Parenting in the age of technology can be hard. There is the constant internal struggle of wondering if your kids are getting too much screen time, using apps that are beneficial, or accessing inappropriate online content. I recently checked out the OurPact Parental Controls app to see if it can truly help.
This may be even more important now. It's winter, so it's cold and snowy out! And while kids may be tied to their phones all the time, in winter it is probably worse. Here in Chicago we are currently covered in snow, and there is more coming! Because of this many families may choose to stay indoors more. Also, snow leads to longer commutes so kids get antsy in the car and need to keep busy.
Any product that can help protect kids, while still letting them safely have fun, gets my vote.
What is OurPact?
OurPact is a parental control app for mobile geared towards kids aged 3 – 13. The ease of use empowers parents to help kids learn safe mobile phone usage and how to balance tech time and play time. It works with both iOS and Android devices, and includes a master app for parents, and OurPact Jr. for use on kids' phones.
OurPact Benefits
- Simplicity: user friendly, easy to set up and easy to use
- Reliability: 99.9% uptime performance and responsive control
- Flexibility: cross-platform & cross network functionality + profile-based management. Can set schedules or do ad hoc manual adjustments easily
- Support: customer support and issue resolution 7 days a week
How to Get Started
You can either head on over to OurPact.com to create a free account, or download the app for Android or iOS. The free account allows you to manage one device, and get started protecting your child right away. Once you install the main app on your device, you will need to install OurPact Jr. on your child's device using your parental email and password.
The app starts working the moment it is installed. So, you will need to take a bit of time to go through all of the options to ensure that your kid won't be presented with a phone that does nothing!
Mine came with a bedtime schedule created by default. You can also add a schedule for other things, like school hours, play hours, etc. You will also have to grant usage for individual apps, or block usage for apps that you know you do not want your child to use. Apps can be completely blocked, completely granted, or granted on a schedule. This is a great way to limit the time that you child spends playing certain games.
The Allowance tab allows you to limit the amount of screen time that your child has for each day. They get a warning on their phone that their time is limited. This allows them to choose what they want to do with that time based on your settings. And there is a countdown timer to let your child know how much time they have left.
And lastly, the Web Filter allows you to block adult content, or block and allow specific websites.
How Much Does OurPact Cost?
OurPact offers a Free plan, Plus plan, or Premium plan. Each one offers different options. However, if you have only one child, the free plan may be all you need. With that you can then create one schedule, block 5 apps, and grant unlimited apps.
Free
Plus
If you need a bit more, consider upgrading to the Plus version. For only $1.99/month you can manage up to 10 devices, and create unlimited schedules, blocks, and grants.
Premium
The Premium version of OurPact allows you to manage an unlimited # of devices. Plus, you have the added benefit of extra features including setting time limits, a family locator, text blocking, and a web filter. Premium is still reasonable, at only $6.99/month.
This is the right option for those with multiple kids who want complete protection.
Overall, I think OurPact is a great option for parents looking for an easy way to protect their kids, and limit screen time. Want to try it out? Head on over to OurPact.com for more information and to create an account. Then download the app for iOS or for Android to get started.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by OurPact. All opinions are my own.
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