Smart phones, tablets, game consoles, and computers are part of our daily lives. Chances are that you have multiple devices in your household. From iPhones and Kindles to Xboxes and Switches to laptops and desktop computers, the number of connected devices that we use is growing every day and that’s not even considering IoT devices like connected thermostats and wear-ables like Fitbits or Apple Watches.
It’s an amazingly connected world that we live in but it’s not quite “set it and forget it” when it comes to our device addiction. All of these devices require care and feeding in the form of software updates and fiddling with settings to make sure that your devices are safe and secure for your family to use.
Keeping all of our connected devices current and in good working order takes effort… and time. But, it’s a necessary part of staying safe in our digital world. If you find that you’re spending too much time on “tech support” for all of your family’s devices, consider establishing a “Family Device Day.” This will help you to avoid the overwhelming feeling that comes with constantly being pulled into troubleshooting, updating, and maintaining the dozens of devices in your household.
If you have children, you’ve probably experienced the constant drumbeat of “Can you install this app?” “My phone’s not working.” “What’s my password?” that accompany normal device use. Rather than tending to these issues on demand, or ignoring them (don’t do that…), pick a day to sit down and spend some time making sure that your family’s devices are up to date and properly configured to make for a smooth and secure experience when using these devices.
You might consider having a device day once a week, once a month, or choose different days for different device types. It’s up to you. A Family Device Day is simply a regular time that you set aside to spend on updating, fixing, and securing your devices so they can be used safely while providing an enjoyable and productive experience. Outside of your designated “device day” you have the freedom to say no to on-demand tech support and the frustration that comes with it.
So, what should you do on device day?
- Apply operating system updates to ensure that your device is running the latest, most secure version. You can automate this by turning on automatic updates for the OS and apps that you use.
- Check privacy and security settings like location services and two-step verification to make sure that you are as secure as you can be.
- Troubleshoot and fix things that haven’t been working as they should – sometimes simply restarting the device can clear up lingering issues.
- Check passwords – make sure that you have PIN codes and passwords setup to protect your devices and data. Make sure you know the passwords that your children are using and have a backup in case accounts get locked or passwords forgotten.
- Install age appropriate apps that your children have been asking for and review apps and websites that they have been using. Remove anything that may not be appropriate or is no longer used.
- Setup and check parental controls if available for your device. If making changes that will impact how the device can be used, discuss that with your child so they understand why some things work and others don’t.
Be prepared to spend up to 30 minutes or more on each device because all of this takes time, but in the end you’ll reduce the stress of device overload. You’ll have an established day and time to tend to your phones, tablets, and computers and avoid the on-demand tech support time sink.
Some of the other things you can do on your designated device day are:
- SECURELY RE-PURPOSE AN OLD IPHONE FOR YOUR CHILD
- THINKING ABOUT GIVING YOUR CHILD THEIR FIRST PHONE? CONSIDER A PARENT-CHILD AGREEMENT
- GOOGLE ACCOUNT SECURITY CHECKUP
- MOTHER, MAY I? SETTING UP AN IPHONE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION BEFORE DOWNLOADING NEW APPS
- IF YOU USE FACEBOOK, TURN THIS SETTING ON TODAY
Browse our site for more simple security tips to protect your family and their many devices and accounts.
So whether or not you make device day once a week or once a month, you can rest assured knowing that you are doing your part to keep your devices secure and in good working order. Once they’re old enough, you can even hand over some of the responsibility to your children. They’ll be doing it for the rest of their lives after all. 🙂
