SOURCE: NSPCC

Many of us see our online lives and offline lives as different. But for children growing up with technology and the internet, there isn’t a difference – online life and offline life is just life.

Technology can move at an extraordinarily fast pace. So 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.

Starting the conversation

Talking regularly with your child can help keep them safe online. Making it 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.

But it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the different technology, the language that children use, the huge number of games and apps which are available and the potential risks.

Age-appropriate conversations

Considering your children’s age and ability will help you decide how to speak to them.

For under-11s

• Resources like Talk PANTS will help
• Make sure you’re using language they can understand.
• If you suspect grooming or exploitation, you can report this directly to CEOP.

For older children and teenagers 

Their needs and behaviour will be changing and they may find talking to you about difficult topics embarrassing. 

They will still look to you for support, so it’s worth continuing to check in with them regularly, even if there’s nothing they want to talk about.

There are some tips in the NSPCC Positive Parenting guide and on their page on talking about difficult topics.