A mobile phone in the hands of your kid can be a liability. But it can also be guardian angel — it all depends on how it’s used. MobileKids is a free iPhone and Android app that enhances a phone’s guardian angel-like qualities while putting the liabilities on lockdown.
The Child app also gathers info on usage, and is able to limit access based on instructions from the Parent App, the second half of the equation. There’s a basic report about usage that’s free; beyond that, the premium feature set of detailed control of consumption (minute, data, text) limits, which apps they use, who they can contact and when they can use the phone, along with more detailed reports, is $6 a month — though everything is free through the end of February.