​How to Monitor Your Child's iMessages

​Hi, I'm Ted. As a parent with three kids, I understand the challenges parents face. My two daughters are at the age where they want to start doing things on their own with their friends. Understandably, I have concerns as they venture out into the world on their own. I believe my kids will be fine. However, this is a different world than when I was a teenager.

In today’s fast-paced environment, parents face a difficult challenge to stay in-touch with their children. You want to stay involved and understand what is happening in your child’s life, but often it is difficult to have a meaningful discussion with your child. With all the crazy things happening in today’s society, it is more important than ever to know your kid’s friends and what they are doing.

Kids spend a great deal of time texting each other. For a parent, having access to your child’s text messages would certainly be helpful. However, it may be difficult to keep up with all the technology kids are using.

One day, a co-worker was telling me a story about reading her teenager’s text messages.  She found a text from a classmate who was trying to organize a party. Apparently the kid was bragging about taking alcohol from his grandparents and was trying to get a group of kids together for a party. Since my co-worker knew what was happening, she was able to take appropriate action.

My co-worker got lucky to stumble upon the text message. There had to be a more reliable way to view a child's messages.

After hearing the story, I began researching ways I could monitor my kids’ text messages. I found various monitoring apps and monitoring services available on the Internet. Each of the monitoring apps I reviewed had some drawbacks. I also did not want to be stuck paying a monthly fee for a monitoring service.

There had to be an easier way to monitor text messages so I could better understand what is happening in my kids’ lives. Let’s face it; even the best kids don’t tell their parents everything.

​Here's the basic process to monitor their iMessages.

I developed a plan to use the built-in capabilities of iMessage to monitor my kid’s messages. I have been using this method for several years with great success. I have also helped several friends monitor their kids' messages. There is peace of mind in knowing what they are doing and to know if a potential issue would arise.

​If your child has an iPhone, you can easily monitor their messages. ​

While some folks may be able to go right out and set up message monitoring, others may need a little more help.

I always hear statements like:

"I don't know how to setup iMessage accounts on the iPhone."

or

"I'm not tech-savvy. I can't do this."

​

​It's OK if you don't feel comfortable or if you don't think you're not tech-savvy.

If you're unsure ​about setting up the message monitoring, I have gathered all the information you need and put it into one easy to follow step-by-step guide that will help you monitor your child’s iPhone messages.

​This guide contains 47 pages of easy to follow instructions plus loads of tips and tricks to help ​you​ setup iMessage monitoring of your child's iPhone. The guide will walk you through the entire setup process, from beginning to end. It's straightforward and easy to follow, no matter how tech-savvy you are.

** This guide is written for Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that use iMessage. It is not intended for non-Apple devices. You will need to know your child’s Apple ID and password to use the techniques described in this guide. You will also need an Apple device to receive your child’s messages.

​Kids spend a great deal of time texting each other. For a parent, having access to your child’s text messages would certainly be helpful. However, it may be difficult to keep up with all the technology kids are using.

​I can help you understand the technology with my step-by-step guide. It clearly takes you through the process to begin monitoring your child’s messages. Each step in the process is written to be easy to follow and has screenshots of the iPhone screen to help you follow along.

If you have any questions about the guide or the setup process, I am available by email to help. Contact me through the iAnswerGuy website to ask questions.

People often wonder whether they should monitor their child's messages. In today’s fast-paced environment, parents face a difficult challenge to stay in-touch with their children. You want to stay involved and understand what is happening in your child’s life, but often it is difficult to have a meaningful discussion with your child. With all the crazy things happening in today’s society, it is more important than ever to know your kid’s friends and what they are doing.

You can gain a better understanding of what’s happening in your kids' lives and help keep them safe by monitoring their iPhone messages. Let’s face it; even the best kids don’t tell their parents everything.

It’s easy to believe our kids are good and won’t get in trouble, and that may very well be true. However, this is a different world than when we were teenagers. Text messaging has opened new doors for kids. Unfortunately, it has also created new opportunities for predators. Bad ideas and bad intentions now travel at the speed of light.

It is recommended you be upfront with your child and let them know what you are doing. However, it is understandable this may not be possible in all situations. The monitoring guide contains some helpful tips to setup iMessage monitoring if you are not planning to ​notify your child. The decision on whether or not to inform your child is ultimately up to you and your particular situation.

​You will need an Apple device to monitor messages from your child’s iPhone.  This device can be an iPad, iPod touch, Mac computer, or an old deactivated iPhone that is no longer in use. You can also use your own iPhone, but I recommend using a dedicated monitoring device separate from your iPhone. The monitoring device will need to be connected to the Internet either with a Wi-Fi network or a cellular data network to receive your child’s messages.

​Compare the benefits of monitoring your child's messages vs. not monitoring them.

** This guide is written for Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch that use iMessage. It is not intended for non-Apple devices. You will need to know your child’s Apple ID and password to use the techniques described in this guide. You will also need an Apple device to receive your child’s messages.

A paperback version of the book is also available on Amazon here.