10 point checklist
There’s a lot to take in when it comes to your child’s digital world, so here’s a handy 10-point checklist to get you started.
- Think about how you guide your family in the real world and do the same in the digital world
(even if it sometimes feels like your son or daughter is the technology expert in your home!) - Have a go with some of the technologies your child enjoys – if you haven’t already, download some music, set up a Facebook® profile or play a game on their Nintendo® Wii.
- Talk to your friends and family (and the parents of your child’s friends) about how they help their children to manage their digital world – you might get some useful tips.
- Try not to use technology as your babysitter – we all do it sometimes but it’s important to know what they’re doing.
- Don’t be afraid to set boundaries and rules, especially for younger children – their online reputation will follow them forever so it’s never too young to start.
- Make the most of built-in tools, such as Parental Controls, SafeSearch options and privacy controls.
- Remind older siblings that certain websites and devices might not be appropriate for their younger brother or sister and ask them to look out for them.
- Make digital issues part of everyday conversation – don’t shy away from talking to teenagers about difficult subjects like cyberbullying, sexting and copyright infringement, for example.
- Keep communicating – show your child that you understand how important technology is to them and reassure them that they can come to you about anything that is worrying them in their digital world.
- Keep up to date with all that is going the tech world and how to keep your child safe, by checking out Crystaline’s Cyber Parenting, Internet Matters, NSPCC and Vodafone’s Digital Parenting.
