In today’s fast-paced digital world, keeping kids safe with digital devices is a top priority for parents. Technology can be a powerful tool if used properly, but it's really important that kids are introduced to it in a manner that has some safeguards. That's where a kids smart watch can be a valuable resource. For our youngest son, we chose to work with Bark to give their Bark Watch a try!
What Makes this Kids Smart Watch Different?
The Bark Watch is a kids smart watch from Bark Technologies, a company known for its parental control and monitoring solutions. We actually use their Bark app to monitor phone use for our older kids, with safety alerts and tracking. The Bark Watch offers the same peace of mind in a handy watch format for kids age 7-11. It keeps parents informed about potential concerns in their child’s digital world, including inappropriate content, concerning conversations, or potential risks.
The service provides real-time alerts when it detects signs of bullying, online predators, self-harm, or other issues – all free from distractions like games or browsers.
How Does the Bark Watch Work?
The Bark Watch uses algorithms to monitor texts and photos, alerting parents to inappropriate content including bullying or online predators. What I found really helpful is that these alerts came with recommendations to address the situation as a family, making it easier to have meaningful conversations.
Key Features of the Bark Watch:
- Bark Premium Monitoring: Keeping you aware of potential digital dangers.
- Parental Contact Management: Parents approve all contacts, so your child can only contact trusted individuals who you know.
- 24/7 Location Tracking: I found this to be extremely accurate, showing where my child is down to which end of the playground he's on.
- SOS Emergency Button: In an emergency, my son can reach me instantly. I thought this might result in a lot of errant calls, but it's strategically placed so it doesn't get bumped accidentally.
- No Distractions on this Kids Smart Watch: No games, apps, or web browsers.
- Video and Photo Recording: My son has captured a lot of cute little images of him and his friends hanging out.
- Water-Resistance: Perfect for my active son.
- Affordable: The watch is $169, with a $15/month wireless plan that doesn't lock you into a contract.
- Customizable Watch Face: My son put a cute little blue cat on his watch face that shows itself snoozing with little “Zzz”s at night, and happy and alert during the day.
Our Experience with the Bark Kids Smart Watch
I've tried getting my son to wear GPS monitor watches in the past, without a ton of success. The Bark Watch worked because it has interaction features that keep him interested. The ability to actually call family members makes him feel a sense of responsibility, which makes this a great way to introduce kids to phone technology. It'll be an easy transition to the Bark Phone and then the Bark App as he gets older.
Real-Life Monitoring
We live in an extremely walkable neighborhood. Coming from a place where everybody drove everywhere, it initially seemed strange to me that kids walk all over the place in this little town, from friends' homes, parks, school, the local ice cream shop and everywhere in between! While my 8-year-old doesn't have that kind of free reign yet, it's given me a lot of peace of mind (and given him a feeling of freedom) that I can monitor his location when he and his friends on our street wander between their houses. His best friend actually lives right next to the school and there was a day when he went there without permission, and I was able to go get him without all the usual stress that occurs when kids wander off like that.
Activity Alerts
My son thankfully hasn't had any issues with bullying or online predators, but I did receive an potential “Violence” alert when he recorded a video of himself while a show in the background talked about someone punching another person. If there had been an actual threat, I'd be able to show him the alert on my phone and prompt a discussion about safety. He also received a text from the local pharmacy (someone must have put their number in wrong) about their prescription being ready for pickup, and Bark immediately alerted me to “Drug/Alcohol Related Content,” and it was great to see the effectiveness of that particular alert.
Beyond monitoring my own child, I really appreciated the Social Trends updates that Bark sends. They alerted me to a trend involving inappropriate content on Google and Apple Maps (apparently kids have been perusing images of adult-oriented clubs and beaches). That honestly is not something that was even remotely on my radar, so it's really helpful to have that sort of on-trend info. They also send cool developmental tips based on your child's age, and suggestions of apps that your child may find interesting.
Charging Routine
We keep the Bark kids smart watch charger in a little nook right outside my son's room, where we also charge all of our ear buds, tablets, and the older kids' phones. He puts the charger on the device every night so that it has a full charge at the start of each day. Aside from ensuring that it's always charged up, this has been a great way to ensure sleep health, teaching all of our kids from a young age that devices should be away from us when we're in bed. He even set an alarm on it and has been getting himself up in the mornings, which is an awesome way to start implementing more responsibility.
Accountability Check
Finally, the ability to reach my son anytime means that I can text him when I know he's at recess and ask simple – but important – questions like, “Hey, did you feed the dog this morning?” I can also text him reminders about things like an appointment he needs to be ready for after school (like that time I put a toothbrush in his backpack so he could brush his teeth after lunch and be ready to go straight to a dentist appointment). Sending little reminders is a good way to keep your kid on track while you're sloooowly letting go of the reins.
These days, digital safety is just as important as physical safety. With the increasing use of smartphones, tablets, and social media, children can be exposed to harmful situations without their parents' knowledge. Bark Watch helps bridge that gap by offering a proactive approach to monitoring.
Takeaway for Parents: Smart Watches are a Smart Tool
The Bark Watch is a valuable tool that empowers parents to navigate the challenges of raising digital-savvy kids. By providing timely insights and fostering open communication, Bark Watch helps create a safer, healthier online environment for your family.
Visit Bark Technologies' website and explore how this kids smart watch can support your family's digital safety journey!