- Negotiate a clear agreement with your child about how, when and where the internet can be accessed and used, and then stick to the agreement. Respect your child’s privacy, but make it clear that this is a two way street. They also need to respect the rules.
- Try to keep internet use in shared, family areas so that your child is not using the internet in isolation.
- Communicate clearly and regularly with your child about the benefits and the dangers of being on-line. Spend time together navigating the web—help them see what sites are safe and ones they should avoid.
- Make sure that your child doesn’t provide personal information (name, school, address, phone number) to anyone on-line and that they only interact with people they know. Stress to them that they should never meet up in real life with someone they met on-line.
- Keep the channels of communication open—make sure your child knows that they can come to you if they find themselves in a risky situation and that you will support them.
If you would like more information on this, check out www.ispcc.ie for the Safe Click Code.
As featured in the Limerick Chronicle 11th October 2016
