Wanstead resident and media literacy expert Janette Ballard founded Be Smart Cookie to help children stay safe online. As a mother of three, she has first-hand experience of the digital challenges kids face today
Now the new year is well underway, can I ask; how are those resolutions going? One of my own resolutions was to reduce my children’s screen time. How’s that going? I hear you ask. Well, badly. I have triplets, aged nine, and it’s a daily battle to maintain screen downtime!
But at least I know I’m not alone. As a consultant in media education – a ‘digital doctor’ if you like – I hear from people worried about their child’s online life every day. From online bullying to stranger danger, parents can feel overwhelmed and ill-equipped to tackle the tough tech challenges facing kids. And we’d all love a quick fix, right? The good news is that despite the scale and complexity, there are just three things I would encourage anyone to think about.
The first is to remember that many of the dangers we find online, we also find in the real world, and so the solutions are often much the same. Take strangers; you might tell your child to speak to a grown-up they trust if a stranger approaches them. It’s the same online. You can teach your child that if a stranger approaches them in a chat, for example, they should go and speak to a grown-up they trust.
It is also important to start getting your child cyber-smart early on. I’m not suggesting we give babies phones – when you introduce digital devices to your child is up to you – but at whatever age you do introduce a screen, make it a family activity you do together. And if your child is already using screens, it’s not too late to start making it a family activity. I get it; I know how tempting it is to hand over a screen in exchange for some precious time to get stuff done. But the risk is that, over time, you end up watching a digital circus from the sidelines – or through a closed bedroom door – with no real knowledge of what your child is up to.
So, just as you paint, draw, read and play with them, do screentime with them. Doing it together means the values and boundaries you are already teaching them in the real world will continue online. Sitting alongside them will help them feel more supported, while you will feel more in control.
This brings me to my third suggestion; model the behaviour you want to see. I remember one of my kids once drew a picture of our family holding hands. Except for me, as both my hands were holding a phone. When I asked about it, the answer was: “You’re scrolling, Mummy.” What we do, they do.
One last thing; let’s not forget the internet has so much value to offer. For me, online safety doesn’t mean going offline. It means learning to be smart and savvy online, finding the good stuff and avoiding the bad. I am convinced the challenge of our kids’ digital lives is not beyond us; this is our moment to step up our game!
For more information and to contact Janette, visit besmartcookie.co.uk
