We believe in a new approach to parental controls.
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Parenting has changed. Parental controls haven’t.
In the more than 30 years they’ve been around, parental controls have been blocking kids from doing things in apps and on devices. But they’re not working anymore – for parents or kids. And that’s a problem.
That’s why we’re building Screenable.
“I’ve set up Screen Time, but it’s a pain to manage. And I don’t think my kids’ habits are getting any better.”
— The most common sentiment we hear from parents
What do parents really want?
We parents will sometimes say we want to “block all the bad stuff” from our kids. But is that the right idea? At a deeper level, what we truly want is to trust our kids on their devices. We want to know they’ll exercise self-control in device usage. That they’ll make good decisions when something’s questionable. That they’ll ask us for help when they need it. That they’ll grow into healthy users of technology.
Can technology fix it?
Nope. There is no “set it and forget it” way to raise kids with a healthy relationship to technology. Technology cannot solve the problem, partially because it created the problem. But technology can help. What it can provide are opportunities for kids to practice self-regulation and good decision-making, while giving parents what they need to support their kids and encourage their growth.
Here’s what we believe
➜ We’re in challenging, confusing times
Smartphones and other devices are impacting us and our kids in ways we don’t yet fully understand. Our kids are struggling with their devices and online worlds, and we parents are struggling with knowing how best to help them.
➜ Parent-kid relationships are key
We do know one thing: trusting relationships between parents and kids are key to raising resilient, tech-healthy kids. It’s a consistent throughline of all the latest research. Outcomes are simply better within strong family units. Read the research ➜
➜ Parental controls are eroding trust, especially for teens
Intuitively, any type of controlling or monitoring within a relationship comes from – and then causes more of – low trust. It’s a vicious cycle that can only end when trust is carefully and intentionally developed. Read the research ➜
➜ And parental controls don’t help kids develop critical skills
We’re not preparing our kids for the inevitable day they’re making their own choices. With parental controls, since kids aren’t practicing building their own good habits, they’re left to their own devices when they fly the nest. Read the research ➜
➜ Parents need help
Parental controls are just darn frustrating. They’re confusing, tough to manage, and likely to create conflict between us and our kids. Busy and stressed parents don’t have the time or energy required. It’s time for a change.