Before I became a parent, I expected there would be worry. I was prepared for many sleepless nights worrying about if my children were growing, if they were learning properly, and if they would be happy. What I was 100% wholly unprepared for was the Internet. I seriously did not even give a single second of thought to how much stress the Internet plus children would create.
My children are the technology generation—raised from birth with touch screens and wi-fi—the Internet touches almost every aspect of their life from education to socialization. Just like I monitor where they go outside of the house, I also police where they go on the Internet. I often compare letting them loose on the Internet without supervision to dropping them off downtown at 1am in the morning and telling them to make their own way home. Not only is it dangerous, it’s highly irresponsible.
So I worry. What apps are they downloading? Who are they talking to? What pictures are they sharing? What pieces of information are they sharing? And last—but certainly not least—what are they searching for? Sadly, I learned the hard way this past spring what happens when I neglected to monitor their search history.
And you know what? I’m tired. It’s exhausting being hyper-vigilant about every move your children make online. I’ve often wished there was someone to police the Internet for me and at long last I found out that there is.
Behold: the coolest one minute you’ll see on the Internet today:
Kidokey is one of those "I wish I had thought of it" inventions. It is seriously brilliant and I love that it empowers children to go find the very best there is online without me having to worry that one click will expose them to the very worst. Believe me, I know what a simple search like “boy kiss” can turn up on the internet. *shudders*
Here are some of the things I love about Kidokey:
The fact that real people screen these sites puts a very human side to this company and tells me they are genuinely concerned with the youngest internet explorers. They’ve already gone through hundreds of thousands of sites and are dedicated to updating their software regularly so parents can have peace of mind—on a continual basis.
Perhaps what I love the most is that it offers time management tools for my kids. I’ll be able to determine when they log in, ensuring that they are getting the right online to offline balance in their life without hearing me bark “GET OUTSIDE” everyday. I can ensure that when they’re on the web for homework, they’re really getting an education, and not an "education" if you know what I mean.
Have I mentioned how much I love this freakin’ thing? I’m chomping at the bit to get one and I’m not alone.
Kidokey was launched through a kickstarter campaign and it has taken off beyond expectation, showing there is a demand for this service. The campaign is still underway and for a $69 pledge, you will receive one Kidokey box with lifetime database updates—a special deal for early birds who support the campaign. I don’t believe I’ve said “SOLD” faster in my life.
All funds raised so far have been put towards production costs with a planned release date of March 2015.
I’m looking forward to March when I get my Kidokey and the weight of the world wide web will be lifted off my shoulders.
This is proudly sponsored by our friends at Kidokey.
www.kidokey.com
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