Childhood Has Moved Online. Are We Paying Attention?
Our children are growing up with the internet, but are we teaching them how to stay safe in it?
Have you noticed how quickly children can become proficient at using a smartphone?
A 5 year old will likely work out how to open YouTube and fast forward through videos to find their favourite cartoon.
It is pretty amazing!
However, I sometimes think we don’t pay much attention to what they are actually looking at. We often tell children to stay safe. Tell them not to speak to strangers, go anywhere with someone they don’t know and not to trust people.
But what if the stranger is online?
The internet isn’t always as harmless as it looks
Imagine a child is browsing videos. They open one, then another. This could turn into them reading comments, receiving random messages or being contacted by someone they don’t know.
This may not seem like a big deal.
But the internet can expose children to cyberbullying, inappropriate content, online manipulation, and pressure to look or behave a certain way.
And unlike something that happens in the playground, online experiences can follow a child even after they’ve returned home.This is what makes it an issue.
Sometimes, children don’t tell us what’s happening
Another point to consider
A child might receive an uncomfortable message online, but choose not to tell their parents.
They may be worried that they will lose their phone, or they may be worried they will be in trouble for speaking to someone they shouldn’t be speaking to.
Get Muskan Parvin’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Or they may not know how to explain the situation.
Having an open dialogue will mean that children are more likely to seek help as they know they can talk about any uncomfortable situations they face online without being blamed or punished straight away.
Taking the phone away isn’t always the answer
I understand why parents worry about screen time. Too much time online can affect sleep, studies, physical activity, and time spent with family.
However, sometimes it is not possible for children to avoid using technology altogether.
As children grow up in today’s digital world they will have to use the internet for learning, communicating, entertainment and eventually work.
Therefore maybe instead of telling children to avoid the internet maybe we should teach them how to use it properly.
Have a chat with your child about privacy settings, strange messages, giving out personal information and how to deal with any situations that may make them feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes just asking them what they have been watching or talking to can lead to some useful discussions.
Children need guidance, not just restrictions
Digital safety is an important topic to cover when talking about children’s overall wellbeing.
As parents, teachers, schools and organisations we all have a responsibility to educate children on the world they live in.
Organisations such as Unessa Foundation are important for educating children. Their mission is to help develop children to prepare them for life outside of the classroom.
You can find out more about what they do here: https://unessafoundation.org/
We cannot monitor every single video or conversation children will get into online.
However, we can ensure they know what is safe and what isn’t.
Plus we can ensure they know they will always be able to come to us if they get into trouble.
Overall it is not about restricting how much time children have online. But ensuring they know how to keep themselves safe.
