I built Joey for parents like me. The parents who just handed over a first iPhone and felt that quiet twist in the stomach. Excitement for your kid. Pride. Then the other feeling: what exactly did we just open the door to??
Not the careless ones. Not the helicopter ones either.
Parents like us worry what dangers we are exposing our kids to online. And we can feel helpless, where do we even start with trying to protecting our kids and securing their iPhone?
For us, our son's first iPhone wasn't just a phone or an improved means of managing logistics, pickups, comm's, etc. For him it was a big growing up moment It has become a social life in his pocket. Group chats. New numbers. New friends. Private jokes. Late night messages we don't see.
So ok, that's cool. This is all about the experience of growing up. But it can get messy fast. And if you are like us, we want to get ahead of issues and have the right conversations about teaching our boy to be safe and what to watch out for. It has evolved into dozens of great conversations about managing relationships, the nuance of language, and dealing with sticky situations.
Joey is for the parents who are trying to do the right thing without turning home into a police station. Joey is for parents that want to sleep peacefully at night, not worrying about what they don't know, and if their child's digital world is becoming a scary place.
It is for the parent who has heard of Screen Time limits and parental controls, but doesn't really know what these do, or how to set them up, and understands this essential worry:
"Ok, we can now limit our kid's use of their device [with screen time limits], we can block unwanted app's, but what do we do about protecting our kids when they are online using seemingly safe app's like Apple iMessages, or WhatsApping with their friends, or doing research on YouTube."
You might set a few limits. You might not. Either way, you still wonder about the part Screen Time does not solve.
Who are they talking to.
What is being said to them.
What are they being asked for.
That is where Joey fits.
Joey is for families in the first years of iPhone life. When everything is new. When your child is learning the rules of digital friendship in real time. When one group chat can swing a whole week at school.
It is also for parents who do not want to read every message. Most of us do not have the time. And even if we did, it is not the relationship we want with our kids. We want to stay close. We want them to learn independence. We want to step in early when something is off.
Joey is built for that middle ground. Signals over surveillance.
If you are worried about predators or risky contacts
This is the fear most parents do not say out loud at first. Who can reach my kid now.
The tricky part is that risky contacts do not always announce themselves. It can start as friendly. It can look normal. Then it becomes pressure. Requests for photos. A move to another app. A push to keep things secret. A sense that your child owes them something.
Joey is for the parent who wants early warning signs when a new contact looks suspicious. Unknown numbers. Strange patterns. Rapid contact churn. Messages that hint at manipulation or secrecy.
Not so you can panic.
So you can have the conversation early, while it is still small.
[Learn more: Risky Contacts (Stranger Danger)] [Learn more: Smart Alerts]
If you are worried about bullying
Bullying rarely starts with one awful text. It often starts with small put downs that repeat. A nickname that sticks. A group chat where your child is ignored. A private joke that turns into a pile on.
If you have a 10 to 14 year old, you already know how fast group dynamics move. Kids can be kind. Kids can be brutal. Sometimes both in the same week.
Joey is for the parent who wants help spotting patterns that look like bullying or harassment, without having to scroll every thread. The goal is not to catch your kid out. The goal is to notice when something is weighing on them, even if they are not ready to talk yet.
When Joey flags bullying signals, the next step is not a lecture. It is a check in.
Are you okay with how that chat has been going.
Do you want help replying, or do you want me to just listen.
If it keeps happening, we take the next step together.
[Learn more: Smart Alerts] [Learn more: How’s My Child report]
If you are unsure how much privacy kids should have
This is the hardest part for most parents. We want to protect them. We also want to respect them.
A first iPhone is often the first big privacy test in the family. Your child wants space. You want safety. Both are fair.
Joey is for families who want a way to stay aware of concerning activity without turning daily life into spying. You do not need to read every message to be a good parent. You need to notice when something has shifted. A new risky contact. A change in tone. A pattern that suggests your child is under pressure.
Then you show up as a parent.
Not as a detective.
If you are overwhelmed by “parental controls” and don’t know where to start
A lot of parents think the only options are strict controls or total freedom. Real life is usually messier.
Screen Time can help with limits. It can be useful. But it does not answer the questions that keep many of us up at night. Who is messaging them. What are they being pulled into. Are they okay.
Joey is for the parent who wants a simple weekly rhythm. Sync. Scan. See the themes. Have a small conversation. Repeat.
Some weeks nothing shows up. Great.
Some weeks you get a signal that helps you step in early.
The kind of parent Joey is not for
Joey is not for a parent looking to monitor every move and read every line. That approach tends to backfire. Kids get sneaky. Trust erodes. You end up further away from the truth.
Joey is for the parent who wants to stay connected, stay calm, and act when it matters.
If that sounds like you, you are exactly who I built it for.
If you are still unsure, start with one simple question at home.
Do you want more independence, or do you want more support right now.
Most kids will surprise you with their answer.
And if they do not answer, that is useful information too.
Learn more: [/features/iphone-monitoring] Learn more: [/features/smart-alerts] Next up: {{recommendedNext from catalog}}
