Monkleton Labs
// For Parents

The safety tools you already have

You don't need to ban screens. You need to know which switches already exist - and most parents never get shown them. Here they are, in plain English.

There's no solid evidence that screens are simply “bad” (the research leans toward quality over quantity). What matters is balance - good content, enough sleep, and time for other things. And if you ever use a screen to get through a haircut, a long flight, or a hard afternoon, that's not a failure. It's a tool, used well. This page just makes sure you know what the tools can do.

Not sure where to begin? The Where to start map is the calm path through it - do the four Foundations first, then pick what applies to your family. This page is the parental-controls stop along the way.

Start with the map

Download the one-page checklist (PDF)

YouTube

Supervised Experience

Best fit for 9-11

Designed for roughly 9-12

A middle ground between YouTube Kids and full YouTube: content is filtered by age, comments are hidden, personalised ads are off, and there are no purchases or uploads. Built for kids who've outgrown YouTube Kids but aren't ready for the open platform.

  1. In the Family Link app, set up or select your child's Google Account.
  2. Let them use YouTube with a supervised experience.
  3. Pick the content setting that fits their age.
  4. Manage it any time from Family Center in YouTube.

Set up a supervised experience on YouTube →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

Family Center

For parents of supervised accounts

The hub inside YouTube where the settings below live - screen-time nudges, the Shorts limit, and your child's supervision settings all sit in one place.

  1. In YouTube, tap your profile picture.
  2. Go to Settings, then Family Center.
  3. Select your child's profile to see their controls.

Find Family Center in YouTube →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

Take a Break & Bedtime reminders

For supervised accounts

Gentle nudges that remind your child to pause, or to stop for the night. You set them per supervised account.

  1. Open Family Center in YouTube and pick your child's profile.
  2. Turn on Take a break and choose how often it appears.
  3. Set a Bedtime reminder time.

Set Take a break and Bedtime reminders →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

Shorts feed daily limit

For supervised teen accounts (13-17) - see Supervised Experience for 9-11

Cap how long your child can spend in the Shorts feed each day - it can even be set to zero, switching Shorts off entirely. This is rolling out for supervised teen accounts through 2026. For the 9-11 age group, the control that applies now is Supervised Experience (above); this Shorts limit becomes relevant as they move into a supervised teen account.

  1. Open Family Center and pick your child's profile.
  2. Find the Shorts daily limit setting.
  3. Choose a daily cap (down to zero); it resets each morning.

Read YouTube's update on Shorts limits →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

“Made for Kids” - what it means

Good to know for every parent

Content labelled “Made for Kids” has comments turned off and no personalised ads, by design. Knowing the label helps you read what a video is set up to do. (It's also how our own show is classified.)

  1. Look for the “Made for Kids” note on a video or channel.
  2. Expect comments off and no personalised ads on that content.

Learn what “Made for Kids” means →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

YouTube Kids

For younger children

A separate app built for younger children, with a simpler, more contained experience. Worth knowing about for younger siblings who aren't ready for supervised YouTube.

  1. Download the YouTube Kids app.
  2. Set it up with content settings for your child's age.
  3. Use the parent settings to tune what they can see.

Explore YouTube Kids →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

Chrome & Google Search

SafeSearch

On by default for under-13 Family Link accounts

Filters explicit results out of Google Search. For under-13 accounts managed by Family Link it's on and locked by default - here's how to confirm it.

  1. Open the Family Link app and pick your child.
  2. Go to Controls, then Content restrictions, then Google Search.
  3. Check SafeSearch is on.

Check SafeSearch on a child's account →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

Google AI

Gemini age protections

Extra protections for minors

Google's AI assistant has age-based protections for minors, with specific limits for under-13s using Family-Link-managed accounts. Because this area changes quickly, we link Google's official policy rather than spell out specifics that may shift.

  1. Manage your child's access through Family Link.
  2. Read Google's current policy (linked) for the exact limits that apply.

Read Google's Gemini policy for minors →

Last checked: 5 August 2026

Other platforms

Most major platforms - TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, game consoles, Disney+, Netflix - have their own family tools. We've focused on YouTube and Google because that's where most 9-11s spend their time. More may follow.

Two tonight is plenty

Set up two of these tonight and you're ahead of most families. You don't have to do everything at once, and there's no wrong place to start.

Download the one-page checklist (PDF)

New to online safety yourself? Start with the map, or browse all our guides.

Cyber Safe with Monkleton teaches kids the habits behind these tools. Meet Cyber Safe with Monkleton →

Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Google or YouTube. Product names are used only to describe their features. We have no commercial relationship with any platform mentioned - no ads, no affiliate links, no sponsorship.

Platform settings change often. Steps were correct when last checked; always confirm on the official page we link to. Last verified: 5 August 2026.