There will come a point in time when parents of today’s generation of children will have to broach the topic of internet safety. Especially as the children grow into teenagers. Young people are undeniably naïve when it comes to all of the horrors that loiter on the World Wide Web. Particularly on social media platforms which are hugely popular and ever on the rise. In order to safely navigate the internet, good judgement is essential which isn’t something that youngsters are born with. It’s up to you, as a parent to protect kids from internet dangers. You can also help them understand what constitutes as appropriate behaviour when using the internet. I’ve teamed up with a Sixth Form in Hampshire to share some guidance with parents on the subject of internet safety.

Where To Start?

How much information you choose to disclose with your child about the dangers of the internet will depend on their age. If you want to keep it PG, it’s worth letting them know that sometimes nasty people pretend to be someone they’re not as a way of befriending innocents, only to ultimately hurt them. As an example, you could explain that some people try and con money out of others or ask to meet up only to kidnap or hurt children. You don’t want to scare them too much, so try and be delicate when explaining. Essentially, your child needs to know that they should not start relationships with people they have only ever met online. Especially in the romantic sense.

Over Sharing

You should also try and help your child to understand that whenever they put something on the internet, it can never be truly deleted. With that said, they must always think before they post. Will their post hurt someone’s feelings? Will it be embarrassing if a parent, teacher, or future employer sees it?

Be Approachable

Try and promote an open and honest environment for your child within your home, where they feel comfortable talking about things they are going through, both in the real world and online. For instance, if someone is picking on them on social media, they need to be able to talk to someone about it. Show them how to block their contacts if necessary. It might also be worth contacting your child’s school to find out a little more about their tactics for dealing with internet safety and issues such as cyberbullying.