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  • Addressing Online pornography: Supporting 6-10s – Do’s and Don’ts

Addressing Online Pornography

Supporting 6 – 10s:  Do’s and Don’ts

Talking about online pornography can be a tricky subject to discuss with young children however, it’s important to be open and ready to answer questions if children stumble across it.

Watch and see a list of ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ from our ambassador Dr Linda Papadopoulos to be prepared to support children aged 6-10 on this issue.

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Watch and see a list of ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ from our ambassador Dr Linda Papadopoulos to be prepared to support children aged 6-10 on this issue.

Parents' guide to address issue of online pornography with 6-10s

Do’s & Don’ts to consider

Do talk about it in the context of relationships and communication

This will allow kids to begin to think critically about concepts like what respect and boundaries mean in relationships from a young age.

Do talk about it in terms of safety

The same way that you would talk about anything that they may not be developmentally ready to stumble across.

Do make it a habit to point out that they should feel empowered to decide what happens to their body

Check in with them about personal boundaries – don’t force them to give hugs if they don’t want to, they need to feel they have a say in what feels comfortable for them.

Do get them to get into the habit of chatting to you about how they feel

Whether its a bedtime chat about their day or when driving them back from school, make talking about experiences and feelings a habit.

Don’t make it taboo to talk about relationships and sex

Point out what healthy relationships (friendships and romantic relationships) look like- respect, kindness, reciprocity sensitise them to what healthy relationships are.

Don’t make it something to be fearful of
  • Minimise anxiety by speaking about taboo subjects with confidence
  • Don’t avoid addressing the issue just because they are young- you can have the talk in an age-appropriate way that you then build on in later years
  • Don’t let your discomfort about an issue make it an issue for them

We’ve created an advice hub to offer parents more tips and advice to help protect children and young people from online pornography.

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More to explore

See related advice and practical tips to support children online:

  • Advice for 6-10 years
  • Online pornography resources
  • Support wellbeing with tech

On site links

  • Digital Resilience Toolkit
  • Online pornography advice hub
  • Conversation starters to encourage kids to share their digital lives

Related Web Links

Visit the AMAZE website for age-appropriate information about puberty for tweens and parents

  • Online issues
  • Cyberbullying
  • Inappropriate content
  • Sexting
  • Self-harm
  • Screen time
  • Radicalisation
  • Online grooming
  • Online pornography
  • Online reputation
  • Privacy and identity theft
  • Advice by age
  • Pre-school (0-5)
  • Young children (6-10)
  • Pre-teen (11-13)
  • Teens ( 14+)
  • Setting controls
  • Smartphones and other devices
  • Broadband & mobile networks
  • Gaming platform & other devices
  • Social media privacy guides
  • Entertainment & search engines
  • Connecting Safely Online
  • Resources
  • My Family’s Digital Toolkit
  • Online gaming advice hub
  • The dangers of digital piracy
  • Digital resilience toolkit
  • Social media advice hub
  • Guide to apps
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