For many of us , we see our online lives and offline lives as different, but children are
growing up with technology and the internet and for them there isn’t a difference; online life
and offline life is just life. Technology can move at an extraordinary fast pace and it can be difficult to know how to start talking to your child about what they’re doing online, who they might be speaking to or discussing the potential risks and issues.
Talking regularly with your child is the greatest tool to help keep them safe online. Talking
regularly and making it a part of daily conversation, like you would about their day at school,
will help your child feel relaxed. It also means when they do have any worries, they’re more
likely to come and speak to you.
A big factor to consider when we’re talking to children is age or cognitive ability, which also
impacts the language we use and what we can talk about. As children get older, their needs
and behaviour will change, particularly as children are moving through their teenage years
and are more prone to risk-taking or whether they will even want to talk to you about
something that they may be embarrassed or ashamed about .
Reassure them
Reassure them that you’re interested in their life. Recognise that they’ll be using the internet
for many different things.
You could ask about :
What are their favourite things to do online ?
What apps do they use and why do they use them ? if you haven’t heard of the app , ask them to show you how it works.
Try not to treat it like an interview
It’s a conversation, be curious and show genuine interest
Remind them about strangers
Remind them never to share private or personal information. Use examples , such as “You
shouldn’t give your number to a stranger on the street, is somebody online you don’t know
any different?” give examples of other personal information such as names , locations,
school.
Some conversations are going to be more difficult than others , but it’s so important to have
these open and honest conversations, so you can help your child with any worries or issues
they might be facing online. There are worries for every parent, that their children may have
been viewing online pornography, if they have been sharing nudes, if they have seen
upsetting , inappropriate or explicit content, or perhaps being bullied.
As with any conversation, it is important that we try to stay calm, balanced and non-judgemental
Don’t be forceful otherwise there is the risk that they will close down
Keep listening , try not to interrupt even if there is a period of silence. They maybe thinking how they word something.
Provide context. Allow them to understand why some things are wrong, age inappropriate or even illegal. In order to critically think and assess, they need information.
Comments