Raising in a digital world.

Raising in a digital world.

As a parent, you have an extra challenge today: besides school, sports and hobbies, your child is also online a lot. How to stay informed about your child’s digital world? We give you some tips.

1. Ask Questions And Have An Open Attitude

Your child’s online and offline life often blend. A talk in class continues in a group chat. A photo on Instagram can be the topic of conversation the next day at school. This means that digital experiences also affect the rest of your child’s life.

Online, children can discover new interests, be creative and keep in touch with friends and peers. Unfortunately, risks like cyberbullying, peer pressure or sharing personal information can also appear.

By taking everything that happens online seriously, you show you want to understand your child. For example, ask: “Did you see anything fun on TikTok?” or “How is it going in the class chat?” Try not only to ask about problems but also about the fun things.

2. Make Clear Agreements

It can help to make clear agreements with your child about being online. This does not mean all strict rules, but that you make agreements together. Think about screen time, phone use at certain moments, or when phones and tablets turn off.

It is important that agreements fit your child’s age. A first-year secondary student needs something different than a child in group 5. It can help to explain why you set certain rules. If your child understands why you make certain agreements, it is probably easier to follow them.

3. Teach Your Child To Think Critically

Critical thinking and watching are essential on social media. Children see a lot of information online. But not all this information is correct or good for your child.

Talk together about what your child finds. Who posted a message or video? Why does someone want you to buy or share something? By asking questions, you help your child think for themselves. That often works better than just telling what is allowed or not.

School can play an important role here. Digital skills are more often part of the curriculum. But the program differs per school. Ask the school how the program looks.

Questions Or Personal Advice?

Do you have questions about this topic, want advice about your situation or just a listening ear? Then contact us via 088-6050101, email vraag@oudersenonderwijs.nl or WhatsApp us.