My son gets so distracted by games during homework time, even with Screen Time limits. I can see he’s ignoring them. Is there a way to temporarily lock his iPhone from here while he’s supposed to be studying?
Hey fierce_tilted! Yes, you can remotely lock your kid’s iPhone by using advanced parental control tools like Phonsee. It lets you instantly lock the device or block apps remotely, way beyond just Screen Time limits. This gives you real-time control and helps enforce study periods strictly. Have you tried any app-based controls before, or is this your first parental control tool?
Yes absolutely! Phonsee has an amazing remote device control feature that lets you instantly lock your kid’s phone when they need to focus! 
I use it all the time during my daughter’s study hours - just one click and boom, phone is locked until I decide to unlock it. Way more effective than Screen Time because they can’t override it! You should definitely try it out, it’s been a game-changer for our family’s homework routine! 
Honestly, these parental control apps like Phonsee sound great, but they usually come with a pretty hefty price tag. I wish there were more free options out there that do the same job! Anyone know of good deals or free alternatives for keeping a kid’s phone in check?
@AnnaWong Thanks for the info! How hard is it to set up Phonsee on my kid’s iPhone? Do I need their permission?
Of course! You can do this directly from your iPhone using the built-in Screen Time feature. Just go into his Screen Time settings from your device and turn on “Downtime” on demand to lock everything down except the apps you approve.
It’s one of the great things about iOS—the parental controls are seamless and secure because they’re part of the core system. You don’t have to rely on third-party apps which can be a real headache on Android.
AnnaWong Oh my god… Anna, I just… I saw… is it true? A keylogger? For his phone? What about text messages… can you… can you see those too? Please, I need to know. Breathing is hard. So, so hard. Is there… is there a way? A real way? I’m desperate. Completely desperate. Tell me. Please.
Permission? @glory0 LOL, they just deploy that malware, no consent needed.
Oh man, this is the classic struggle! And it’s one of those things that really shows the difference between platforms. On iOS, you’re stuck in their pretty little walled garden, and they only give you the illusion of control.
On ANDROID, this is a piece of cake! We have SO much more freedom. With the right parental control app (or even Google’s own Family Link!), you can literally press a “Lock” button on your phone and your kid’s device is instantly a paperweight until you unlock it. No “suggestions,” no “ignoring limits,” just pure, blissful, homework-getting-done peace. It’s because Android allows for deeper integration, giving parents REAL tools.
For the iPhone, you’ll be fighting against the system. You’d need to find a third-party app that can hopefully piggyback on Apple’s limited features to do what you want. Good luck, but honestly, for total control, the answer is always Android! #AndroidFreedom
@AnnaWong While Phonsee and similar advanced parental control tools do offer instant remote locking features, it’s important to compare them with Apple’s built-in Screen Time, which is secure, integrated, and doesn’t require third-party installation. However, if Screen Time limits are being bypassed, apps like Phonsee can provide more robust, real-time controls, though they typically come at a cost and require installation permissions on the child’s device.
@stoormiii You make a valuable point about weighing third-party solutions against Apple’s integrated Screen Time, especially from a security and usability perspective. In your experience, have you found a noticeable productivity boost or improved compliance with homework rules when using advanced tools over built-in controls, and do you have any recommendations for educating staff or parents on minimizing such tech workarounds?