night, which inevitably happens when it’s inside a child’s bedroom.

2. Use Browser-Based Monitoring Apps

You can install browser-based monitoring apps if you only want to monitor your child’s online activity. These applications will allow you to monitor his activity, block websites, and limit your child’s internet access. Although they won’t let you view your child’s laptop screen, they’re still a good option to keep your child safe online.

An internet browser is a gateway to the internet. Everything that your child does on a laptop starts with the browser. That’s why it’s important to immediately block certain websites or inappropriate content instead of just monitoring activity or viewing a laptop screen remotely.

One of the best options for browser-based monitoring apps is a9 Web Protection. This app protects your child by blocking inappropriate websites with real-time reporting. It even checks links for malicious or harmful content before allowing your child to view the website.

Preventing access to inappropriate websites and harmful content makes it much easier for you to keep your child safe online. Although these browser-based apps provide activity reporting, you won’t have to spend too much time monitoring your child’s online activity because it automatically blocks access to sites you don’t want your kid to visit.

You don’t even have to “spy” on your child, which may have a negative connotation to other people, just to keep him safe. Prevention is better than cure, which is also true when using the internet. Preventing access to inappropriate content may be a better solution for some people than continuously viewing your laptop screen.

3. Use the Laptop's Native Parental Control App

Windows and Mac have native apps that allow you to control your child’s laptop usage. Both operating systems enable you to filter content, depending on the account logged in to the computer. You can also set screen time limits for specific users, making it easier for you to help your kid develop healthier habits when using his laptop.

Let’s talk about how you can activate and set up both apps to help you restrict content and monitor your child’s laptop activity.

Setting Up Windows Family Options

Go to the Windows Search Box and type in Family Options.
Click View family settings to set up a child account.
Connect the laptop to your child’s Microsoft account.
Set online restrictions, including blocking websites and games.
Set a screen time limit when using your child’s account.
Ensure your child uses his user account when logging into the laptop to enable these settings.

This app won’t allow you to view your child’s laptop screen, similar to browser-based monitoring apps. However, it gives you better flexibility and control when it comes to the access that your child has when using the laptop.

Aside from this, you’ll also get real-time reporting that shows your child’s entire activity history, including the instances when he accessed a blocked website.

Setting Up Parental Controls on Mac

Instead of an app that restricts your child from accessing certain content and keeps them from excessive screen time, Mac computers have built-in settings for it. Here’s a concise guide on how to set up parental controls on Mac computers.

It may be complicated to set up at first because you have to configure all the restrictions you want on Mac. However, you won’t have to change them frequently and will keep monitoring your child’s laptop activity. Spending more time configuring these restrictions will ensure that your child can only use his laptop when it’s safe and healthy.

4. Use 3rd-Party Remote Monitoring Applications

There are different types of remote monitoring apps for laptops. You can use an app that allows you to view your child’s laptop screen remotely, like the Wolfeye Remote Screen, or a holistic monitoring and filtering app like Net Nanny or Kidlogger.

Wolfeye Remote Screen is an app that allows you to view your child’s laptop screen remotely. If you’re using this, you don’t have to set up another room dedicated to computer use. It displays what your child sees on his laptop, regardless of where you are and what you’re doing.

One of the best things about Wolfeye Remote Screen is that it remains invisible and always runs in the background. No restrictions and notifications are coming from the app, allowing you to see how your child really uses the computer. It’s like you’re looking at the screen over the shoulder every time your child uses his laptop.

Holistic remote monitoring apps like Net Nanny can provide you with better flexibility than native OS monitoring apps and better control than browser-based apps. However, they only serve as a filter that blocks certain content on the internet. Although they can provide you with real-time reporting and screenshots, they won’t help you “look” into what your child is doing in real time.

Kidlogger is another parental control app that you can use to monitor your child’s laptop and internet use. Aside from blocking content, it also allows you to monitor your child’s social media activity, including the messages (SMS, MMS, calls, and instant messaging apps) coming in and out of your child’s device. You can even use this app for smartphones, ensuring that your child remains safe regardless of the device he’s using.

These remote monitoring apps have their strengths and weaknesses, and you only need to choose one that can provide you with what you need to protect your child. The best option depends on how you want to monitor your child’s activity when using a laptop.

Do you want to actually see what he’s doing using a remote screen app, or is filtering content and seeing the report enough for you to be sure that your child is safe?

Other Tips To Keep Your Child Safe Online

Aside from installing apps to filter content or view your child’s laptop screen, there are other ways to help protect your child. Let’s talk about some tips that will help you do it easily.

Use a Secondary Parental Control or Child Safety App

There are child safety apps that work with various devices, including tablets and smartphones. Kaspersky Safe Kids allows you to monitor and restrict content on all devices your child uses. These multi-device apps will provide your child with better online protection, ensuring that he won’t be able to access inappropriate content regardless of his device.

Kaspersky Safe Kids work with Windows, Android, and iOS devices, providing you with holistic parent control that blocks websites, malicious content, and files that can compromise your child’s privacy. One of its best features is blocking specific words and results from search engines like Google and YouTube. It even works inside the YouTube app to help filter search results.

There are a lot of other similar apps that you can use, which combine all the features of a browser-based app, native OS app, and remote monitoring app. Some even include GPS tracking for your child’s smartphone, making it easier for you to locate your child whenever he’s outside with his phone.

The only downside to using apps like these is the overwhelming number of options you have, making it slower than the other apps I shared. Also, you won’t be able to view your child’s laptop screen remotely. This feature remains a better option for many parents because it will help them understand how their kids use their laptops.

Explain the Proper and Safe Way To Use the Internet

Restricting access to certain content on your child’s laptop will ensure that he remains safe while using the internet. However, you’ll still need to explain the proper way of using it and how they can stay safe online.

The internet can be a dangerous place, even for adults. One wrong click can compromise important data about any person. This makes it even more important to teach children about safety and security on the internet. When a child understands it well, you can be assured that he knows what to do even if no monitoring apps protect his online activity.

Another advantage of explaining it to your child is that it’ll be easier for him to understand why some websites are blocked or restricted. Remember, educating your child will be more beneficial for him in the long run than restricting access without explaining why it’s bad for him.

It’s also why viewing your child’s laptop screen remotely and understanding how he uses the internet may be better than using parental control apps. This will help you see the sites he’s trying to access and the activities he’s trying to do on the internet and explain to your child why it may be dangerous for him.

Set Clear Rules for Your Child When Using a Laptop

Now that remote education is becoming more common, it’s harder for kids to develop healthy habits when using a laptop or other devices. Games are a click away, and they easily get distracted when using the internet for education. So it’s important to help them understand how they should use their devices and the right time to do various activities.

Setting clear rules on how they should use a laptop will help them better understand what they should and should not do. Ensure that your child knows the separation between studying and playing and that both activities should never overlap.

Once you have set clear rules on how your child can use his laptop, make it a point to enforce them. Knowing the difference between education and entertainment is even more important now that we have become increasingly reliant on the internet for our daily activities.

Conclusion

There are different ways to view your child’s laptop screen and ensure that he’s safe when using the internet. You can watch over them manually in a separate room or use remote monitoring apps to view their laptop screen remotely. You can also use parent-control apps with filtering and reporting features to monitor how your child uses his laptop.

However, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of using the internet is even more important. By doing this, you can be assured that your child will remain safe while using his laptop, even if you’re not looking over his shoulder.

Sources

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