5 tips to help your children stay safe online during lockdown
Kids spending a lot more time online right now? You’re definitely not alone. To help busy parents and guardians, we’ve teamed up with Parent Zone to offer 5 tips to keep children safe online during this challenging period.
“We’re all spending a lot more time online right now and that means we need to be even more alert to the risks,” says Vicki Shotbolt, Founder and CEO of Parent Zone. “It’s really important to remind your children of the important safety messages so that they can enjoy being connected and stay safe. Digiworld is designed to explain everything they need to know.”
Head of Sustainability at Telenor Group, Elisabeth Biering, agrees.
“As parents and guardians, it’s more important than ever that we prepare our children to balance the opportunities of this online lifestyle with a good understanding of risks and how to deal with them. These tips are a reminder that simple steps and routines can go a long way in helping keep children safe during these challenging times.”
5 Tips To Help Your Children Stay Safe Online During Lockdown
1.Talk to your children about what’s happening
Try to help your child understand what is going on by giving a truthful explanation that is appropriate for their age. This may help reduce feelings of confusion, anger, sadness and fear.
You can’t fix everything, but you can make sure that they know you are there for them.
2.Help them spend quality time online
Children who are stuck inside are likely to be drawn to screens for entertainment, but you can help them make good choices about how they spend that time. Try to balance the time they spend on games and social media with offline activities and video chats with friends.
3.Encourage them to think about what they read
Information spreads quickly online. This can be great, but it also makes it easy for rumours and false statements to get out of hand. Remind your child that if they’re not sure about something they see online, they can always ask you, or another trusted adult.
Together with global sustainability partners UNICEF and Plan International, Telenor is taking Digiworld content to millions of parents, guardians and children across its Asian footprint. Click the image to dive into Digiworld for a world of safe internet quizzes, tips and resources.
4.Consider who your children are in contact with
Talk to your child about online friendships. Let them know that if they ever feel uncomfortable at the way a conversation is going, they should end it immediately and talk to an adult they know they can trust.
It can be hard to spot the signs of online grooming, so if you’re worried that your child’s behaviour is out of character, talk to them to find out what’s wrong.
5.Take care of their mental health
Children who are used to running around and hanging out with friends might get cabin fever when stuck inside for long periods. It’s important for their mental health that they still get exercise and sleep properly – so sit down with them and draw up a schedule that gives their day some structure.
It can include everything from meal times to gaming sessions – just make sure that it’s varied and that they are happy with it too.