Conversation starters to understand your child’s online life

• Talk with children from an early age to make it easier to maintain good communication
• Have bitesize conversations that are relevant to them

• Choose to talk when you are due to spend some time together, like over a meal or during their bedtime routine
• Bring digital experience into normal, everyday conversations

• Model the behaviour you want them to show by sharing about your day
• Be open and encouraging to make them feel supported

• Ask open-ended questions
• Ensure that your child feels listened to rather than cornered
• When they start talking, hold off with questions and really listen
• Be prepared, calm and patient with them

Online Reputation

• Understanding how online activity creates a ‘digital footprint’ that lasts forever
• Being a good digital citizen e.g. treating people like you would face to face
• Thinking before posting

Critical thinking

• Making them aware that some people hide behind fake profiles
• Being critical about what they see online as not everything is true
• Agreeing digital boundaries to allow them freedom to make informed decisions

Personal Safety

• Keeping info private on devices and apps they use through privacy settings
• What a good social media profile looks like
• Create strong passwords for every online account

Resolving Online Issues

• Tools and strategies to deal with issues they may face online such as cyberbullying or seeing inappropriate content
• Where & how to report an issue – encouraging them to speak to an adult

Best of the Net

• What they enjoy most about their favourite apps or sites
• The coolest sites and apps among their group of friends
• Talking about things online you can enjoy together and ways to stay involved in their digital world