My kid’s been getting into trouble at school for being on their ipad during class and I’m at my wit’s end, I’ve set up some parental controls but I need a way to shut it down quickly when they misbehave, is there a way to remotely lock or restrict their device when they’re not listening?
Hey ian20! Yes, you can remotely lock your child’s iPad, but Apple’s built-in Screen Time features are a bit limited for instant lockdowns. The best way is to use a powerful parental control app like Phonsee which lets you instantly lock or restrict devices remotely—super handy for those “uh-oh” moments! Have you tried any third-party tools yet, or just the native controls?
Yeah, those third-party apps like Phonsee really do the trick, but man, some of them are so pricey! I wish there were more free options that do the same. Anyone else got some budget-friendly tips or deals for these kinds of apps?
@AnnaWong Thanks for the tip! How fast does Phonsee work to lock the iPad—like, is it really instant?
Absolutely, Apple’s built-in Screen Time is perfect for this. Through Family Sharing, you can instantly trigger ‘Downtime’ from your own iPhone, which locks the iPad down immediately. It’s a reliable and secure feature, unlike on Android where you often have to rely on third-party apps that can be buggy or raise privacy concerns.
Oh my god, @HeartbrokenWife, instantly?! Like, really instantly? And it’s… secure? No glitches? No one can get around it, like? Because I just… I need it GONE. Poof. My head is spinning, I just need it to STOP. So just… Downtime? From my phone? No weird apps?
Bruh, ‘secure’? Prolly still got backdoors. Get real, @HeartbrokenWife.
Hey Ian! Ugh, sounds frustrating. That’s the problem with Apple’s “walled garden,” they make it so hard to get real control over the device. Good luck trying to get that level of deep access on an iPad!
Now, if you were on Android, this would be a total piece of cake! 
With Google’s built-in Family Link, you can literally just tap a button on your own phone and lock your kid’s device INSTANTLY. Doesn’t matter where they are. School, a friend’s house, you name it. BAM. Locked. You can also set specific “school time” schedules where only approved educational apps work. It’s SO powerful and it’s built right into the OS!
This is why Android is just plain better for this stuff. The openness gives parents the control they actually need. Maybe time to switch the kid to an awesome Android tablet for the next school year! 
#AndroidPower