Talking with your child about online safety
How to start the conversation about screens and strangers online without making your child anxious — and what to agree on together.
Most children meet screens long before they meet a stranger in the street. The good news is that the conversation does not need to be scary — it needs to be regular, short and calm.
Start with everyday moments
You do not need a formal talk. Ask what they watched, who they played with online, and what happened that was funny. When the ordinary questions are normal, the worried ones are easier to ask.
Agree the basics together
- Screens live in shared rooms, and go to bed in the kitchen.
- If something looks strange or unkind, they tell you — and they will not be in trouble.
- Nobody online gets photographs, school names or addresses, even a friend.
- People who ask a child to keep a secret from their grown-ups are not safe, no matter who they say they are.
Use stories as practice
A story gives your child a safe way to rehearse. When a character has to decide whether to tell, ask your child what they would do — the answer tells you more than any lecture.
If something goes wrong
Stay steady. Your first job is to make sure your child knows they did the right thing by telling you. Then block, report and, if needed, ask the platform or the school for help. Print our Family Screen-Time Agreement and fill it in together so expectations are shared.
