How to use Verizon Family to monitor your child’s texting activity

Parents always want to know what’s going on in their kids’ lives. We ask, “How was school today?” and often get that one-word reply: “Fine.” With so much of kids’ communication happening on their devices, it can be especially difficult to know what’s happening in their world—good and bad. But there’s a tool in the Verizon Family app for text monitoring that can help.

Text message monitoring is one of the free features on the Verizon Family app. But once you’ve got it installed and can check on your kid’s text activity, what do you do with the information? Here, I’ll share what to be aware of, how to talk about it with your kid and how to set some healthy boundaries.

How does text monitoring work in Verizon Family?

Verizon Family will show you the metadata—the phone numbers, time stamps and frequency of your child’s text communications–over the cellular network (but not over third-party apps like iMessage, Google Messages, SnapChat or Tumblr).

This feature gives parents insight into possible concerns, such as sudden changes in texting habits or unusual late-night activity. Consider using this data as a conversation starter to check in with your child. It’s also essential that your child know that you’re using this feature on their phone.

Using Verizon Family to monitor your kid’s text messages

Here’s how to find this data:

1. Open the Verizon Family app on your device.

2. Go to Family Profiles and select your child’s device.

3. Scroll to the Calls & Texts section to find communication history.

4. Select Details to dive deeper into patterns and trends.

Here are three key actions to take based on this data.

1. Be mindful of sudden changes.

If your child regularly texts the same small group of friends and suddenly stops communicating with them, it could signal a social issue. Try asking:

• “I noticed you aren’t talking to [friend’s name] as much. Did something happen?”
• “You don’t seem to text this group anymore. Did you switch to another app?”

2. Monitor for disruptions.

If texts are happening late at night or during school, they could be affecting sleep and focus. Open a discussion with:

• “I saw you were texting at 2 AM—let’s talk about some ways we can help you get some better sleep, and why that’s so important right now.”
• “You’re texting a lot during class. Is something distracting you?”

3. Identify toxic contacts.

If your child seems upset after texting certain numbers, ask:

• “You always seem sad or mad after texting this person. Are they saying something hurtful?”
• “Do you need help setting boundaries or blocking this contact?”

When should you stop monitoring your child’s phone?

It depends on the child’s level of maturity and responsibility. A good rule of thumb: Gradually allow more independence while talking often about online safety. If your child consistently makes good choices, you can always let up on the monitoring.

Verizon Family can give you a better sense of your kid’s digital habits—who they’re talking to, how often and when. That way, you can step in and have a conversation when it matters most.

Get more insight into your child’s digital world with Verizon Family.