**Please note: This post was updated on September 7, 2023.**

It’s safe to say that the team here at Bark is pretty proud of the Bark Phone, and we’re excited for families across the country to experience the peace of mind that comes with a kid-friendly phone built by parents, for parents. Raising kids in the digital age isn’t exactly easy, but the Bark Phone can help you better protect them when they’re using their device. We’ve compiled a list of the top five reasons it’s great for kids and families.

5 Reasons the Bark Phone Is Great for Kids

Bark’s monitoring and parental controls are built in and tamper-proof

Bark is the industry leader when it comes to monitoring online activities for potential dangers, so we know a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t. With Bark built into the phone — and not just an app installed on a hand-me-down phone, for example — parents can rest assured that the controls you set stay in place. Kids can’t download VPNs or workarounds. Plus, the Bark Phone automatically monitors many popular apps, so you won't have to manually connect them. 

All of the controls are completely customizable

Finding a kid-friendly phone can be a daunting task. With the Bark Phone, you as the parent call all of the digital shots, from app installs and contact requests to screen time settings and website blocking. Every child — and family — is different, which is why it’s important to manage every aspect of your kid’s digital experience in the way you think best. Want to lock down the phone and make it essentially a “dumb phone?” You can! And on the flip side, you can give your teen as much as freedom as they've earned, while still setting healthy screen time boundaries and getting alerts for potential issues.

It grows with your child

If you get your kid a limited-function phone, it’s great for safety, but soon you’ll need to buy another device if you want to add any new features. With the Bark Phone, you can manage the entire spectrum of growth with one device for as long as your kid lives under your roof. You can progress from phone calls and music only and then gradually add in features like apps and social media if you want. And because digital maturity isn’t always a straight line, you can also take away functionality at any time.

Sleek and modern design

The safest phone is the one a kid actually likes and uses. The Bark Phone is an ordinary Samsung A series and doesn’t broadcast that it has incredible parental controls inside. There’s no Bark branding or logos on the outside, and it doesn’t have that clunky look that some other phones for kids have. 

It helps make you and your child a team

Bark is a smartphone for kids that tracks location and contacts and even monitors apps used. Helping to keep your kid safe online is one of your jobs as a parent, but it’s also your job to teach them how to use technology, too. Phones aren’t going anywhere, and they’ll eventually be using one every day when they’re young adults. Bark helps you teach healthy habits early in a way that still allows them some freedom and privacy. We’re not in the business of spying — we’re here to help you and your kid tackle issues together. That’s why you can manage everything in a way that works for both of you.

Is Your Child Ready For A Phone?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get here at Bark is, “How do I know my child is ready for a phone?” So we made a quick and handy quiz to help you find out where your family stands!

How to Get a Bark Phone

Ready to get your very own Bark Phone? Plans start at just $39/month including unlimited talk and text. No contract required, cancel anytime. A smartphone for kids is a necessity in today's age. Be sure to order your kid's phone today!

**This blog post was updated on October 31, 2023.**

Some phones are built for adults. Some phones are built for kids. But the Bark Phone was built by parents, for parents — and this is why it’s a game-changer. The Bark Kid’s Phone gives families unprecedented control over their child’s online experience. If you’re familiar with Bark, you may be wondering how the Bark Phone is different from just having the Bark app on any old phone. 

The short answer is: way more functionality. The Bark Phone was built from the ground up with feedback from parents like you in mind. When we were just an app, we had to work around the functions and limits of the phone itself, which was something we couldn’t control. Today, with our own phone, we can do so much more to help you protect your kids online. Read on to learn exactly how.  

How the Bark Kid’s Phone Differs from the Bark app

1. You can manage nearly every setting on the phone with Bark

You know your child best, which is why the Bark Phone gives you control over everything from who your kid can text to screen time settings. From the parent app, you can approve app downloads, check in on their location, and so much more. The best part? You can do it all from your phone, and from just one app. No more switching between multiple parental control apps to help keep your kid safe. 

2. Your kid can’t delete texts without your permission

This is a new feature for Bark, and it’s important for a variety of reasons. With Bark’s monitoring, you generally won’t have to scroll through hundreds of texts to find potential issues — our timely alerts save you time and give kids a little privacy. But after years of talking with parents and families, we’ve heard how deleted texts can often conceal concerning content, and how crucial it is to be able to find them. When Bark was just an app, we couldn’t control whether kids could delete texts — now we can. Here are just a few illustrations of why this feature can help families protect their kids. 

When kids don’t understand if they’re being bullied

Cyberbullying is common these days, and sometimes kids may not even understand when it’s happening. They also may be embarrassed or ashamed of the messages they receive. By not allowing texts to be deleted on the Bark Kid’s Phone, you’ll be able to figure out what’s happening, as well as preserve a record should you need to get the school involved. 

Someone sends them unwanted photos

Sexting is a huge concern for kids growing up in the digital age, and it can have long-lasting effects on a child’s well-being, reputation, and mental health. 

A potential predator asks them to delete a message

Just the thought of a strange adult manipulating and grooming your child online is terrifying, but it happens every day. Often, they’ll convince kids to hide their conversations from family, whether that’s by using a different app or deleting messages. Even though it’s a worst-case scenario, you want to know if a stranger is contacting your child — and undeletable texts allow you to do that. 

3.  Location tracking is more robust

One of the best things about raising kids in the digital age is that you don’t have to wonder where they are 24/7. With the Bark Phone, you can use our robust, GPS-powered location tracking to keep an eye on your kids wherever they roam. You’ll also still be able to use Bark’s location check-ins and alerts for a more hands-off approach. 

4. One monthly price that includes everything for your kid’s phone 

With some phones, you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get everything ready to hand over to your kid — buying the phone, buying the insurance, figuring out how to get cell service, and adding on parental controls. With the Bark Phone, one simple, convenient monthly fee includes everything from start to finish. 

5. Grows with your kid

The Bark Phone’s customizability lets you decide how much function it has, which means that it’s great for young kids — but it also is great for tweens and then teens. For children, you can set the Bark Phone up so that it’s basically a “dumb phone” with only controlled calls and texts to approved contacts. As your kid matures, you can add in apps like email and podcasts. Then, eventually, you could add in even more functionality like social media and games. Plus, at any time, you can dial back freedoms or add in more leeway. It’s all up to you!

6. Bark Premium for all your family’s devices

A Bark Premium subscription is included in the Bark Phone’s price — but we know kids may have more than one device. iPads, Kindles, and old hand-me-down phones that are just for games also need protection! The same goes for every child in your family, along with all their devices, too.

7. No workarounds

With Androids and iPhones, kids could find ways around the Bark app to disable it despite our best efforts. While frustrating, this is just part of having a phone that’s not built for child safety. The Bark Phone is different, and kids won’t be able to download workarounds or VPNs to get past the parental controls you set. 

8. Manage app downloads and contacts

This is another example of how the Bark Kid’s Phone gives you control over another important part of your child’s digital world. You’ll get an alert when your kid wants to download a new app or save a new phone number to their contact list. You can then decide whether or not to allow them, and, of course, maybe have a conversation about what or who it is they’re wanting to do with them. 

Is Your Child Ready For A Phone?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get here at Bark is, “How do I know my child is ready for a phone?” So we made a quick and handy quiz to help you find out where your family stands!

The Bark Phone for Kids: Pricing and Details

The Bark Kid’s Phone starts at $39/month including unlimited talk and text. No contract required, cancel anytime. We have several monthly data options to fit your family’s needs:

• $39/month for unlimited talk, text, and no internet, app store, or games
• $49/month for unlimited talk, text, and Wi-Fi only (no data)
• $59/month for unlimited talk, text, and 4GB data
• $69/month for unlimited talk, text, and 8GB data
• $89/month for unlimited talk, text, and data¹

Each phone plan comes with a Bark Premium subscription and will cover any other kids, devices, and accounts a user's family has. You won’t pay for an extra Bark subscription if you already have Bark Premium — we will adjust your plan and prorate the remaining amount left and apply it to the subscription.

Bark’s kids' phone will come with built-in parental controls, allowing parents to set limits on usage and monitor activity. With our parental control phone, parents can block inappropriate content, set limits, and track their child’s location.  Our kids' phone is a great option for parents who want to keep their children connected while also maintaining control over their device usage.

¹ After exceeding 35GB/month of data use, data speeds will be reduced for the remainder of the monthly billing cycle. After exceeding 50GB/month of data usage, data speeds may be reduced further and/or data connection may be turned off for the remainder of the monthly billing cycle.

How to Get a Bark Phone

Overall, our parental control phone can provide peace of mind for parents, knowing that their child is protected while using their device. Ready to get your very own Bark Phone? You’re not alone! Order yours today and get peace of mind when your kid is online. But don't just take our word for it — parents are raving about the Bark Phone.

There are some conversations that all parents will eventually have to have with their kids at some point. Like the “birds and bees” talk and the “who is the tooth fairy?” conversation. They’re simply unavoidable. And in 2022, one of those unavoidable conversations is the “social media talk.”

Undoubtedly, at a certain age, your kid will start asking to have social media. As their friends start to explore the digital world, it’s only natural that your kid is going to want to join in on the fun. And make no mistake, social media is fun — or it can be. Instagram can be an awesome way for your kid to explore their interests and TikTok can be an inspiring place for your kid to show off their talents, whatever they may be. Not to mention the fact that kids often feel that social media helps them stay connected to their friends’ lives, especially if they don’t get to hang out every day. 

But all of those positives are just the tip of iceberg, because social media also comes with HUGE potentials danger if you and your kid are not prepared for them. The impact of social media on children is massive. So that’s why we’ve put together a few key tips to help you introduce your kid to social media. Keep reading to learn more! 

Educate Yourself and Your Children About the Dangers

So, what exactly are the dangers of social media for youth? Well, if you’re on any social media platforms yourself, you probably know that bullying, body shaming, foul language, and sexual content are commonplace. And you may know that child predators have used social media to target kids. It’s scary how common this is and just how quickly a predator can form a  bond with your child. One study found that it can take just 8 minutes for this connection to take place. 

One of the most challenging parts of allowing kids on social media is keeping them safe from online strangers — you never know which online stranger could be a potential predator. On the flip side, your child can be targeted by peers that they actually know in real life, with cyberbullying being a huge risk factor among kids online. 

So what can parents do? First, educate yourself! Learn the pros and cons of the impact of social media on children. Second, educate your kid! Easier said than done — we’ll admit that — but just knowing about the potential dangers is half the battle for a lot of parents. And if you and your kid can build trust to openly communicate about these things, you will be lightyears ahead in this digital parenting thing. 

Study Different Social Media Platforms

Now for practicalities: what’s the best way for parents to educate themselves, especially if they’re not personally using these platforms? 

Well, one way is a trusty Google search. There are lots of resources that can tell you all about every platform — and guess what? Bark is one of those resources! Our blog covers apps, games, and important topics like mental health and dangerous internet trends. So by reading this, you’re already in the gold mine of information you need to know about social media.

But one surefire way to really understand the potential dangers of social media for youth and the platform's inner workings is to download the app and make an account. That might seem like a lot of work, (let’s be honest, what parent has a bunch of free time to peruse random social media sites?) but it just might be worth the effort. Familiarizing yourself with the app can give you more clarity if your kids have questions or if they run into issues later on. And another bonus — once you’ve decided they can have social media, you can follow their account to check in on what they are posting and commenting on.

So after your research, you should have an idea of which platforms you’re comfortable with your kid having and which ones you’re more worried about. Now it’s time to actually talk about all of it with your kid. 

Create a Tech Contract

A great way to clearly communicate with your kid and set healthy boundaries is a tech contract. We encourage parents to sit down with their kid and write out what expectations come with their access to social media. Here are some helpful suggestions:

• Platforms they can use freely
• Platforms they can use with restrictions
• Platforms they cannot use at all
• Hours they can use each platform
• Features that are on and off limits
• Types of content they may view and/or share
• How to handle friends, likes, followers, etc. 
• Private message guidelines

For more examples and even a printable tech contract to get you started, take a look at this blog post for more guidance. 

Actively Monitor Your Child’s Social Media Activity

Unfortunately, the work doesn’t stop after the research and tech contract. Once your kid is on social media, it is super important to stay in the loop about anything harmful or suspicious coming up on their feed. And that’s exactly where Bark steps in! Bark can monitor your kid’s social media accounts and text messages and alert you to things like cyberbullying, predatory comments, and more. It also gives you insight into your kid’s digital world so you can understand them better. Start your free trial today!

**This blog post was updated on March 29, 2024.**

How does social media affect teens? Social media is a big part of everyday life for adults, but it's also becoming a huge part of kids' lives, too. Because of this, there are concerns about minors' social media use with the rise of a new breed of celebrity: the social media influencer. More than half of Gen Z wants to become one, too.

While much of the research into influencers' impact on children and teens has focused on the negative impacts of social media influencers, the story is not entirely grim. In this blog post, we'll dive into the positive and negative impacts that social media influencers can have on kids.

What is a Social Media Influencer?

A social media influencer is someone who has an online following based on their personality, skills, or interests. In addition, influencers often share snippets of their everyday lives and activities. 

Influencers tend to have large audiences and often create sponsored content around products to spur sales — and make money. They can be paid upfront or receive a percentage of profits based on purchases, usually through tracking links. Though paid promotions are generally noted in the hashtags or captions, the content often blends in with the rest of the influencer's content, making it difficult to tell what’s real and what’s sponsored.

Remember: Not all social media influencers are adults. Some minors are also influencers. They develop a following of young people that will grow with them. Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are the most popular networks for young social media influencers. If your child spends a lot of time on these platforms, there's a good chance they follow several influencers.

Why Do Kids Follow and Respect Influencers?

Children and teens follow influencers for many reasons. Since they spend hours every day in front of a screen for school, entertainment, and social interaction, social media influencers can offer breaks in the day with their exciting content. Influencers can provide information relevant to their audience. Viewing their content can also provide comfort for kids.

There are several types of social media influencers popular with teens. Below is a quick breakdown of the most popular influencer types:

·   Music – 38%

·   Gaming – 36%

·   Celebrity – 31%

·   Humor and Memes – 26%

·   General and Lifestyle – 24%

·   Fashions – 22%

·   Beauty – 22%

Source

So How Does Social Media Affect Teens?

The positive and negative impacts of social media influencers

Social media influencers can significantly impact minors, with 70% of teens saying they trust influencers more than regular celebrities. With large platforms and little to no moderation, they can publish content that can be questionable at best and damaging at worst. Despite this, influencers can also positively impact their followers as well. Let's review the potential positive and negative impacts influencers can have on children.

Influencers: the positive

Social media influencers are entertaining

Like all media outlets, we often turn to social media for entertainment, especially when we need a break from daily life. This is true for minors as well. More than a quarter of all teenagers follow humor or meme-based influencers. An even higher percentage follow streamers and influencers that focus on music and gaming. Youth turn to social media for entertainment, replacing magazines and entertainment news shows with a more community-based approach.

Influencers can promote activism

Some influencers can use their social media platforms to spread social awareness. Teenagers often use social media to learn about and explore their interests. Influencers can encourage their audiences to advocate for causes by providing information. They can also give young people the resources and inspiration to engage with their communities.

Influencers can provide company and comfort

During the COVID-19 pandemic, children and teens used social media to fill the void of social interaction when they couldn't see their friends. Teens also turned to influencers to remain positive during difficult times, as many promoted kindness and self-care.

Influencers: The negative

Influencers may expose minors to unhealthy products and themes.

Food and drink companies often turn to social media influencers to promote their products through sponsored posts that show the influencer enjoying the product. Unfortunately, not only can these posts blend into children's news feeds as authentic content, they can promote unhealthy behavior, such as alcohol use or junk food.

Social media influencers create comparisons.

Children and teenagers have enough peer pressure from in-person interactions without adding stress from social media influencers. Since influencers often present a clean, shiny, and fun version of their lives, it can create a sense of comparison for young followers. This increased social comparison has been linked to anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and negative body image among youth.

Social media influencers can promote an unrealistic ideal.

Because of filters and photo-altering techniques, social media posts created by influencers can promote unrealistic body standards. In fact, more young influencers are undergoing cosmetic procedures in return for promotions. These practices further distance influencers from their followers, leaving fans to feel they have to "catch up" to those they follow.

How to Monitor Your Child's Exposure to Influencers

Above, we’ve mentioned just a few examples of the negative impact of social media influencers on children and the consequences it can leave on your child's life and mental health. Since they have become such a large part of our culture, how can you ensure your child is following healthy people? Here are three simple strategies to stay involved.

Follow who they follow

This may seem simple, but following who your child follows on social media is the best way to stay up to date. Take the time to review who your child follows, either by asking them or by viewing their "following" list on their social media accounts. Then follow the influencers they're following. This way, you will see the same content.

Join your child

If your child wants to engage in social media challenges or start posting their own content, be a part of the process. For example, if they want to create dance videos on TikTok, be supportive! This way, you can avoid isolating your child and keep the lines of communication about their social media presence open and friendly.

Use Bark to monitor content and interactions

Monitoring your child's social media can be time-consuming. After all, adults experience the same challenges as minors when it comes to social media and screen time.

With a tool like Bark, you can monitor your child's text messages, social accounts, email, and other apps for issues like depression, cyberbullying, threats of violence, and suicidal ideation.

To stay on top of your child's online life without being invasive, use a tool like Bark to help keep them safe.

Social Media Influencers Are Here to Stay

Whether we like it or not, social media influencers are now a part of life, both for adults and young people. Since these influencers can positively and negatively impact impressionable children and teens, it's important to understand why minors are drawn toward influencers. Talking to your kid about who they follow — and why — can help you learn about their world.

Viral TikToks. YouTube how-to instructions. Highlights from football games. What do these all have in common? They’re all popular clips you can watch on video sharing apps. Young and old alike use these video sharing apps, and many kids even get in on the action by creating and sharing their own videos. Others, meanwhile, simply enjoy scrolling through videos from their favorite online creators and brands.

But are video sharing apps safe for kids? And how much should you monitor them as a parent? To help you understand what your kids are seeing and which video posting apps they are using, we’ve got all the details on the three most popular video sharing app options for teens and tweens.

TikTok

TikTok is the leading video sharing app in the U.S. and across the world. It’s been downloaded more than 200 million times from within the U.S. and boasts an audience ranging in age from 13 to 60. More than a billion people use the app every month, and many visit daily to follow their favorite creators.

TikTok is rated 16+ but allows users as young as 13 to join. Those under the age of 16 are automatically given private accounts. This stops strangers from sending them direct messages within the app but doesn’t guarantee that young users won’t see inappropriate content. While there is a lot of clean, kid-friendly content available, there’s just as much if not more content that isn’t appropriate for younger users.

Pros for kids

• Family Pairing allows parents to link their child’s account to their own.
• Digital Wellbeing features create limits on the number of hours the app is used.

Cons for kids

• Having a private profile doesn’t block kids from seeing public videos.
• A lot of inappropriate content exists — sex, profanity, drug/alcohol, and more.
• Bullying and aggressive behavior are rampant. 
• Accounts can be hacked.

YouTube

YouTube has been around longer than TikTok and allows creators to upload longer, more detailed video content. Creators establish their own channels, and users follow their favorites to keep up with the latest content. There are now more than 2.5 billion YouTube users, and many consider it a search engine like Google. This is due largely in part to the incredible variety of educational and informative videos presented on the app. In fact, YouTube generates over a billion views every day. 

Pros for kids

• YouTube has good parental control settings for pre-teens and older kids.
• A lot of content is suitable for kids as well as pre-teens and teens.
• Oftentimes, harmful content is removed quickly.
• It’s one of the safest video sharing apps available.

Cons for kids

• There are lots of inappropriate things for kids of all ages.
• Interaction with strangers in comments is possible.

Twitch

Twitch is a video game streaming app that allows users to share video of their screens while they play popular video games. While the content usually revolves around gaming, this doesn’t mean users aren’t exposed to explicit language and other inappropriate content. Some mature video games like Grand Theft Auto are played and shared freely with no age gates that prevent younger users from watching.

Twitch allows users 13 years old and older to register without parental permission. There are also no parental controls in place. You can set your child’s account to block videos containing profanity, discrimination, hostility, or sexually explicit language, but there’s nothing stopping your child from turning those settings off.

Pros for kids

• There are tons of creative and educational video games to watch.
• Many kids feel connected to friends within the platform.

Cons for kids

• There are no real enforceable parental control settings.
• Games with violence and profanity are allowed.
• Kids may interact with adult users.

Are Video Sharing Apps Safe for Kids?

The three video sharing apps featured here aren’t safe for young children without direct adult supervision — and even then, some sketchy things may still pop up! It’s difficult to find consistently family-friendly content on TikTok because every flick of the screen brings up something new. While YouTube does offer cartoons and a wealth of educational videos, it also has some potentially dangerous content for young kids and even pre-teens. And Twitch can be incredibly hit or miss.

While video sharing apps may be entertaining and educational, they can still be dangerous for your children. If you’re worried about your child interacting with video posting apps, Bark can help. You can block websites and apps to help keep your kids safe from inappropriate content. You can also manage when they can access them — like no YouTube until after school. 

It’s that time of year again! Picture it: the smell of brand new school supplies, first-day outfits that slap (that’s kid-speak for “cool”), and freshly packed (and mostly healthy) lunches. But before you get caught up in the excitement — and stress! — of the new school year, we’ve got some back to school safety tips to help you protect your child’s privacy, both online and in real life.

1. Back to School Safety: Think Twice About Posting Those Back-to-School Photos

You’ve seen them on Facebook and Instagram — the bright, smiling faces of kids holding up a chalkboard or sign before hopping on the bus. It usually lists out the date, the grade, the teacher’s name, and maybe even hobbies and future career interests. While we definitely love the idea, this form of sharenting presents a potential danger to kids. 

If a less-than-savory character were to stumble across this photo, they’d instantly know your child’s name, school, teacher, and even what they like to do. This could make starting up a conversation with your child easy, which is a scary prospect. And while yes, having a private social media account to post pictures like these to is always a good idea, it’s by no means 100% safe. Phones can be lost, stolen, or even hacked. 

2.  Back to School Safety: Everyone Can See Yard Signs

On a similar note, there’s been a recent trend in the past few years of posting school spirit signs in your front yard or living room window. They don’t always announce names, but often they’ll proclaim to the neighbors — and any stranger who drives by — that a “future Smith Elementary Wildcat Lives Here.” These kinds of signs are also common around graduation time, too. Of course, you can’t hide the fact that you have kids as a neighborhood resident, but it’s probably not a good idea to broadcast their exact age to anyone who walks past your house, either.

3. Back to School Safety: Help Safeguard Social Media Footprints

A new school year is a good time to check up on any identifying information that may be in your child’s social media footprint (if they have accounts). Make sure your kid’s username doesn’t contain details that immediately identify them as underage — this could make them a target for online predators wishing to start up a conversation. Details to avoid include birth years (like Fotnitefan2012), local school mascots, ages, and more. Similarly, many kids like to include their graduation year or school name in their Instagram or TikTok bios, but this is another way they may be targeted online by their age. Even if an account is private, these bios remain public for any user to see. 

How Bark Can Help With Back To School Safety?

Besides providing back to school safety tips, Bark can also give you peace of mind by providing top of the line monitoring app for your child’s device. Our award-winning service monitors texts, emails, and 30+ social media platforms and apps for dangers like bullying, online predators, depression, and more. You can also block websites and apps, create screen time schedules, and get location alerts when your kid is on the go.

For our generation, we probably don’t remember the very first time we bought something online. But odds are, it probably happened when we were fully grown adults. In 2022, though, it’s a whole different ball game for kids. Because of this, instilling safe online shopping habits has become a new rite of passage for families. Similar to teaching your kid about payment apps, this can be a little intimidating at first. With our safe online shopping tips, you’ll feel more comfortable in no time — and help keep your family’s financial information safe.

Online Shopping Safety Tips for Families

Sit down and do a walkthrough

The next time you need to order something online, have your child sit next to you as you explain the entire process from start to finish. This can look like googling and researching something you need, like “garden shoes” or something simpler like finding picture frames on Amazon. Explain how to add things to a shopping cart, how to check out, and how to look for the confirmation email. These are the basics of how to shop online safely.

Decide which payment forms you’re going to allow

There are lots of different ways to pay when it comes to safe online shopping. Digital-only payment options include Paypal and Cash App but these are technically off-limits to minors (but some families disregard these rules and use them anyway). There are also kid-friendly debit cards like the ones from Greenlight and GoHenry that work just like regular debit cards. Some families also choose to let their kids use their parent’s credit card. At the end of the day, it should be whatever your family is most comfortable with. Just make sure you know what your child is using so there are no surprises later.  

Discuss when and where online shopping is okay

This can be practical: Online shopping for new shoes at school? Not a great idea. It can also be a matter of safety. If your kid is connected to a strange Wi-Fi (like at a random store) or one with tons of strange connections (like at an airport), the chances of being hacked are higher. We recommend having kids do their shopping at home on your secure Wi-Fi network. This also helps with parental supervision, if that’s important to you.

Make sure the site is secure

This one’s pretty simple. Before your child even starts to browse a seller or company’s website, teach them to look for the lock. Most reputable organizations invest in secure tech for their websites, and this is incredibly important when it comes to online commerce. In addition to the lock symbol, you can also look for an S in the “https” part of the website address. Secure websites take more steps to help protect personal information during transactions.

Stress strong passwords

Safe online shopping starts with the basics. Now that your child is going to be exchanging money on the internet, now more than ever is a good time to ensure that their passwords are super strong. Sometimes, it's required to create accounts for sellers, so your child may even be creating new passwords. Make sure that the passwords are different, long, and contain a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. There are also password security apps that can help your family store and organize all of their passwords to help prevent fraud.

Block websites you want to keep off limits

Websites don’t usually check for ages when someone enters in credit card info, so it’s a good idea to assume that your child may be able to buy anything — which is a scary thought! Examples of things you may not want your child to buy include porn, items with alcohol/drug messaging, inappropriate movies or music, and countless others. Bark has a powerful web blocker that allows you to block specific sites as well as entire categories like e-commerce, sexual content, and more. This way, you'll be able to worry less about your child being tempted to buy things they shouldn't.

Talk about scams

The internet is absolutely filled with people looking to take advantage of others, and this is an unfortunate but necessary truth to have to explain. Fortunately, there are many ways to ID a potential scam. One lesson to convey is that “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” You can also teach your child how to recognize reputable websites and sellers. The following are red flags that a site probably isn’t trustworthy:

• Bad grammar and incorrect spelling
• Unrecognizable name or URL
• No reviews online
• Not secure (no lock icon or https)

Set ground rules for shopping

Have you made a tech contract with your child? If not, we recommend it — it’s free and helps lay down expectations for how your child uses their device. If you have, we recommend adding a section about online shopping safety. You can add things like times when shopping is allowed, monthly budgets, and more. Online shopping is a serious responsibility, so teaching your child how to shop online safely and getting on the same page can help you both know what to expect.

Growing up has never been easy, but for families today, it can seem even more daunting. Adolescence is a time of big change for kids, and dealing with emotions, school, and outside events can be overwhelming sometimes. As a parent, it’s important to help instill in your child healthy mental health habits that will last a lifetime, as well as to know when something may be wrong and a conversation is needed. This blog post will help you understand teen mental health a little better and how to connect with your child.  

Stressors — And Coping Mechanisms — Are Different Today

Even apart from the global pandemic, civil unrest, and inflation that’s disrupted nearly everyone’s life the past few years, teens today face issues our generation couldn’t have imagined. The pressures of social media and technology can create a toxic storm of self-doubt, FOMO (fear of missing out), sadness, bullying, and more. 

Teen mental health issues can manifest themselves in ways adults may not recognize. Even the way kids talk about depression has changed, with new slang terms, idioms, and metaphors. Instead of staying on the phone with friends venting about school or parents, they may turn to group chats, logging on to a Discord server to voice chat, or even just zoning out watching their favorite Twitch streamer.

How to Promote Positive Mental Health in Teens

Mental health is like taking care of a car — many big problems can be taken care of with preventative maintenance. Also, some folks may think of the term “mental health” as something negative, but in reality, it’s part of our daily lives, and can be a positive thing! Here are some ways to encourage healthy mental health in teens:

Talk about feelings often

Emotions are how we process and make sense of the world around us. Make sure you talk about your own and encourage your child to share theirs — good, bad, and everything in between. Let your child know that all feelings are okay, no matter what. Tell them they can always come to you with any emotion, problem, or situation for help. Plus, the more you talk about these feelings, the more you’ll know what’s going on in your child’s world.

Encourage good physical health

The mind and body are linked, so it’s important that teens eat nutritious food, drink lots of water, exercise regularly, and rest well. Set aside some time throughout the day to share healthy meals and move your bodies as a group. These activities can help promote positive mental health in teens.

Be a role model

One of the most important things you can do is model how to respond to life and emotions for your child. When you have a bad day at work and are stressed, demonstrate how you decompress with yoga or by having a movie night with the family. These little habits show your child that life isn’t just about what happens to you — it’s also how you react to things. 

Common Teen Mental Health Issues to Know About

Anxiety and depression are probably the most common teen mental health issues parents recognize, but there are other ways teens may be struggling, including:

• Suicidal ideation
• Disordered eating
• Behavioral disorders
• Risk-taking behaviors

Mental Health In Teens: How You Can Help

Know the warning signs

No one knows your child quite like you do, so you’re in the best position to know when and if something is amiss in their world. Here are some general things to look out for when it comes to warning signs for issues like depression and anxiety:

• Changes in school performances
• Eating habit changes
• Increased irritability
• Inability to concentrate
• Losing interest in once-loved activities
• Physical ailments without causes (stomachaches, headaches)
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Isolation from friends, teammates, and family

Actively listen

When you sit down to talk to your teen, give them your full attention. It can be hard for a young person to bear their soul, and the last thing you want is for them to feel like you’re not all there. Put your phone in another room, turn off the TV, and make sure there’s lots of eye contact. Ask follow-up questions and repeat back important parts of what they’re saying. This can look like “I hear you’re not sleeping well and feel tired all the time. That sounds pretty stressful!”

Show empathy

It may be hard to 100% understand some of the situations and activities your teen may be in. For example, maybe you’ve never dramatically been kicked out of a group chat. But you probably have experienced a fight with friends, though. Show your child that you understand their emotions and that they’re not alone in their feelings, whatever they may be. 

Offer support 

This can look like listening more often, planning a weekly ice cream date, or something heftier like working together to find a therapist. Let your child know that you’re willing to show up for them in whatever they need to support their mental health.

Provide resources

If there’s one silver lining to dealing with mental health issues today, it’s that there’s never been a time more filled with information and resources thanks to the internet. From videos and worksheets to texting hotlines and phone numbers, there are tons of ways to get and implement help. Check out the section below for resources for both you and your teen.

Helpful Resources for Teen Mental Health

• Mental Health America
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• Sign of Teen Depression
• Mental Health Apps That Help Kids and Families Find Their Focus 

How Bark Can Help Families

Even armed with the best information and resources available, it can still be hard figuring out teen mental health. Many teens turn to social media and messaging with friends to help make sense of their feelings and emotions — things they sometimes wouldn’t normally share with their parents. Bark can help by monitoring online activities for signs of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.

What is Snapchat Plus? Snapchat Plus is the paid version of Snapchat. Have you heard the news? Snapchat Plus is the new premium subscription version of the popular disappearing-message app. Many apps and games operate on a freemium model — that is, free basic features with the option to pay for extras — but Snapchat is the latest social media platform to head in this direction.

For $3.99/month, users can customize apps and themes, get insight into who’s interacting repeatedly with their stories, and more. You can even get early access to new features before they’re rolled out to everyone else. Fortunately, we’ve got everything you need to know about the Snapchat premium subscription — including possible dangers. To be clear, Snapchat Plus and Snapchat Premium are the same services, and the nouns are typically used interchangeably.

Why Is There a Snapchat Plus, Anyway?

The short answer is — money. Snapchat has been around for a while, and like most apps, it’s been relying on ads to generate income. Creating a premium model will not only help bring in more cash, it will also attract more users. It’s unclear how successful this model will be for Snapchat, especially considering how many kids use the app (and who often rely on their parents to approve purchases). But in the meantime, teens especially are bound to get excited about some of the new features explained below.

What Is Snapchat Plus And What Are Its Features, Explained

Story rewatch indicator

On Snapchat (like Instagram), you can see who’s viewed your stories, which are photos you share and that stay up for 24 hours. Once someone has viewed a story, though, they can look at it again as many times as they want and you’d never know. This new feature really lets the cat out of the bag and tells you exactly how many times they’ve come back and replayed your stories, which in turn could indicate if someone is interested in you. 

Friend Ghost Trails

With the existing Snap Map, you can see where friends are in real-time on a map if they choose to share their location with you. Ghost trails take this even further and show you where they’ve been over the past 24 hours. Of all the new features available with Snapchat Plus, this one is probably bound to cause the most drama.

Custom app icons

For power users, the ability to completely personalize your Snapchat experience can be a huge draw. Want your Snapchat icon to be on a rainbow background? Overlaid on an American flag? Completely made of flowers? A Snapchat Premium subscription lets you take your pick.

Snapchat+ badge 

Exclusivity is another draw of Snapchat+. You can add flair to your user name with a black star badge that lets your friends know you’re an official Snapchat Plus subscriber.

Friend Solar System

Ready for a throwback? Snapchat+’s Friend Solar System is basically the visual friend-ranking version of MySpace’s top eight. When you’re a Snapchat+ subscriber, you’ll see a “Best Friends'' or "Friends" badge that has a gold ring around it on someone’s Friendship Profile. If you’re “Best Friends,” that means you’re one of each other’s eight closest friends, while “Friends” means you’re one of their eight closest friends, but they’re not one of yours.  In order for this feature to work, you and your friends must have linked Bitmojis.

Best Friends Forever Pin

This is a small feature, but some teens may love it. You can pin your BFF as your “#1 Best Friend” with Best Friends Forever. However, only you can view this pin.

The Dangers of a Snapchat Premium Subscription

Many of the features discussed above are harmless — things like the customizable Snapchat icon. Others may be bound to cause a little tension (like the friend Ghost Trails), but don’t necessarily present an immediate threat. However, it’s the unmentioned things that may cause danger down the line. As a Snapchat Plus user, you get access to unreleased new features, and there’s no telling what some of these new additions may be. Snapchat has long been one of the more dangerous social media apps, so it’s worth keeping in mind that any new features may be sketchy, as well. 

How Bark Can Help

As many families know, Snapchat makes it extremely difficult to monitor its content on any platform. A subscription to Snapchat Plus does not change this fact. Currently, no monitoring services can scan Snapchat messages on iOS devices. On Androids, we can monitor messages with text only. 

Apart from monitoring, Bark's blocking and screen time tools allow parents to manage when — and even if — kids are allowed to use Snapchat. You’ll also receive an alert if your child creates a Snapchat account or downloads the app, so you can stay in the know about what’s going on in their digital world. For more information, like understanding the inner workings of Snapchat Premium, visit Bark for parental guides, internet safety tips, and more!

Test Your Snapchat Knowledge

If your kid uses Snapchat, take our quiz to see if you know what parental controls they offer — as well as what they're lacking.

If your family has struggled with supporting a child experiencing suicidal ideation, you’re probably familiar with just how devastating can be. It can be scary, anxiety-producing, and incredibly isolating. But it’s important to know that you are not alone. Many, many families have dealt with this issue, so much so that suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for young people aged 10 to 14.

Here at Bark, we’ve witnessed that 43.09% of tweens and 74.61% of teens were involved in a self-harm/suicidal situation in 2021 — a sobering and heartbreaking statistic. We send alerts to parents and guardians notifying them of this concerning issue, but it can be hard for parents to know what to do next. 

That’s why we’re proud to announce that we’re partnering with Project Anchor in a groundbreaking new study meant to provide more resources and information to parents supporting a child struggling with suicidal ideation or self-harm. Read on to learn how you can volunteer for this important study.

What is Project Anchor?

In collaboration with Bark, Dr. Kathryn Fox (University of Denver), Dr. Taylor Burke (Harvard Medical School), and Dr. Alex Bettis (Vanderbilt University Medical Center) were recently awarded a research grant from the Mental Research Institute to develop evidence-based guidance for parents about what to do in the hours, days, and months after they receive a suicide/self-harm alert. 

This research funding will support the launch of Project Anchor, the first step in Bark’s collaboration with this team. Despite alarmingly high rates of suicide and self-harm in teens, there are few evidence-based resources designed to help parents and guardians navigate what to do when they learn that their child might be at risk. 

Project Anchor is an anonymous, paid research study recruiting guardians who use Bark. Through Project Anchor, we hope to learn more about guardians’ experiences after receiving a Bark suicide/self-harm alert. 

Based on what is learned from Project Anchor, the researchers will design an evidence-based digital tool to help parents know what to do after they receive a suicide/self-harm alert, and to help keep their children safe.

Why Volunteers Are Needed

Talking about suicide is hard, and it can be even harder when it comes to how children experience it. By sharing your family’s experience with Bark alerts regarding suicidal ideation and self-harm, you can provide invaluable information that can benefit countless other families. Because of how Bark works within the framework of a child’s use of social media, texting, and other forms of online communication, Bark families are uniquely positioned to help researchers learn the hows, whens, and whys of suicidal ideation and self-harm.

Project Anchor’s research aims to understand how and when teens disclose suicidal thoughts and self-harm, how families talk about these thoughts and behaviors, and to develop tools to support families when a child is at risk for suicide and/or self-harm. 

What to Expect

You’ll complete two separate surveys online over the course of a week. The study will take less than an hour total. After you finish the first survey, you will receive a $5 electronic Amazon gift card. After you finish the second survey, you’ll receive a $10 electronic Amazon gift card. 

Starting July 16, 2022, people in distress — including those who are suicidal or experiencing a mental health or substance-use crisis — can call, text, or chat 988 to reach support. This new easy-to-remember number may be new, but its lifesaving concept isn’t — dialing 988 will route callers to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The current Lifeline phone number (1-800-273-8255) will still be active after 988 launches nationally.

Designating 988 as the new suicide hotline is so, so important for expanding mental health care in the U.S. First, it shows that mental health emergencies are just as important as public safety emergencies by assigning it a quickly reached, three-digit number like 911. Second, by making it easy to access and remember, the hotline makes it possible to get help to more people. Read on to find answers to frequently asked questions about 988.

FAQs About 988, the New Suicide Hotline Number

How can you access 988?

From a phone, you can call 988 to speak in-person with a trained counselor. If talking feels like too much, you can send a message to 988 and communicate via text. Finally, if you don’t have access to a phone or have spotty cell service, you can visit 988lifeline.org to text chat or even place a video call. The lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week — including holidays and weekends.

What should you expect when you call 988?

When you contact 988, you’ll be connected with a trained local counselor who will listen, provide support, and offer resources for further help, if needed. If you’re worried about an ambulance being automatically called, don’t be — fewer than 2% of hotline calls require connection to emergency services like 911. 

How is 988 different from 911?

988 aims to help provide more accessible mental health support given the rising rates of suicide in the U.S. Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 24. 911, on the other hand, is for public safety and medical emergencies like fires, accidents, and crimes. Calling 911 often results in the dispatch of EMTs, police, or firefighters. 

Can anyone call 988?

Yes. Anybody who needs suicide or mental health-related crisis support, or is close to someone in crisis, can contact the lifeline for help and assistance. Counselors can provide ways to help navigate a situation if you’re a loved one looking to help. The lifeline is absolutely free.

Is 988 only for those with suicidal ideation?

988 provides support not just for suicide, but also mental health and substance-use crises. 

Does 988 work in every part of the U.S.?

Yes, the Lifeline itself covers all areas of the U.S., even if there’s no nearby local crisis center. 988’s goal is to get calls answered as locally as possible, so they are working on developing relationships in areas where there are no nearby crisis centers.

How Bark Can Help With Suicidal Ideation

As a suicide hotline, 988 can provide help in moments of crisis. But what about before a situation gets to that point of crisis? Bark’s award-winning service helps families by monitoring children’s online activities for potential signs of depression, suicidal ideation, self-harm and more. When you connect their device and accounts, Bark will scan for potential issues and send you an alert if something concerning is found. This way, you can check in and make sure everything is okay in your child’s world.

If you’ve wondered why reruns of The Office have disappeared off of Netflix, it’s because they’ve headed to Peacock — the streaming service for new and classic NBC content and popular movies. Peacock joins the ranks of other platforms like Hulu, HBOMax, Disney+, Paramount+, and countless other streaming choices. But is it safe for children?

In this post, we’ll walk you through how to set up Peacock parental controls so you can help keep your kids safe as they watch their favorite shows and movies. Unlike a lot of other platforms, Peacock offers a free plan, though you have to upgrade to a premium package to access all content. 

How to Set Up Peacock Parental Controls

To get started, we recommend signing into your account on a web browser to make things easier. All changes will apply across every device you’re signed in on. 

How to decide what kind of profile to create for you child

You have two options for what type of profile you want to make for your child. You can create a kid’s profile, which allows kids to access a curated selection of child-friendly, youth-rated movies and TV shows. Think of this like the quick-start option. The only downside is that there’s no customization, it simply loads up TV-PG-rated content and below. 

Or, you can create a regular account and then require a PIN code for programming that’s over a certain rating. Kids will only be able to watch these shows and movies if they know the passcode you set. One downside of this is that this requirement will apply universally. This means you’ll have to enter your passcode every time you (any anyone else on your account) want to watch a movie with this rating and above. 

How to create a kid’s profile

1. Log in to your account from peacock.com.
2. From the top right corner, click your profile icon.
3. On the next screen, under the existing Kid’s icon, click the pencil icon to personalize the account.
4. Choose which avatar you’d like your kid to have.
5. Next, type in their name.
6. Click Done.
7. You’re all set! When they log in to their profile, they’ll only be able to watch PG-rated content and below. If this rating is a little too high for your kid, you can create a more locked-down account using the next set of instructions. 

How to create a kid’s profile with custom restricted access

Use these instructions for creating a profile for a child that’s ready for more than just basic PG-rated content or is young enough to need the most restrictive content. 

1. Log in to your account from peacock.com.
2. From the top right corner, click your profile icon.
3. On the next screen, click the + to add a new profile. 
4. Choose their avatar and then click “No” when they ask if it’s a kid’s profile. Note: This can be a little counterintuitive, because you’re still making a kid’s profile, you’re just not making the PG-rated and below default one. For example, you may be making a profile for your teen and want to allow PG-13 content.
5. Enter in your child’s name. 
6. Click Done.
7. You’ll be back at the selection screen. Now it’s time to set a passcode. Click Account in the top right corner.
8. Choose Settings from the top menu. 
9. Scroll down and toggle on Parental Controls.
10. Then, enter in your desired PIN code and click Save Parental PIN.
11. Underneath that section, click Change TV Rating.
12. Here, you can choose from TV-Y all the way to NC-17. No matter which you choose, content with that rating and above will always require your PIN code — even if it’s you watching it on your profile. 
13. Enter in your PIN again and click Save Parental Rating. 
14. You’re all set!

Manage Screen Time with Bark

Now that you’ve learned how to set up Peacock parental controls, you can help protect your kids from inappropriate TV shows and movies. But what about managing the overall time they spend watching Peacock? Bark lets you manage your child’s screen time with custom schedules. This can look like “No Peacock on phones or tablets after bedtime.” Or, you can block it altogether, if needed. With Bark Home, you can even manage when your kid can access it on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and more.

**Please note: This post was updated on May 23, 2023.**

For every new social media platform popular with young folks, there exists a glorious moment when it’s free from adults, family members, and advertisers. Facebook had it in 2005. Instagram had it in 2012. Snapchat had it in 2015. And for BeReal, its glory days started in 2022 when active users grew by 315% at the start of that year. So what is it about BeReal that caught everyone's attention? Two words: authenticity and spontaneity. Confused? No worries, we’ve got everything you need to know about this hot new social media platform. 

What is BeReal and How Does It Work?

Here’s how it works: Once a day, users get a time-sensitive notification. You then have exactly two minutes to snap a photo — it then will automatically create a collage of an image taken from both your front and back camera. The time you get this alert changes every day, so it’s always random when you’ll need to be photo-ready. Once the time’s up, you’ll be able to see what all of your friends are currently doing and react with emojis and comments. If you don’t post your photo of the day, you can’t see others’ until you do. 

It used to be you could only post once per day in this tiny, 2-minute window. But since the last update, you can now post multiple BeReals — as long your first one makes the 2-minute deadline! If you miss it, you only get one for the day. This update also added music to the mix. If you happen to be listening to music at the time of taking your BeReal, a little square pops up that displays the song you're listening to. Users have the option to make this public or private, so your friends don't have to see what you're listening to if you don't want.

Why Kids Are Drawn to BeReal

So why did BeReal take off when so many other photo-sharing apps exist? The short answer is: It’s complicated! But when you break it down, it all starts to make sense. Here are some of the selling points that help explain its rapid growth and popularity among young people. 

It can be more authentic

You can’t choose when you’re going to get the notification that it’s time to post. This can be a little nerve-wracking, because what if you’re just on the couch? What if you’re at Target? It doesn’t matter. The whole point of BeReal is to share what you’re actually doing — not a painstakingly curated photo of tacos or a group photo of friends smiling but who are actually all mad at each other.

The upside of this is that you only see real, everyday activity, and it can truly be a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes activities of your loved ones. The downside? It can be kind of boring sometimes. Blurry photos of cereal. Out-of-focus selfies in a dark room. A zoomed-in picture of a bug on the floor. When you only have two minutes, it’s not always a masterpiece of photography that’s created — and that’s the whole point. Think of BeReal as a complete reaction to — and rejection of  — more stylized social media platforms.

It’s not overrun with ads

A quick scroll through anyone’s Instagram account will reveal just how monetized the app has become. Peppered in between your friend’s stories are targeted ads selling clothes, medicine, perfume, sporting equipment, and nearly anything else you can think of (or buy). When you check out the feed, you get served “suggested” posts from people you don’t even know. BeReal has none of that — just the random daily snapshots from the lives of people you choose to follow. This isn’t to say that ads won’t happen eventually, but for now, it’s glaringly free of advertising. For kids, it feels less like an established product and marketing tool and more like pure social media. 

It hasn't been infiltrated by older family members yet

Let’s face it — when we were young, we wanted cool places that weren’t infiltrated by parents and aunts and uncles. Back then, these spaces were real, like friends’ houses, parks, or even just on bikes cruising aimlessly around the neighborhood. Today, kids crave cool digital spaces, too. After all, even Facebook started out only for college students. Instagram was edgy for years before it, in turn, overtook Facebook as the go-to social media platform for the masses. BeReal is the latest social media phenomenon that gives teens and young adults a more private experience. That is — for now.

Dangers of BeReal

Like most social apps, BeReal isn’t immune from its share of dangers. Here’s what parents and families need to know. 

Inappropriate content

Whenever you give people access to a camera and the ability to publish photos, the chances of inappropriate content appearing are near inevitable. The app states that it’s for ages 13 and above, but many adults use the platform, which means that photos could include sexual content, drugs/alcohol, violence, and more. Another feature to note is that users can only delete one of their old photos per day. This means that potentially problematic photos that were posted in a moment of poor judgment could be up for longer than is prudent. 

Connections with strangers

Users can access a public feed composed of users from all around the world, and it’s just a quick button tap to add them as a friend. Once the invite is accepted, users can then leave comments, which could quickly lead to a jump to a different platform where chatting is easier. There’s no direct messaging feature on BeReal, currently. 

Privacy concerns

When you go to post your daily photo, it automatically defaults to geotagging your location. This means that other users could see potentially identifying clues to where you’re currently at. Coupled with a public feed, this could spell trouble. Fortunately, this feature can be turned off so that location doesn't appear next to posts. 

Distraction

It’s completely random when users get the time-sensitive notification that it’s photo-sharing time. For some kids, this could result in dropping everything to search for something cool to post. It’s only two minutes, but this may interfere with school work, walking safely across the street, or even just paying attention to a conversation. 

How Bark Can Help

While we don’t monitor BeReal yet, Bark’s blocking and screen time tools allow parents to manage when — and even if — kids are allowed to use the BeReal app. You’ll also receive an alert if your child creates a BeReal account or downloads the app, so you can stay in the know when it comes to what’s going on in their digital world.

**This blog post was updated on March 29, 2024.**

Remember when Netflix was just a couple of DVDs that came in the mail? It can almost seem like an urban legend to young people these days. That’s because today’s kids have never known life without advanced technology. They can listen to their favorite songs whenever they want or choose from nearly any movie to watch. They’re accustomed to getting the entertainment they want on-demand, around the clock.  It may be hard to believe, but not everything they want to watch may be available on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for kids to turn to illegal streaming sites and download movies, music, and other content with phones, tablets, and computers. However, when they use illegal streaming sites, they’re putting their security at risk and breaking the law.

In this blog post, we’ll explain some of the dangers of illegal movie websites. Awareness is critical because many kids don’t understand what can happen when they use any of the top illegal streaming sites.

What are Illegal Streaming Sites?

Illegal streaming sites allow users to download movies, music, and other entertainment files without paying for them. These sites offer pirated content that is distributed without the knowledge and permission of those holding rights to the content. The files are often different from the ones you would download from a paid streaming service legally, so they can contain malware and viruses.

Remember spending all day downloading a song on Napster or Limewire back in the day? Today’s illegal streaming sites aren’t much different — they just allow access to a wider variety of entertainment, including full movies, entire seasons of TV shows, and even ebooks. 

The Dangers of Illegal Movie Websites

There are a few dangers when children — and  even adults — use illegal movie websites:

• It’s breaking the law. You’re responsible for anything downloaded through your home Wi-Fi network or on your child’s phone. Cease and desist letters from studios, networks, and other copyright holders may be sent to your house. You can expect new laws and technology to crack down on pirated content in the future.
• It’s easy to download viruses, malware, and spyware. Many illegal downloads contain malware and trojans that can give criminals access to your network. This means they could obtain your banking information, monitor your online activity, or even take control of your child’s TV, phone, or computer.
• It disrespects creative artists. The work that goes into creating popular movies and music is often forgotten when that content is downloaded illegally. Many adults use illegal downloads because they don’t want to pay for them, but that also means that the people creating the products aren’t receiving the payment that they have earned. It’s important to teach children of all ages to respect the musicians, actors, directors, and other creatives they admire.

Top Illegal Streaming Sites to Watch Out For

If you decide that you want to prevent your children from using illegal movie websites, start by discussing the issue with them openly. Make sure they’re aware of the security risks and understand that you don’t want them to use any illegal programs to access movies, books, or music.

You can also help them find legal streaming services that offer free content. There are tons of options, including Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and countless others. 

The next step is to watch out for some of the top illegal movie websites. This short list covers some of the most popular today:

• The Pirate Bay
• uTorrent
• MediaBox HD
• Roja Directa
• 123Movies
• Simple IPTV Services
• Vumoo
• Chitram TV

If you see any of these programs on your child’s device, you should remove them immediately. Keep in mind, though, that these types of websites and apps are constantly changing as they get shut down and others pop up in their place. 

How to Talk To Your Kid About Illegal Streaming Sites

The best thing you can do is start asking questions. If you notice your child using a streaming service you don’t recognize, look it up online and ask what it is. When you see your child watching a movie or listening to music, ask what streaming service they’re using. Open lines of communication are essential for modern parenting.

If you want to learn more about monitoring your child’s online activity, learn more about Bark today.

Bark is thrilled to announce the launch of the Bark phone. This groundbreaking phone will combine Bark’s award-winning technology with an easy-to-use, secure Android device perfect for kids of all ages. Coming in late 2022, the Bark phone will give families the ability to completely customize their child’s online experience, helping to keep them safe online and in real life. 

What Sets the Bark Phone Apart

Existing phones designed especially for kids don’t give parents enough oversight and hand-me-down models can present many dangers for young people. Here at Bark, we know firsthand that parents want something that works. The Bark phone provides a better alternative for families looking for Bark’s award-winning content monitoring, screen time schedules, and more combined with an Android’s everyday functionality. 

Giving your child their first phone is a personal decision. No matter when you decide the time is right, the Bark phone stands out from the competition with its built-in safety controls and state-of-the-art features. 

What to Look Forward to

• Adaptable settings and access make it perfect for all parenting styles
• Perfect for all ages and stages of a child’s development: caregivers can allow what they want, when they want, and adapt access as children grow into young adults
• Out of the box protection: Bark comes pre-installed on the device, giving parents peace of mind
• Sleek modern design that kids will love – no clunky childlike branding or structure
• Dynamic parental controls will enable parents to:
  • Limit text and calls by phone number 
  • Set granular screen time limits 
  • Remotely lock the phone 
  • Approve app downloads 
  • Monitor texts, emails, and 30+ social media platforms and apps
  • Get alerts for issues like bullying, online predators, suicidal ideation, and more
  • Block apps and websites
  • Receive location alerts when kids are on the go

How to Reserve Your Spot

Bark Phone pre-orders are now live! $49 reserves your spot in your line so you can be one of the first to own a Bark Phone. Shipments are expected to start rolling out in November.

Is Your Child Ready For A Phone?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get here at Bark is, “How do I know my child is ready for a phone?” So we made a quick and handy quiz to help you find out where your family stands!

**This blog post was updated on August 21, 2023.**

Much like rewinding video tapes and pressing *69, gone are the days of piggy banks and cash allowances. For modern families, many kids receive their hard-earned allowances digitally. But there are a ton of different payment apps out there, so figuring out the best, safest, and least stressful way for your family to do it can be a challenge. To help you out, we researched the top options of cash apps for kids and polled the parents on our team to find out what actually works. Let’s get into it!

What Are Payment Apps?

You’re probably familiar with the O.G. payment app — PayPal. Starting in the late ‘90s, PayPal was the first consumer technology that enabled users to send electronic payments quickly and easily. Since then, as our society has grown more digital, cash has become less common and debit/credit cards the norm. Because of this, tons of payment apps have popped up, from Venmo and Zelle to Cash App and Remitly. Despite being the original, PayPal is not the best cash app for kids.

Many of these apps don’t allow minor users, however, which means that a niche industry of family-focused platforms have popped up in the past few years. These apps allow parents and kids to work together to share financial resources. They often come with debit cards, and many of the popular features include:

• Quick money transfers
• The ability to purchase in-store and online
• Spending limits
• Rewards tied to chore completion
• Locking and unlocking of debit cards
• Financial education resources

Top Options for Families

Apple Cash Family

Age: 13+

Cost: Free

For Apple families, this is probably the most seamless way to send and receive money. Apple Cash Family lets you add children and teens from your Family Sharing group so they can make purchases and send and receive money in Messages or Wallet. Parents can even limit who their children can send money to, get alerts when they make transactions, and lock their accounts. This cash app for kids is a great option for a family of Apple product users.

Google Pay

Age: 16+

Price: Free

Google Pay — available for both Android and iOS users — lets you send and request money, check out swiftly in stores and online, set weekly spend limits, and more. Google Pay also keeps your money and private information safe with built-in authentication, transaction encryption, and fraud protection. Because it’s only for ages 16+ , it’s not extremely useful for families with younger kids just starting out with payment apps. 

Greenlight

Age: 8+

Price: Starts at $4.99/month

More than 5 million parents and kids use Greenlight, a debit card and banking app that comes with a ton of features. Young people and parents have two different experiences on the app — parents set flexible controls and receive real-time alerts while kids monitor their balances, set their own goals and learn how to manage their money. Greenlight also has two additional plans that include investing options and protection plans.

GoHenry

Age: 6+

Price: $3.99/month

If you’re looking for a debit card/payment app that’s big on teaching lessons about money management, GoHenry is a great option. In addition to standard features like spending alerts and controls, kids learn skills through videos, quizzes and more in the app. Plus, your kiddo can even personalize their card by choosing from 45+ bright and colorful designs. 

Venmo Teen

Age: 13–17

Price: Free

Venmo has long been a popular money sending app for adults, but it was always officially off-limits for kids — though many still used it. Now, there's a new way for teens to use it with parental approval: Venmo Teen.

Parents can apply for the Venmo Teen Debit Card on behalf of their teen, and can directly add money to the Venmo Teen Account once it's open. Kids will like it because it's not just a debit card, it's also the app, too. This means they can send money to friends if they want to split lunch or repay movie tickets, just like adults do. Like with regular Venmo, remind your child to set their transactions to private.

Traditional banks

If you want to stick to a more traditional approach for your child’s first experience with spending and saving money, many traditional banks offer checking accounts and debit cards for kids, along with companion apps for parents. 

Chase First

Age: 6+

Cost: Only fees associated with having a checking account

With a Chase First account, your child can withdraw money cost-free at more than 16,000 ATMs across the country. Like the payment apps we mentioned above, you can set spending limits, monitor activity, transfer funds, and more. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to have a qualifying Chase checking account before you can add a Chase First Banking account.

Capital One MONEY

Age: 8+

Price: Free

You don’t have to be a Capital One customer to open up a Capital One MONEY account — you can link any external bank account! There are no monthly service fees or balance requirements. The app makes it easy to auto pay allowance, track account activities, and lock your kid’s debit card if you need to.

Payment Apps that Are Surprisingly Off Limits to Kids 

Many payment apps are strictly off-limits to minors. However, some parents may log in with their own credentials on their children’s device, or kids may enter in different birthdays when prompted. Here are some of the payment apps that may surprise you by being for adults only.

Paypal

Paypal may be one of the oldest payment apps, but it’s not for minors. 

Zelle

Zelle is a payment app that’s attached to many popular banking institutions. Like Venmo and Paypal, it’s also not for kids. 

Safety Tips for Your Family’s Payment App 

Whether you’re deciding on your child’s very first payment app or they’re a seasoned pro with Apple Cash Family or Greenlight, it’s important to reinforce good digital privacy habits.

Make sure their passwords are strong for whatever app you’ve chosen. For an extra layer of security, have them set up a passcode for their phone, to

Teach your child about phishing scams. If something is too good to be true, it probably is. Stress the importance of recognizing sketchy or illegal activity in emails, texts, and more.

Talk to them about sextortion. It may seem like a scary thing that will never happen, but there have been many recent cases of kids downloading payment apps to send money to strangers who are threatening to send family and friends nude pictures. Bark can help with this concern as it alerts you to any new apps your child downloads — keeping you in the know when it comes to what’s going on in their world. 

Protect their debit card. If your family’s payment app comes with a real-life debit card (a super exciting rite of passage for kids today!), make sure they keep it in a safe place and know not to let anybody else use it. 

Keep the lines of communication open. Talk openly and frequently about money and spending habits. Help them understand that they can always come to you if something seems weird or sketchy. Mistakes are bound to happen, but be there for them if they make a misstep.

For more answers to questions like “what are payment apps?” — Bark is here to help! We're a parental controls company dedicated to helping parents navigate the ever-changing world of children and technology. We have an app and a phone designed especially for kids that helps protect families from online dangers. Sign up for a free, one-week trial today!

In an effort to help keep young people safer on the platform, Instagram has launched a new feature called supervision. It’s similar to TikTok’s family pairing features, in that it allows parents to link their Instagram accounts to their children’s to provide a little oversight. To use Instagram supervision, parents must be 18 or older, and the child must be between the ages of 13 – 17 and agree to the supervision. 

The Problems with the Instagram Supervision Update

Supervised accounts are not a perfect system, mainly because supervision has to be approved by the child, and once in place, can be removed unilaterally at any time. This means your child has to be 100% okay with being supervised — and stay being okay with it.

Also, setting up supervised accounts can be kind of difficult if your child created an account a while ago using a fake birthday. Supervised accounts are only for kids 13 to 17, and changing a birthday requires you to contact Instagram, which can be a frustrating and lengthy process. 

Lastly, this feature only works on Instagram accounts your child tells you about. They’re still able to log in to other accounts they have that aren’t supervised. 

What Parents Can Do

With this new feature, parents are able to:

• Set daily time limits for Instagram
• Schedule daily breaks where Instagram isn’t able to be accessed
• See how much time their child is spending on the app (total, average, and per day)
• See who their child is following and vice versa
• Get notifications when your child gets new followers. 
• See when your child reports a post/account, including who/what was reported and the type of report

Note: You don’t need to be following or followed by your teen’s account to supervise your teen.

What Kids Can Do

The hardest part for Instagram supervision is the fact that kids have to agree to it. This can be a tall order, especially for older kids who have had accounts without supervision for several years. 

In addition to this, kids can:

• Get a preview of what their parent will see while supervising
• Notify a parent after reporting something on Instagram, and the parent will be able to see the report type selected and the name of the account reported.
• Turn off supervision at any time

How to Set Up a Supervised Account

Once you set up a supervised account, you’ll be able to view/edit activity from Family Center, which is accessed from Settings. 

1. First, make sure that your and your child’s Instagram accounts are recently updated.
2. From your account, tap your profile icon in the bottom right hand corner.
3. Tap the three lines in the top right corner. 
4. Tap Settings.
5. Tap Supervision.
6. Tap Create invite.
7. Text it to your child. They’ll have 48 hours to respond before the invite expires.
8. Once your child accepts, you’re now set up for Instagram supervision. Follow the on-screen instructions from your Family Center (accessible via Settings>Supervision) to view/make changes to your child’s Instagram settings.

**Note: This list was updated on April 1, 2024.**

If you suspect your child may be struggling with depression, you may feel a mix of emotions. From fear and concern to anxiety and powerlessness, it can be a stressful experience for your entire family. It can also be hard to spot — depression can look pretty different in young people than it does in adults. Teens and tweens even talk about it differently, in ways that older generations may not quite understand. 

This blog post contains depression phrases and slang that kids often use to communicate their feelings. Hopefully, this resource will help families notice symptoms earlier and get kids help when and if it’s needed. 

What Is Depression?

Depression is more than just “the blues” or a sad period following a life event like a death in the family. It’s a serious illness that can affect the way you think, feel, and behave. Kids and adults alike can experience depression, but it can present a little differently in younger people. Here are some of the more common symptoms of depression in kids:

• Changes in social behavior
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Academic struggles
• Lack of self-care or personal hygiene
• Loss of interest in activities
• Talking about suicide

Commonly Used Depression Phrases

“Nothing matters”

One of the hallmarks of depression is a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities. For kids, this can look like no longer playing video games, quitting after-school sports, or even stopping hanging out with friends and family. 

“Everything is so hard”

Feeling overwhelmed can be a scary experience for anyone, but for kids, it can be even more so. Depression can make the daily tasks of life — like brushing teeth or doing homework — seem nearly impossible. Complicating this struggle, a sense of shame often follows when these tasks are left undone, making the depression even more all-consuming. 

“I’m just so tired”

Sleeping more (or less, in some cases) can be one of the symptoms of depression. It can be hard to tell the cause, though. Poor sleep habits can cause and contribute to depression. At the same time, depression may contribute to disruptions in sleep. Regardless of the cause, however, people with depression aren’t just “sleepy.” Their bodies are tired in ways that others aren’t. 

“You wouldn’t understand”

It can be easy for people struggling with depression to feel like no one else has ever gone through what they’re experiencing. In this way, depression is a bit of like wearing blinders, enabling a false — but seemingly very real —  sense of isolation and alienation. In many cases, the opposite is true — other people in their life can definitely relate to what they’re going through and often want to help in any way they can.

“My stomach hurts”

A child’s body may react differently to depression, and they often don’t have the words to describe these feelings. Stomachaches and headaches are often reported as symptoms in kids struggling with depression as they try to make sense of the scary emotions they’re dealing with.

Depression in Teen Slang

We’ve deciphered some prominent depression slang and depression phrases that kids use to get around the content moderation filters on apps like TikTok. 

Depressy — One of the more common phrases for depression, this is a shortened way of saying “depressed,” but is meant to be darkly humorous.

Grippy sock vacation — Refers to being in psychiatric care, where they give patients socks that have a rough texture on the bottom to prevent them from slipping.

Doom scrolling — The act of staying absorbed in one’s phone to the detriment of their well-being and mental health.

Sewerslide — Code word for “suicide” since it rhymes and can get past social media moderation.

Menty b —Short for mental breakdown. Often used as a tongue-in-cheek way of describing emotionally heavy times. Ex.: "I'm having a menty b over this homework right now."

Unalive — Code word for “die” or “kill.” Ex.: Joe tried to unalive himself last night.

I had pasta tonight — Code phrase for expressing that you have suicidal thoughts. 

I finished my shampoo and conditioner at the same time — Code phrase for expressing that you have suicidal thoughts. 

How Bark Can Help

Signs of depression occur in everyday activities and real-life interactions, but they can also occur in a child's digital activities. Kids may have text conversations using depression slang and phrases for depression, journal about their feelings in a Google Doc much like they would in a diary, or post memes about suicidal ideation on their private social media accounts. Parents don't always have access to these inner workings of a child’s world.  

This is where Bark can help families. By monitoring social media, texts, messaging apps, and email, we help identify and report on alarming digital behavior. Bark’s sentiment monitoring also uses the tone of messages to give parents insight into their child’s emotional state. Together, these insights can help a parent take action sooner so they can support their child when needed. 

**This blog post was updated on October 10, 2023.**

The world can be a scary and violent place, and it can be hard to make sense of the horrible things that happen in it. But perhaps even more difficult is trying to explain — or even comfort — kids during scary and uncertain times.

We reached out to Tessa Stuckey, licensed professional counselor, for ways to support children in the wake of senseless violence. School is an essential part of a child’s life, and whether or not a young person will ever experience a shooting first-hand doesn’t matter — these tragedies affect all kids on a very deep level. Coping skills for children is a necessary tool to develop in order for them to get through difficult times. It’s important for families to talk to, listen to, and make sure their kids are processing what’s going on in the world around them. 

To start, how should you frame these conversations?

First and foremost, every family has different needs or circumstances to take into consideration, as well as each individual child. Depending on your child’s age and situation, you're going to have a different discussion when talking about what happened. It’s important as well for parents to think of their goals for starting a conversation. Is it to provide comfort in anxious kiddos? Is it to make sure they understand what happened rather than hearing rumors? Is it to open up the opportunity for questions? There’s no one right answer, and all of these are great reasons to have this talk.

What are some ways to discuss the tragic events that happen in a way kids can understand?

Admit that you are upset by recent events yourself and that you don't always know how to talk about these tough topics. Stress that you always want your child to feel safe and comfortable to discuss these kinds of things. Start off by asking your child what they've heard already and let them help guide the conversation, letting yourself chime in to correct any misconceptions or rumors. Or, you can start off by describing an age-appropriate version of "Something really horrible happened this week. People died and many families will have to mourn forever. I don't want you to be scared or unsafe so I want you to ask me any question you might have about what happened." Focus on your goals for the discussion and make sure those are the focus points.

How can you comfort and support your child when they're scared of being hurt at school?

Coping skills for children are very important, as they will help them to deal with stress and pressure. You want to always reassure that your child is safe at home as well as at the school that they go to. Their school takes safety measures seriously and are doing everything they can to prevent something so tragic. Find some proof on the school’s website or handbook and share that with your child. For example, you could say, "Do you know those doors that are locked whenever I come to pick you up and I have to be buzzed in? That's there to prevent this from happening at your school." Talk about the caring hearts of the teachers, principals, counselors, and other staff. Because of this tragedy, schools across the nation are undoubtedly going to increase their security and safety. Maybe they'll even spend extra time this summer getting ready for a super-safe school year in the fall.

How can you build resiliency with your family in these stressful and scary times?

Just like we remember 9/11, the shooting at Columbine High, or even the death of Princess Diana, horrible things occur and they become part of our children's story. But we just want to be sure we are experiencing them secondarily rather than directly, if we’re not closely connected to the events. 

Keeping an open dialogue and availability for questions is also important. Helping your kids find strength when they’re feeling anxious (learning how to cope properly by using thought redirection or relaxing actions, for example) will help them process what has happened as well as build emotional strength to get through tough times ahead. If they don't take the time — even the short amount kids typically need — to process correctly, they will not build the resilience needed for stressful times.

Try to avoid video games, YouTube, or social media as those create distractions and don’t facilitate true processing. (We know, that’s easier said than done).  Another reason to stay away from social media? Clips from the tragedy may be shared and go viral — think body cam footage and surveillance photos. This kind of online content could trigger kids and further traumatize them. It could also lead to desensitization of events like these.

Instead, try and spend some quality time as a family. Oftentimes, just spending time together with loved ones can bring comfort and healing in uncertainty.

And lastly, it's okay to turn off the news. Our generation didn’t grow up with a 24/7/365 news cycle, and your kids certainly don't need to hear the details about events like these all the time. This will help them accept what has happened, process it, and move forward with the right emotional strength their little minds and hearts can handle.

Is your kid just a casual Call of Duty player? Or do they dream of becoming the next famous Twitch streamer? No matter where they fall on the video game playing spectrum, Xbox screen time limits are important. In this blog post, we’ve researched some of the current best practices when it comes to Xbox screen limits. We’ve also got the quickest way to set them using a free Microsoft family account. Let’s dive in!

What Are Age-Appropropriate Xbox Time Limits?

It’s no surprise that younger kids definitely should spend less time playing Xbox than teengers. But just how much is the right amount? The American Academy of Pediatrics gives very general guidelines, but every family — and child — is different. Here are some things to take into consideration when deciding Xbox screen time limits for your kid. 

6 through 12

Families should aim to limit screen time to no more than 2 hours a day, and preferably less. For younger kids, the goal should be to try and encourage screen time that makes them think and not just mindlessly click buttons. Parents should also preview content and games to make sure they’re age appropriate. 

13 to 17

For older kids, time limits can be a little more flexible but should follow family-based schedules. Create defined, no-gaming times during the week, like during meal times or on one specific evening. Try and keep gaming out of a child’s room to help encourage better sleep hygiene. Older kids may try and push back against screen time limits because of the social aspect of some multiplayer games, but hold fast. Encourage real-life interactions, as well.  

How to Set Xbox Screen Time Limits

You can control how long your kids spend on their Xbox by setting screen time limits on their Xbox console. To do this, you manage things from your Microsoft family account (Microsoft owns Xbox). Don’t have a Microsoft family account? It’s free and you can create one here.

1. Log in to your Microsoft family account
2. From your family group page, select Screen time for the child you’d like to set limits for.
3. Toggle Use the same schedule for all devices to On.
4. Next, you’ll see the days of the week listed. You can either: 
   1. Choose how much time your child can spend on their devices each day, and when they can use them.
   2. Give a set amount of time by selecting Max scheduled. (For instance, if you’ve allowed screen time from noon to midnight, they can use their devices that entire time.)
5. You’re all set! 

Note: Once screen time limits are in place, the time counts down whenever a child account is signed in. If they’re not actively playing, have them sign out so they don’t get less time than actually alloted.

How to Set Specific Game Time Limits on Xbox

If your child is spending too much time on certain games, you can set precise limits to help them achieve a healthy balance. App and game limits are available on Windows 10 and Xbox One devices, along with Android devices with Microsoft Launcher installed. Once you set a limit, that limit will work across all of their devices. (For example, if you give them three hours on YouTube, they can spend a total of three hours on Windows 10, Xbox One, and Android.)

1. To set app and game limits, go to family.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft account
2. Find your child’s name and select App and game limits. (App and game limits aren’t available on adult accounts at this time.
3. Select the app or game you want to set limits on. If you’ve never set limits, it’ll show how often they use the app or game on average.
4. Set how much time your child is allowed to spend on the app or game each day, and when they’re allowed to use it.

Why It’s Important to Monitor Screen Time on All Devices

While they can be hard to implement sometimes, routine and structure are critical to a child’s well-being. Digital limits — whether for phones, Xbox screen time, and more — are no different than other rules, like having a daily homework hour or feeding the dog. Consider sitting down and making a tech contract with your kid. By making the process collaborative, you can talk it out and give your child a say in some of the rules. 

Bark can also help you manage screen time easily and efficiently, helping you set different rules for different times of day. This can look like “no YouTube during the school” or “only Fortnite on the weekends.” Every family is different, but Bark can help you set healthy boundaries with all of the devices your child uses.

Back in the ‘90s, the closest we got to meditation apps was the commercial for the ethereal and panflute-heavy music of the Pure Moods CD. Today, an entire industry has been built up around helping kids, teens, and adults relax with easy-to-use smartphone mental health apps. There are a ton of options to choose from, though! That's why we’ve downloaded, meditated, and breathed in and out to find the best mental health apps for your family.

Why Encouraging Mindfulness and Breathing Is So Important 

Growing up has never been exactly easy, but it’s even more of a challenge in the digital age. The mounting pressures of social media, ever-changing technology, and even big world events on the news all add up to a lot for kids to handle. That’s why it’s important to check in with your family often about how they’re feeling. Younger children may not even have the words to describe emotions like being anxious, overwhelmed, or stressed out. Mindfulness and breathing activities can help ground your child in the moment so they don’t get carried away by negative feelings. Continue reading and check out the list of mental health apps we’ve compiled!

The Top Mental Health Apps for Kids

Calm

iOS

Android

You’ve probably heard of Calm, and with good reason. It’s one of the most popular meditation apps out there, and recently hit the 100-million download mark back in the fall of 2021. There’s tons of relaxing content available, from calming sleep stories for kids to body scan meditations perfect for stressed-out teens. There’s also relaxing music, stretches, and more. Free options are limited with the app, but Calm premium is around $40 for an entire year. 

Headspace

iOS

Android

Headspace is known for its colorful graphics and eye-catching illustrations in its videos and throughout the app. This mental health app helps users to visualize more clearly during breathing exercises and mindfulness meditations. Sessions range from just one single minute of deep breathing all the way to hour-long rain baths that help you drift off in the evenings. Headspace is $69.99 annually or $12.99 monthly, and includes a free 7-day trial. 

Breathe, Think, Do With Sesame

iOS

Android

Perfect for younger kids (4–8), Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame mental health app helps teach kids about uncomfortable feelings and ways to self-soothe. Presented in a game format, kids work to help calm down a frustrated Sesame Street monster. Slow taps on his belly encourage him to breathe deeply, while quick taps on thought bubbles help him to come up with a plan. Kids absorb these lessons about the importance of working thoughtfully and slowly through stressful situations. The best part? It’s absolutely free!

Chill Panda

Android

If your kid loves animals, they’ll enjoy learning about mindfulness from wise and chill panda bears in this relaxing game. This cozy gaming experience is full of nature sounds, gorgeous garden scenery, and a minimalist design that’s reminiscent of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing. There’s also a Quick Chill option where Chill Panda helps you practice simple box breathing in timed movements. Chill Panda is another option that’s available at no cost for families.

Better Sleep

iOS

Android

Better Sleep has meditation activities, sleep stories, and music options to choose from, but one of the coolest features is its composer tool. You can choose from tons of sounds, from ambient night music and rainfall to morning birdsong and the sound of a dishwasher running. You can even put them together to create the perfect background noise for falling asleep, doing homework, meditating, or going for a walk. There’s a free option with a fair amount of content, but the annual price for full use is $39.99/year after a one-week trial.

Go Noodle

iOS

Android

Sometimes, the best way for younger kids to feel a little better mentally is to get their bodies moving with physical activity. Go Noodle has tons of entertaining and energetic videos that will get kids dancing, jumping, and moving around the living room. Once they’ve boogied out some of that energy, they’ll have an easier time concentrating when they get to school, church, or even a long car ride. It’s 100% free, too!

How Bark Can Help Families Stay on Top of Mental Health

If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, Bark can help give you peace of mind. Our award-winning content monitoring service scans your kid’s online activities — texts, emails, chats, and social media posts — for anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and more. Even though mental health apps like Calm or Headspace are good for addressing the symptoms of anxiety, they don’t provide insight into your child’s world or mood. Bark sends you alerts so you can check in and make sure everything is okay with your kid and if needed, provide them with support from a mental health professional.

Want to help keep your child safe while they’re using their Android? Whether you’re worried about porn, gaming sites, or streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, keeping your kids away from inappropriate websites can be a challenge. In this blog post, we’ll teach you how to block websites on Android devices two different ways. First, we’ll explain how to do it with Google Family Link, a free app that has basic features. Then, we’ll show you how to block a website on Android devices with Bark, our comprehensive tool perfect for digital families.

How to Block Websites on Android Devices with Google Family Link

Android devices like Pixels, Galaxies, and Palms come with a free set of parental controls —it’s actually an app called Google Family Link. You can use Family Link on an iPhone or an Android, but your kid will need to have an Android device for the controls to work.

So you are wondering how to block a website on Android? To kick things off, download the free Family Link app onto your own device (Android or iPhone). If your child already has a Google account, Family Link will walk you through linking both of your accounts. If not, you’ll need to create a Google account for them.

Once you’re good to go with accounts, you can get started. 

1. Open the app on your phone. Tap your child’s name.
2. Tap Manage Settings.
3. Select Google Chrome. Here, you’ll see three options for how to block websites on Android devices.
   • First, you can approve all sites. This basically means no rules, so you may not want this option.
   • Second, you can select “Try to block explicit sites.” This means that Google will automatically try to filter out sexually explicit and violent sites. You can also customize this option by manually adding in sites that are approved as well as sites that are blocked. 
   • The last option is also the most locked down. Here, you’ll have to manually add every website you would like your child to have access to.  Everything else will be blocked! You’ll also be able to approve website requests from your kid.
4. Once you’re done with that, head back to the settings page and tap Google Search. Make sure SafeSearch is toggled on — this will hide explicit results in Google Searches. 

How to Block a Website on Android Devices with Bark

Bark is your best option if you’d like to be able to block websites on Android devices, along with tons of categories of content — like adult websites, gaming, social media, and much more. That means you don’t have to know all of the potentially worrisome sites by name! 

To get started, download the Bark parent app, and follow the on-screen instructions to connect your child’s device.

1. From your dashboard, tap Screen time.
2. Tap Rules, then Default rules.
3. On this page, you can choose from 19 different categories of content to block. 
4. Apply rules for any other rule sets you've got set up, like bedtime and school time.

You can even get granular — whatever works for your family!  For example, you can block social media as an entire category or just the ones that you’re most worried about. Be sure to also require safe search when your child is using Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo.This feature then blocks all other search engines that don't have a safe search feature so your kid can’t get around it. We hope that we were able to answer your question, “how to block a website on android?” But that is not all, read below for more Bark features!

Need More Help with Android Parental Controls?

Bark allows you to create custom screen time schedules, monitor app usage, and block websites on Android devices. Sometimes, you don’t want to block something outright, but just want to let your kid use it at certain times. This can look like “No Fortnite during the school day” and “Only meditation apps after bedtime.” Bark lets you create custom screen time schedules to help keep your kid on track during the day. 

We also help keep kids safe with our content monitoring tool. Our award-winning service monitors texts, emails, and social media platforms for signs of potential dangers like bullying, online predators, suicidal ideation, and more. If something concerning is found, you’ll get an alert so you can check in and make sure everything’s okay. Now that you’ve learned how to block a website on Android devices, the sky’s the limit for other parental controls!

**Note: This list was updated on April 1, 2024.**

We’ve talked about drug slang, gaming slang, slang in general — now it’s time to take a deep dive into sexual language and explore the sexual phrases and sexual slang kids are using to talk about sex. When it comes to sexting codes and meanings, the phrases and emojis kids use are constantly evolving. To help parents out, our team of experts has scoured TikTok, Instagram, and more to compile examples of how kids are actually talking about sex today. For all the families frantically googling “sexting text meaning” after seeing a random emoji on your child’s phone — this post is for you.

Sexual Slang Terms Parents Need to Know

• Smash — Means to have casual sex
• Thirsty — Desperate for sexual attention; horny
• Sneaky link — Term for someone you’re hooking up with on the sly
• Clapping cheeks — Having sex
• GYAT — A shortened term for "godd**n" used to express approval or excitement. Often it's used in response to seeing a girl that one finds attractive (particularly with a curvy body).
• 🍝 — Represents nudes, which are often called “noods”
• 👀 — Used when sending or receiving nudes
• 🥵 —  Means “hot” in a sexual sense; a teen might comment this on a crush’s TikTok, for example
• 🤤  — Desiring someone sexually (often used in response to nudes)
• 👉👈 — Shy, nervous (usually in the context of flirting)
• 😈 — Feeling naughty or frisky
• 🍑 — Butt
• 🍆 — Penis
• 🍌 — Penis
• 🌮 — Vagina
• 😼 —  Vagina
• 🚛 — “Dump truck,” which refers to a large and/or shapely bottom
• 💦 — To ejaculate
• 🥜 — To ejaculate
• 🧠 — Oral sex
• ⭕ 💢 — Oral sex

Sexting Codes and Meanings Used to Get Around Social Media Rules

Lately, sexual language and slang has been evolving extra quickly because of the different rules social media platforms have for certain words. For example, on TikTok, posts that feature the word “sex” may get taken down. To prevent this from happening, users may use an alternate spelling like “seggs” to get past it. Eventually, once you start seeing this term enough, it becomes interchangeable with “sex.” Sexting text meanings can vary, but here's a list of current popular ones.

• 🌽 — Means “porn” and is used because porn rhymes with corn. It may also be simply spelled out as “corn.” See also: corn star, corn industry. 
• ⬛️ 🟧 — Refers to Pornhub
• P ⭐️ — Represents “porn star”
• S 🥚 s — “Sex”
• Seggs — Alternate spelling of “sex”
• Leg booty — Refers to LGTBQ
• Nip nops — Nipples
• Spicy eggplant — Vibrator
• Accountant — Code word for being a sex worker or OnlyFans creator. Originates from the fact that people don’t ask follow-up questions when you say you have a steady, boring job like an accountant. 

How to Talk With Your Kid About Sexual Slang

Now that you have an understanding of the most common sexual phrases and  sexual slang terms that kids use today, you might want to have a conversation with your child about what they’re likely encountering online. It can feel pretty awkward to bring up, but letting your kid know you’re there to support them and answer any questions they may have can go a long way in strengthening your relationship.

Keep having age-appropriate conversations about sexual content as your child grows. This can include explaining what consent means, discussing how to spot online predators, and more. Above all, never shame your kid for asking questions — as their parent or guardian, you’re an invaluable resource for them as they grow and learn.

If you’d like some support navigating the sexual content your kid may experience online, Bark can block explicit websites and apps, help you manage your child’s screen time, and even send you an alert if they run into porn, predators, or sexual slang terms.

**Please note: This blog post was updated on April 4, 2024.**

No matter how tech-savvy you consider yourself to be, teens and tweens will probably always stay a few steps ahead. Fortunately, the team here at Bark is in your corner, and it’s our job to keep up with all of the new and different ways kids use technology. In this post, we’ve compiled a list of the top online things parents need to know that your kids probably already do. This includes everything from using hidden apps and secret browsers to blocking you from seeing Instagram stories. 

Things Parents Need to Learn That Kids Already Know

So many apps have hidden browsers

When it comes to checking your kid’s web browsing history, you probably go for the usual suspects like Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. But did you know that many apps open up websites in their own browsers? 

This means that your kid may be able to visit websites that wouldn’t leave a trail in their main browser. Apps like GroupMe, Kik, Telegram, and even Instagram all have these backdoors to the web. These browsers can be hard to manage and monitor, but it’s important to know that they exist.

There’s a Tinder for teens, and it’s called Hoop

Described as “Tinder meets Snapchat,” Hoop is a friendship and dating app for young people. The app allows kids as young as 12 to form connections with total strangers locally and all across the world. 

Here’s how it works: After you download the app, you link it to your Snapchat account. Then, you begin swiping on profiles (like you would on Tinder to find a date). You’re required to use in-app “diamonds” to request chats — and you’re only allowed to send 10 requests before needing to obtain more, which you have to pay for. 

Hiding apps is easier than you think

If you’re ever doing a spot check on your kid’s phone and don’t see any potentially suspicious apps, you may not be seeing the whole picture. It’s possible for apps to be downloaded and installed on your child’s phone but not be displayed on their home screen. This way, a quick scan wouldn’t reveal them. 

If you’re concerned your kid may have an app that’s not allowed in your family, check out their app library. You can also go to the App or Play Store and search for a specific app. You’ll be able to tell if an app has been downloaded before if you see the option to download it instead of purchasing it. Some kids delete apps while at home, and then redownload and use them while at school or at a friend’s house.

You might not be seeing all of your child’s Instagram stories

Even if you and your child follow each other on Instagram, and even if you’re Close Friends, you still may not be seeing the whole story of what’s going online (pun intended). No matter how closely connected, Instagram users can hide their stories from anyone as long as they like. A kid may choose to hide them for just a few hours while at a party or continue to block them indefinitely. 

Unfortunately, there’s no way to tell if your child blocked you from seeing stories short of looking at your child’s account. But if you don’t want to go that far, just keep an eye on their usual posting rhythm and notice if it changes throughout the week or during certain times or events. 

Calculator apps can be for more than just math homework

If your child has more than one calculator app, there’s a good chance it could be a vault app. These are apps that look harmless but actually serve as secret folders for pictures, files, and even other apps. 

Because hidden apps tend to be used to hide inappropriate content, it’s important to talk with your kid about them. Even if your child wants one just for security (like for a banking app or a journal), it still may not be a good idea.

Location sharing may be an option in your kid’s favorite apps

Snapchat has long been known as the app that made disappearing messages famous, but there’s also another popular feature parents may not know about — the Snap Map. Usually, kids just use their Snap Map to share their location with their friends. 

But you can also post it to a feature called “Our Story,” which enables users to contribute to a public feed that shows in near real-time events happening across the world. 

WhatsApp, the popular messaging app that’s similar to texting, lets users broadcast their location. When chatting with a contact, you can send your exact whereabouts. An in-app map opens up with your precise location accurate down to a few meters. With just a few taps of a button, the other person can even get instant directions to your location.

If there’s a way to chat on an app, kids will find it

You’re probably familiar with the direct message (DM) feature on apps like Snapchat and Instagram. And even popular games like Roblox and Clash of Clans have in-app chats for players to swap messages and insults. 

But even seemingly harmless platforms like Fitbit and religious apps may have message boards. Because of this, these are places where adults can target kids for grooming. This is why it’s important to evaluate the apps your child downloads, so you can know every potential danger. 

Need Help Finding Hidden Social Media Apps?

Now that you know some of the tricks that young people use while online and on social media, you probably want to know what you can do to help keep them safe. Bark is here to help with content monitoring, screen time management, app and website blocking, and location sharing tools. You can even get an automatic alert whenever your child downloads a new app! Say goodbye to being in the dark about hidden social media apps.