Screen time is something most parents are concerned about, but these days, it’s become increasingly inescapable for kids, as many school assignments today require the use of a computer or tablet. Digital devices are now integral to completing schoolwork, making it nearly impossible to avoid extended screen exposure.
The good news is Norton has recently released a new School Time feature that’s designed to make sure kids are actually having focused and productive screen time and not getting distracted.
What is Norton Family?
Maximize your child's online safety and focus with Norton Family, featuring a new schooltime tool to manage virtual learning, promote safe browsing habits, and balance screen time effectively.
Norton has been a household name for making web surfing safer for individuals, organizations, and families. It has been most popular for its anti-virus and anti-malware software.
However, Norton 360 and Norton Family have long been helping parents to keep the web safe for their families.
Norton Family (review) is one of the most advanced web monitoring software services that allows parents to keep a watchful eye on their kids. It helps parents make the web safer for their kids to explore. It also helps their kids balance time spent online and get detailed reports on what children are doing online.
Norton Family: The New Upgrade
The Norton Family plans have received a new upgrade, providing better value to existing and new customers. This upgrade is the Norton School Time feature.
Previously, parents could only access this feature by paying an additional fee as it was only available as a standalone feature upgrade.
Now, Norton has added this feature to Norton 360’s plans. The most basic Norton Plan for $49.99 a year has this feature. The other plans: Deluxe and Select also have the School Time feature with other advanced web protection and monitoring features.
So, whether you have subscribed to the Norton 360 Standard, Deluxe, or Select plan, you can access this School Time feature.
What is the Norton Family School Time Feature?
School Time is the first feature of its kind to help parents manage their child’s remote learning environment.
With schoolwork increasingly using technology like laptops and tablets, parents don’t know how to control their children’s screen time and keep them away from distracting games when they must use their tablets for schoolwork.
It allows parents to restrict web usage when pausing the internet is not an option. So, kids can do their homework in a distraction-free environment.
Parents Rave about Norton’s School Time Feature
Parents have been happy about Norton’s School Time feature. Many parents who subscribed to the Norton 360 Standard plan have been overjoyed with this addition. Many others who were considering purchasing this additional feature as a standalone with their Norton plans, were also quite happy since they saved up $49.99 and got this feature as a part of the Norton 360 standard plan with other valuable features.
Here’s a review from a parent, “My son is really into video games and I have never let him have a computer growing up or play games (my viewpoint is that video games are a waste of time and he could better spend the time studying or exercising). The only thing he was allowed to do on the computer was schoolwork. It was his senior year in HS and his mom wanted to buy him a laptop I finally relented. Now that he has his own laptop, he is on his computer too much (most of the time after he comes home from school). I wanted to change my mind and take his laptop away. But Norton’s School Time feature really helped me take control of his website surfing and gaming during the hours when he should be studying.” – Harry Logan (Father of a High School Student)
Using this feature, parents can create a list of specific school-related, educational websites that can be accessed during the school day and customize a block list for sites they know their child spends time on that may be a distraction.
For multiple kids, parents can subscribe to the Norton 360 Deluxe plan under which they get access to 5 PCs, Macs, tablets, or phones and even parental control alongside the School Time feature.
“This is perfect for us…we are a family of two adults and three kids. Managing their schoolwork was a hassle at home since they never listened! We subscribed to Norton for its advanced web supervision, but we’re really happy now that we’ve gotten the School Time feature with the plan!” – Joy Henderson (Mom of three)
How Does the Norton School Time Feature Help Parents?
The Norton School Time features has been helping parents in many ways:
Helps Kids Complete Homework
The Norton School Time feature is helping parents by setting school timings for kids’ devices. Many parents also use this feature to block games and other websites on school days. This way, the kids only have access to certain websites when they are off from school or when they are done with their homework.
Norton’s School Time feature is now being recommended by school teachers too. School teachers think that the School Time feature will allow them to assign school work on tablets and laptops.
Teaching Kids Healthy Internet Habits
The Norton School Time feature is a great way for kids to learn about healthy internet habits. Teachers often assign kids schoolwork that they have to complete using the internet. However, when they have access to the internet, they can easily spiral into a time vortex where they might keep surfing the web or playing games rather than doing their actual work.
With this feature, kids can learn how to prioritize tasks. They learn that homework and other important stuff needs to be taken care of before indulging in fun or leisurely activities.
Bliss for Working Parents
The School Time feature is a godsend for parents, especially those who are working and don’t have the time to sit with children and make them do their homework. The School Time feature allows them to automatically restrict certain websites and apps when children are supposed to complete their homework. So, a little prompt can get them to do their homework.
According to a satisfied parent, “This is much better than constant nagging and homework reminders.”
Plus, because the School Time feature turns on at the time of the day when parents have set it, they don’t have to keep track of the time and turn on the feature manually. Kids who need to carry their tablets or phones to school can also stay focused on their school day and only use their phones for work or emergencies.
Teaches Children Not to Give Up
Children these days have so many apps and can move videos ahead at their whim. According to child psychologist Jim Smith, “Smartphones are making children more restless and impatient. They know that they can quit games that they aren’t winning and switch videos they don’t like”.
With the Norton School Time feature, children learn to stay focused on the task at hand. They learn that it is important to complete one task before they can go to the next one.
“While keeping them focused while learning is one way to convey this message and build patience in kids, it is very impactful”, says Smith.
School Days are Distraction-free
Nowadays, carrying a phone is a necessity for safety. For older kids, it is a social necessity too. However, parents are quite concerned about which apps and websites their kids visit while they are in school. With the School Time feature, they can restrict certain apps and games to help children stay focused on their schedule and learning in school.
Plus, kids can use the app to contact their parents throughout the day. Plus, Norton also allows kids to put in an access request. Kids can send notes to their parents through the Norton app if they disagree with a blocking rule. This way, both kids and parents stay on the same page about what is allowed and what is safe.
Why Should Parents Go for the School Time Feature?
Now, since restricting the internet is no longer an option because school work is increasingly being assigned on tablets and laptops, parents must have access to a feature that allows them to control their children’s internet usage.
With Norton’s School Time feature, this internet control is automated. Parents have a portal through which they are notified when the School Time feature is turned on for each of their kids.
With the Select plan, parents can also access the child’s location details. This way, parents know where their children are headed, whether they are in a safe location, and get alerted when they leave their favorite places. This is especially great for parents who prefer not to follow around kids all day but want their kids to be safe when they’re out for school.
Final Word
Norton Family’s School Time Feature is a valuable tool that helps parents manage their child’s online activity during school hours.
By allowing parents to create a whitelist of approved websites and block distracting apps, School Time can help students focus on their schoolwork and develop healthy internet habits.
With the recent addition of School Time to the Norton 360 Standard plan, this feature is now more affordable and accessible to parents than ever before. Parents can now access this feature at a low cost, along with other premium Norton 360 Standard plan features. This gives parents a whole toolkit to keep their kids safe while they’re using apps and surfing on the internet which is the need of the time.
Click here to try Norton Family now.