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  • Conversation starters to encourage kids to share their digital lives

Conversation starters

Help children deal with online issues and open up about their digital lives with these 4 simple tips.

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Talking digital with kids

#1 Talk early and often
  • Talk with children from an early age to make it easier to maintain good communication
  • Have bitesize conversations that are relevant to them
#2 Choose the right time
  • 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
#3 Open up and share too
  • Model the behaviour you want them to show by sharing about your day
  • Be open and encouraging to make them feel supported
#4 Create a safe space
  • 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
Things to cover in conversations

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

More to explore

See related advice and practical tips to support children online:

  • Advice for 0-5 years
  • Advice for 11-13 years
  • Advice for 14+ year olds
  • Advice for 6-10 years

On site links

  • Online safety advice by age
  • Online Reputation
  • Mum shares digital prep for childs’ move to secondary school
  • LEGO Group launches ‘Build & Talk’ challenges to encourage families to talk about online safety

Related Web Links

  • 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
  • The dangers of digital piracy
  • Digital resilience toolkit
  • Social media advice hub
  • Guide to apps
  • Online gaming advice hub
  • Accessibility on Internet Matters
  • Schools resources
  • Early years resources
  • Primary school resources
  • Secondary school resources
  • Parent pack for teachers
  • News & opinion
  • Our expert panel
  • #StaySafeStayHome support for families
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