Comments on: An Easy Way to Introduce and Teach Your Children Responsible Texting http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting Thu, 16 May 2013 10:13:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Monica http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-37076 Monica Sat, 16 Feb 2013 20:08:54 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-37076 I ended up uninstalling this application from my 10yr daughters droid and ended up getting textplus because of the number of inappropriate adds and banners. We had more success with textplus and their is a section to keep it private so no one can search for her. I dont think pinger textfree is appropriate for tweens.

]]> By: Mary Kay http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-25277 Mary Kay Wed, 02 Jan 2013 19:37:21 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-25277 Dear Kristin:

We used this app for over a year personally, and the editorial team at Yoursphere For Parents tested the app on many occasions. We never experienced what your child did. It sounds to us like they must have been sent the porn from a friend they gave their number to because my son only received texts from those friends he had given his texting app number out to.

If any other parents experienced what Kristin did, please let us know.

Mary Kay

]]> By: Mark Jordan http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-25271 Mark Jordan Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:41:49 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-25271 One issue that you will need to be aware of… when signing up, you will need to indicate a registration phone number other than the phone number being selected for TextFree. If you select one of the parents’ mobile number, the textFree account will not be able to text that phone as TextFree will think that the mobile number is part of the TextFree account. I initially did this for my son, using my mobile number as the registration phone number; I was not able to receive any texts from my Son because of this.

You can use you home’s land-line phone for the registration phone number. However, be aware that you can only have 1 TextFree account setup per registration phone number. Hence, if you have more than 1 iPod in the home, you cannot register your home land line number to both of TextFree accounts for the respective iPods.

Having more than 1 TextFree account in the family at the same time seems to be problematic.

]]> By: Kristin http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-24457 Kristin Sat, 29 Dec 2012 04:15:18 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-24457 Unfortunately, I downloaded this Pinger app, and within three days, my daughter received a sexually explicit picture within a text message citing white-on-black anal sex, and how “gay” it was. I am appalled given that this app was recommended by an “internet safety” expert, and would highly recommend that no parents download this app until your child is of an age, greater than 13, where they could handle this kind of text message. Per the sender, Pinger text/phone numbers are EASILY shared.

]]> By: Gray http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-24353 Gray Fri, 28 Dec 2012 15:00:02 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-24353 Can you turn off the phone feature? I do not want my daughter using her ipod touch for phone calls. Thank you.

]]> By: Maile http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-23780 Maile Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:46:34 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-23780 I forgot to add that, while the mediawatchdog program was a very highly rated program and looked awesome – it could only be used with smartphones (and all of them seem to be this way) – I wasn’t about to buy my daughter a smartphone just so she could text!!! :/

]]> By: Maile http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-23779 Maile Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:29:19 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-23779 First – I want to thank you for this. I have spent many hours researching trying to find a texting app that I can monitor. I initially went to a watchdog program as my daughter DOES have a cell phone ( that I have turned off all texting completely from), and she wants so badly to be able to text.

Second, one of the first things I found is that there must be and area code in the contacts for the i pod – her i pod automatically downloaded her contact list, sans area codes and the test text I sent to myself did not work. All I had to do was add area codes.

Third – I am having issues getting deleted texts to show up on the webpage – am I doing something wrong?

THANK YOU!!

]]> By: Mary Kay http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-17658 Mary Kay Mon, 19 Nov 2012 17:22:20 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-17658 Hi Denise,

No, it does not. This app, in my experience, is just a good way to introduce your child to texting without having to jump into an expensive service plan.

Once your child has demonstrated their responsibility (as mine did), he/she can graduate to a service plan with a family safety solution married to it. For example, I added on the “smart limit” feature that AT&T offers. There, I could set up the guidelines that I believe would provide the oversight you’re looking for. I know it made it easier for my children to follow the rules.

]]> By: Denise http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-16974 Denise Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:38:33 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-16974 Does this app allow you to set up a contact list of people they are allowed to text? Additionally, can you require parental permission to receive texts not in the approved contact list?

]]> By: Mary Kay http://internet-safety.yoursphere.com/2011/08/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-11327 Mary Kay Fri, 05 Oct 2012 16:47:40 +0000 http://yoursphereforparents-test.com/an-easy-way-to-introduce-and-teach-your-children-responsible-texting/#comment-11327 Hi Jennifer,

Great question. Since TextFree assigns each user a “phone number”, your child can only text her friends who have a phone number, either through the texting app they’re using or through their wireless provider. Without that, there’s no way to connect the two users. I hope that answers your question!

Best,
Mary Kay

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