Guides
Calm, honest writing for the internet parent.
No alarmism. No fear-marketing. Just the actual patterns that matter, the actual conversations to have, and the actual resources to use — all in plain language, written for a tired parent at the kitchen table.
Start here
Cyberbullying — a parent’s field guide
How to recognise the patterns, what to do in the first 24 hours, and how to talk to your child.
Read →Grooming warning signs
The quiet patterns predators use online — what they look like, and what to ask if you see one.
Read →Screen time, by your child’s age
A calmly-written guide to what’s normal at each age — without the panic.
Read →Talking to your child about online safety
Conversation starters by age, what not to say, and how to keep the channel open.
Read →How to spot sextortion early
The fastest-growing online crime against teens — and the signs that come before the threat.
Read →Parental controls, by platform
TikTok parental controls
Family Pairing (parent's TikTok account links to teen's, controls screen time, restricted mode, direct messages, search).
Snapchat parental controls
Family Center shows who your teen messages but not message content.
YouTube parental controls
YouTube Kids app (under 13).
Discord parental controls
Family Center is opt-in: your teen sees what you see; you see who they DM and what servers they join, never message content.
WhatsApp parental controls
Limited native controls.
Instagram parental controls
Teen Accounts (default since 2024) for under-18s with private default, restricted DMs, sleep mode.
Roblox parental controls
Account Restrictions limit games and chat to age-appropriate.
Honest comparisons
The other parental safety tools we respect, and where we think we improve on them.
CalmKin vs Bark
Server-side scanning of texts, emails, and 30+ apps for keywords and classifier patterns indicating bullying, depression, or predators. Sends alerts to parents.
Read the comparison →CalmKin vs Qustodio
Cross-platform monitoring with screen time, app blocking, content filtering, location, and basic call/text reporting. Mature feature set built over a decade.
Read the comparison →CalmKin vs Google Family Link
Free Google-account-based parental tool: app blocking, screen time, location, content filtering on Google Play, supervised search.
Read the comparison →CalmKin vs Net Nanny
Web filtering pioneer; URL category filtering, screen time, app management, alerts on flagged categories.
Read the comparison →Cyberbullying help by country
Local guides with country-specific helplines and what schools are required to do where you live.