When I was a kid, the scariest thing about stranger danger was a white van with a slow roll or razor blades in my Halloween candy. There was no internet to be obsessed with, and certainly no such thing as being duped by Nigerian Princes who would steal my identity or bank account with one quick click. When I was growing up, a “social network” was a pack of wild children doing wheelies on their Huffy’s while waiting for the streetlights to come on so we could all go home and eat dinner. Sigh…simpler times.
And because our kids don’t live in the world we grew up in, I am proud to announce that I’ve teamed up with Bark to give you a free 7-day trial plus a 20% off your subscription costs for the LIFE of your account if you use the code MEREDITH (sponsored link). Watch as I talk to my friends about Bark and our family’s experience with it.
Now that I’m a mom trying to navigate the real world versus the internet with my kids, I am horrified by the innumerable ways that they can get hurt or into trouble, which is why I am so happy to be partnering with Bark where their brilliant team works night and day to keep kids and families safe while online.
When I say they are keeping kids safe, I’m not just talking about accidentally buying $100 worth of Fortnite V-Bucks, either. Recent studies say that 76.7% of tweens experience bullying in some form. And an astonishing 78% of tweens engage in conversations around drugs and alcohol. That’s why I love Bark, they monitor for these kinds of online interactions, but they also look for dangers like self-harm, sexual content, violence, and red flags that there might be some mental health stuff going on.
Listen, I’m a busy mom; I know exactly what it’s like to need to get stuff done and to rely on a screen to keep my kids happy and entertained while I run around the house like a wild woman. And now that my kids are getting older, they don’t want the same old pre-downloaded apps. They want to chat with friends online. They want to test out social media. And as much as I want to say yes, a massive part of my Mom Brain is nervous about all the dangers I know exist.
Bark can help me feel better about what my kids are up to online by monitoring more than 30 popular social media platforms, emails, texts, videos and photos, notes, and more. If my kids snap a picture, click a link, or talk into their phones, Bark makes sure that they are safe.
Right now, I am so proud to announce that I’ve teamed up with Bark to give you a free 7-day trial plus a 20% off your subscription costs for the LIFE of your account if you use the code MEREDITH. That’s a crazy generous offer, and when you test out the service and see just how much they watch out for your kids, you’ll be dropping your jaw at the fantastic price.
Bark is serious about your child’s safety; that’s why they have partnered with pioneers in children’s safety such as Sandy Hook Promise, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and National Police Foundation, and more. The Bark service works on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, and laptops and computers, so you know your devices that your family uses the most are covered.
As a parent, I love that Bark allows me to talk openly with my kids about the dangers of the internet. They make it so easy by giving me the power to determine what sites my children can access and then alerting me if something seems wrong. Bark gets where my concerns are. They work closely with child psychologists, youth advisors, digital media experts, and law enforcement professionals to give me research-backed technology to ensure that as my kids learn how to navigate the online world, they can do it safely.
If you want to try Bark, check out this exclusive offer to get your free 7-day trial plus a 20% discount on your subscription for the life of your account when you use the code MEREDITH. I just know that you will love all the user-friendly features that will not only educate your family on internet safety but will work hard to keep your kids safe.
