Positive Parenting: Parenting in the digital age - a common sense approach to keeping your children safe

AS a parent, it can feel like a losing battle trying to keep our kids safe online since even with safeguards in place, porn or extreme violence is just a click away. We can also face relentless pressure from our kids to give them smart devices before we think they’re ready for all that comes with that access.
I know it’s not easy because I’ve faced this pressure myself as the parent of a tween and teenager. I got my daughter a smartphone at 12, but she didn’t get access to any social media until later and in fact I only allowed her to have Snapchat aged 15, despite many arguments around the social isolation from her peers that she would endure. I did it because to my mind, the benefits of Snapchat did not outweigh the risks for a young teen.
It might just be getting a bit easier however. I’m seeing a real shift in recent times with parents coming together to agree to hold off on access to smartphones and in some cases, social media, which has made the conversation with my son more straightforward, since he won’t be the only one in his peer group. I appreciate that it’s not the easiest option in the face of social pressure but, they may thank you for it one day!
Until tech companies are truly held accountable, we as parents must take the lead in educating and talking to our children about inappropriate content they may encounter online, helping them recognise harmful situations, and establishing rules for their online activities. We also need to keep a consistent eye on what they’re seeing and doing online.
Taking an interest in your child’s online life is key to helping us as parents become more involved, and believe it or not, this parental involvement is essential to ensuring a safer online environment for them. Simply asking them what they are doing, watching, or playing online gives us a chance to connect and engage in their online lives to the same extent as their offline lives.

Online Safety Advice
Our Same Rules Apply campaign seeks to support parents in approaching children’s online lives with the same care and supervision that we apply to their offline lives. However, it's not solely the parents' responsibility; Big Tech must also be compelled to create safer online spaces for children. The reality is that these spaces were not designed with children in mind and, as a consequence, present risks to children, particularly in relation to inappropriate content and harmful contact.
Always remember that when you give your child access to the online world, you are also giving the online world access to your child.

This article was written by Alex Cooney, CEO of CyberSafeKids, on behalf of Parenting Limerick - a network of parenting and family support services across Limerick city and county. For more information about CyberSafeKids' Same Rules Apply campaign, including practical tips and useful resources in the accompanying Better Digital Parenting guide, can be found at cybersafekids.ie/samerulesapply.