Parent FAQ
Straight answers about how BrainBuddy handles your family's privacy, what you can see as a parent, how long kids actually spend in the app, and why it's built to be calm and streak-free.
Privacy & COPPA
- Is BrainBuddy COPPA compliant?
- Yes. A verified parent or guardian creates the account, and children never sign up on their own. Child profiles live inside the parent account, are protected by a PIN, and are only used to personalize routines inside the app.
- What information do you collect about my child?
- Only what the app needs to work: a first name or nickname, an avatar choice, routine and micro-step progress, and optional settings like voice or calm mode. We do not ask for a child's email, phone number, address, birthdate, or school. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
- What happens to homework photos and camera check-ins?
- Photos are used to read the task in front of your child and to confirm a step is done. They are tied to your family account, are never sold, and are never used for advertising or facial recognition. You can delete them from the parent portal at any time.
- Do you sell data or show ads to kids?
- Never. There is no advertising anywhere in BrainBuddy, and we do not sell or rent family data.
- How do I delete our data?
- From the parent portal you can delete an individual child profile or your entire account. Account deletion removes profiles, routines, progress, photos, and homework sessions from our systems.
What parents can see
- Can I see exactly what my child did?
- Yes. The parent portal shows completed routines, which micro-steps were checked off, energy check-ins, brain breaks taken, and a full replay of each homework session — including the coaching steps BrainBuddy offered and how the review question went.
- Can I see what my child said to BrainBuddy?
- Conversations with the buddy are summarized for you in the parent portal so you can spot where your child got stuck without turning the app into surveillance. BrainBuddy is a tutor and a companion — it never gives final homework answers, and it never asks a child for personal information.
- Is the parent portal protected?
- Yes — it sits behind your account login plus a parent PIN, so a child using the tablet can't wander into settings, billing, or reports.
Session time & screen time
- How long is a typical session?
- Most routines run five to fifteen minutes. Individual micro-steps are designed to take about a minute, so a child can stop after any step and still feel finished rather than interrupted.
- Will my child get stuck in the app?
- No. BrainBuddy is built to hand attention back to real life. When a routine ends, the app celebrates and stops. Brain breaks and arcade games are short, capped, and always optional.
- What if my child runs out of steam halfway?
- The energy check-in lets kids say they're running low, and the plan re-triages to the smallest essential steps. Unfinished routines simply wait — nothing is lost and nothing is penalized.
- Does it help with time blindness?
- Yes. Visual timers show time passing as color and shape rather than numbers, and step estimates adjust to how your child actually paces through routines.
Reduce motion & low-pressure design
- Are there streaks or points that punish a missed day?
- No. BrainBuddy is deliberately streak-free. There is nothing to break, no shame screen, and no catching up. Progress is celebrated when it happens and quietly waits when it doesn't.
- My child is sensitive to animation and sound. Can I turn it down?
- Yes. Calm Mode stops floating, bouncing, and mouth-movement animations and holds the mascot on a single still frame. BrainBuddy also respects your device's system "reduce motion" setting automatically. Voice and sound effects can be switched off independently.
- What if my child can't read yet?
- Pre-reader mode swaps text for icons, photos, and spoken prompts, so a child can move through a routine without reading a word.
- Is there a calm-down option when things get big?
- The Calm-Down Corner offers guided breathing and gentle sensory resets in soft pastel colors. It's always one tap away and never counts as a failure.
Still have a question?
Use the “Report a Bug / Send Feedback” option inside the parent portal and we'll get back to you. You can also read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Create your parent account