Parental control software refers to programs or apps installed on a child’s device that allows parents to manage various aspects of screen time. The world of parental control software is not one that is easily understood, and certainly not easily navigated (I know this from personal experience!) so calling it a 'quick win' might seem like a misnomer. There are some basic apps though, that are relatively user-friendly and can get you started on the path of understanding this particular aspect of screen management.

Most people will be familiar with their operating system, either Android or iOS (Apple products). Different parental control programs work on one or the other, while some will work on both, so the first step is to look for and install a program that works for your child's operating system. Here are a couple of suggestions to get you started.

For Apple users, Moment is a basic but relatively easy to manage parental control app.  This program allows you to monitor how much time you and your family are using devices, and switch off everyone's access to the wifi at set times (e.g. dinner time or bed time). There are a few downsides, such as the requirement of each person to have an email account to be able to install the app on their device, and if you have pretty tech-savvy kids they will probably work out how to disable it pretty fast. The app is free to try, or you can pay a fairly small amount to access 'premium features' There's also limited tech support for the program (it's literally one guy called Kevin...).

A good starting point for Android users is Family Time. Again this is a super basic app but it does have some handy features. You can set wifi-free times during the day, as well as set a 'bedtime' which turns the wifi off for the evening. Content filters are on the horizon for this app, and you can also enable location services if you want to know where your kids are (or have been). It even comes with a panic button you can enable should you want your child to be able to contact you easily in an emergency.  There is a freeware version that has most of the basic features you need to get started, but for a very small monthly fee (about A$1.50 - $2) you can access a bunch of other options, including extended content filters (e.g. movies, music etc.), app usage and blocking, and the ability to set daily screen time limits (e.g. not more than 2 hours over a 24 hour period).

There are a lot more parental control apps on the market, and they vary in complexity. Some do more or less what they claim to do and some don't. The apps mentioned here are a good way to start to introduce the idea of managing screens, and are relatively user-friendly, but they are not comprehensive in their scope. Many bigger (and more expensive) programs (e.g. Qustodio, Norton Family, Net Nanny) will give you a high level of control, but they take a bit more work to get familiar with.  One tip worth noting is that I found that many of the programs or apps I trialed had limitations. I installed different apps on my phone and deliberately tried to get around them. The most common issue I found with apps that claimed to filter search engine content, only did so within browsers that had been installed on the phone (some programs install their own browser). Pre-installed browsers (commonly referred to as 'bloatware') were often unaffected by content restrictions, rendering the whole process of adding parental control pretty pointless. The take home message here is, whenever you install an app or program on your or your child's device, test it. Do what I did and try to think like a 13 year old boy (not easy for a 45 year old woman...).