10 tips to help keep your child safe online

I have created a series called Tech Savvy Mum (that’s me) and here are my top 10 tips to help keep your child safe online.

I have a passion for helping parents navigate the online world. My two children, Amber, 16 and Jacob, nine, are my inspiration and they both use the online space very differently.

Tech Savvy Mum Adele Jennings and her son Jacob

I am also an Internet Matters vlogger on their YouTube channel, teaching others how keep their kids safe from everything like how to set parental controls to tips on cyberbullying.

Tech Savvy Mum Adele Jennings helping parents keep children safe online with Internet Matters

Internet Matters are a not-for-profit organisation that has a simple purpose – to empower parents and carers to keep children safe in the digital world.

Let’s face it, being a parent can be tricky at times never mind with this new world of online. So I am on a mission to help parents while learning myself.

Have a look at these tips to help keep our kids safe online and I would love it if you could do just one of them today.

If you would like to get in touch with any questions or problems you are having, I would be more than happy to try and help out.

Best place to chat to me is on Instagram @ourfamilylifeuk or twitter @OurFamilyLifeUK I look forward to speaking with you.

Here are my top 10 tips to help keep our children safe online

1. Get involved and talk to them about their online world. Be interested, and ask them to teach you how to play the games or the apps they like to use. Kids love to tell parents how to do things that they don’t know.

2. Encourage your child to tell you or a teacher if they have seen something inappropriate or upsetting online. Don’t tell them off as they are likely to not mention things in future. Try and react in a calm manner and tell them it’s really good that they have told you.

3. Tell them not to share personal information, or their location, with anyone they don’t know in person. They should not share their school badge in photos if shared online, either.

4. Learn how to block and report any inappropriate content and then encourage your child to do the same.

5. Mention to them that not everything they see online is real.

6. Parents are going through this for the first time so they need to learn about the dangers themselves.

7. Learn how to set parental controls on the devices used.

8. Encourage children to be kind online. If they wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, they shouldn’t say it online.

9. Remind them that everything posted online can be there forever. People can save and screenshot messages and pictures.

10. Create a family contract which enables you as a family to have screen-free time.

Social media giants need to share their data with mental health researchers to help keep our children safe online

As a mum of a 16-year-old daughter, I always worry about what she sees online, the life she leads on social media and the effect it has on her mental health.

Whether we like it or not, teenagers live their lives through social media. The constant picture taking, chatting with friends, group discussions, organising meet-ups or just generally talking about friendships and school problems is the norm for them.

Being a parent is a tricky job, and we try to keep our children safe.

We instinctively hold their hand when we cross the road, or put a seatbelt on to keep them safe in the car. But this online world is new to us parents. We didn’t have this when we were growing up and because it isn’t something we can see or have access to, we don’t really have any idea of what our kids get up to online.

But the tech giants do.

Now, I’m not saying I need to know everything that my daughter gets up to online because, well, she deserves her privacy.

But, we need to keep our kids safe and cannot do it alone.

The online space can be an amazing place, one where you can gain new friends, new skills and learn new things. I am an active user on all the social media platforms. But it isn’t always a great place to be.

A new report published today by the Royal College of Psychiatrists is asking social media and tech giants to hand over their data collected to universities for independent research into the harms and benefits of social media use.

Children with mental health problems is at an all time high and services are at breaking point. Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is so stretched.

But why are so many children having problems?

The little devices they hold in their hands, can cause so much stress, from having the latest smartphone, trolling, cyberbullying (which is now accessible 24/7), trying to compete with a seemingly ‘perfect’ lifestyle portrayed on social media, keeping up with the latest celebrity or fashion trends and social media influencers making money from their accounts, it’s all so much pressure.

Sadly, anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide are on the rise. Being a teenager has always been tough, but now it’s even harder.

My daughter regularly says to me ‘I wish I was a kid in the eighties, you were lucky because you didn’t have all these problems and pressures back then’.

Our data is being collected all the time, from every website we click on, using bank cards, even putting your car reg into a pay and display machine. All aspect of our lives are being monitored and every bit of information companies can get their hands on, they are taking it without us really realising what for. Even if we do click on the ‘accept’ button that pops up on websites (including mine).

So with that in mind, these massive social media companies have a duty to their users, especially the younger ones. It’s no good just saying you have to be a certain age to use that particular platform, they have to implement stricter rules, remove harmful content and help keep our children safe. And if that means sharing the data that they collect from us, then they need to do that as soon as possible.

Surely using the data collected from the users for something good would benefit and make our children’s lives better, happier and more enjoyable is the right thing to do and that information should be offered without question.

In its report, the Royal College of Psychiatrists says a proposed 2% levy on the UK revenues of major tech companies does not go far enough.

Instead, it wants the so-called "turnover tax" to apply to international turnover, and for some of the money from it to be used for mental health research.

The co-author of the report has now called on the government to step up its action by forcing an independent regulator to pass data gathered from smartphones and devices on to researchers to study.

From the Royal College of Psychiatrists website:

Dr Bernadka Dubicka, chair of the child and adolescent faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists and co-author of the report, said:

“As a psychiatrist working on the frontline, I am seeing more and more children self-harming and attempting suicide as a result of their social media use and online discussions.

“We will never understand the risks and benefits of social media use unless the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram share their data with researchers. Their research will help shine a light on how young people are interacting with social media, not just how much time they spend online.

“Self-regulation is not working. It is time for government to step-up and take decisive action to hold social media companies to account for escalating harmful content to vulnerable children and young people.”

The data collected would be anonymous and include the nature of content viewed, as well as the amount of time users are spending on social media platforms.

The story of Molly Russell who was 14 when she died days before her birthday after viewing graphic self-harm and suicide material on Instagram is utterly heartbreaking.

My heart goes out to her family and her dad, Ian Russell, has backed the report calling for companies to share data and pay towards research into the technology's potential harms.

This is a message to the big social media companies… Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat… You are massive companies with millions of users, you allow people to share their lives online, please share the data you have gathered and help us keep our children safe online.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org, visit a local branch or visit samaritans.org

Internet Matters is a great website which has tips and advice for parents to help keep children safe online.

How to use Apple Screen Time on iPhone and iPad

So, if like me, you have only just updated your iPhone or iPad's operating system to IOS 12, you may have noticed a few new features.

I am so happy to see that Screen Time has been added on this update. As a parent, I say, thank you Apple!

It's so important to keep our children safe and monitor the amount of screen time while kids are enjoying their time online.

We, as parents and carers, need to learn more about it. We are the first generation of parents to deal with the consequences of this new online space. And lets face it, we all spend too much time on our phones.

It's great that Apple have installed this new Screen Time feature on this latest IOS 12 update.

Screen Time is easy to use, so even if you have an iPhone or iPad and don't feel like you are tech savvy, once it is updated, it's all ready to go.

First things first, let me tell you what the Screen Time app is and where it is on your iPhone or iPad.

Screen Time has an icon of a timer, it lets you know how much time you and your kids spend on apps, websites, and more.

It has really detailed information on your iPhone and iPad usage.

Very interesting and scary at the same time!

Not seen it yet? Heres how to find it...

1. Go to settings > Screen Time.

2. Tap Turn On Screen Time.

3. Tap Continue.

4. Select This is My (device) or this is My Child's (device)

Jacob loves watching YouTube on his iPad

As a mum who worries a lot about how much my 8-year-old son, Jacob, spends on screen time, I was very happy to see Apple taking note of how important it is for parents, and children, to be aware.

I looked at my own after a couple of days after the new update, and I was quite shocked.

I was even more worried when I saw my son had spent 23 hours on YouTube! What the..?

He was off school poorly for a few of those days, but even so, that is way too much.

If it's your child's device, you can set up Screen Time and create settings and limits on their iPad or device.

You can use Family Sharing to configure your child's settings from your own device.

Once set up, you can use Family Sharing to view reports and adjust settings anytime right from your own phone or iPad.

Guess what I will be doing later?

And, you can also create a passcode just for the secure settings so those little fingers can't change them once they have been set.

So only you can extend time or make changes.

If we are honest, i think we are all a little bit addicted to our devices

Kids are very clever, my son had the passcode to the iPad sussed out in no time at all, so I had to change it! The same thing happened to my Apple ID, when I realised lots of apps appeared on my phone that I had no clue what they were until I questioned the suspect who said 'But they are all free mummy!' Well that's ok then...not!

He may only be 8, but he's clever! As with nearly all kids, they were practically born holding these devices.

Even my 15 year-old-daughter moans that she never had an iPad when she was Jacob's age, she's 15!

Make sure you choose a different passcode to the one you use to unlock your device.

The Screen Time by Apple gives you a detailed report on all the apps you have opened, how your device is used and the websites you've visited.

You can see all this information, anytime you like.

The results are easy to read as it is set out in a colourful, clean and clear graph which makes it easy to understand.

I actually think this will also be good for me as you can set time limits on Most Used apps, which is great because I get easily distracted by all the notifications on my phone.

Downtime feature

This allows your phone to have a 'nap'. When you schedule Downtime in settings, only phone calls and apps that you choose to allow are available.

Really need to be strict with this one!

Set App Limits

This is also a good one. You can set daily limits for app categories with App Limits.

You may only want to see productivity apps while your at work, but not social media or games.

Always Allowed

There's an Always Allowed feature which allows you to access selected apps even when the app limits are set. Must resist the temptation to add social media on to this. I can live without seeing a dog throwing its food bowl across the floor or the video of the person slipping on the ice! Just for a few hours, can't I?

Content & Privacy Restrictions

This is also a great feature for you kids devices. You decide the type of content that appears on your device. Brilliant for blocking inappropriate content, purchases, and downloads.

I'm really pleased Apple is taking these issues seriously.

We live our lives on mobile devices, so they do have a responsibility to add features that can keep our children safe while they are online.

It's up to use as parents, to learn about them and implement them so we can all have a safe and happy time in this amazing online world we live in.

For more information on screen time limits see internetmatters.org.

They are a fantastic not-for-profit organisation who I have worked with that offer advice and help to parents in all things digital. With brilliant age-appropriate guides.

I also contributed to 'A Parent's Essential Guide to Online Safety' which is now published on mirror.co.uk where you can find lots of helpful information about Cyberbullying, Gaming, Social Media and Screen Time.

Safer Internet Day: How to keep our children safe online

We're the first generation of parents having to deal with this online world and the dangers are not obvious.

As a mum to a 15-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son, I’m trying to understand this online, app-based, smartphone, tablet watching, virtual, 24/7, social world we are living in now.

I love that my children have access to information and education in the online space, but as a parent, the fear is very real of the horrors that they can access lurking under the surface only a few clicks away.

If I cross the road, my instinct is to hold my child’s hand, if we go anywhere in the car, I make sure they are wearing their seat belts.

I can see these dangers, but can’t see the dangers online.

Reading the tragic story of Molly Russell who took her own life after looking at self-harm pictures on Instagram is utterly heartbreaking and my heart goes out to her parents and family.

Listening to Molly’s dad Ian, talk about what happened is devastating.

Around 200 British schoolchildren take their own lives each year. We can’t say all these are down to social media, but it’s no surprise to me that the waiting times for the NHS's Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services CAMHS are so long and services in school are at full capacity.

My husband Mark and I, are terrified at the things our teenager can potentially see and access online.

My head is spinning as a parent so imagine how children and teenagers feel thinking they have to have a certain online presence and the pressures that go along with that.

The online pressures children face in many areas of their life is clearly affecting their mental health.

We are the first generation of parents to try and understand this online world and the new way of life.

I think it’s the biggest gap there has ever been between us and our kids. We don’t have previous generations offering us parenting advice because it has never been like this before.

Adele, Jacob, Mark and Amber talk about ways to stay safe on the internet

I loved playing games on my ZX Spectrum in the ’80s, on games like Chucky Egg and Manic Miner, but we are a world away from that now.

The little smartphone they hold in their hands can cause so much joy and also so much pain.

The way of life for teenagers now is very much a social one, but not in the way you or I would relate to. Their social world is online and all about the followers and likes.

Those little thumbs tapping away on their phone in a world where parents don't see most of it.

Our Family Life have a YouTube channel. Join the Jennings family on YouTube

The tech giants, big social media and technology industry experts need to do more to protect our children, take more responsibility, and allow them to have a good online experience. They are not doing enough.

But as a parent, I know that I have to learn more about it myself.

I like to think I am quite tech-savvy, I have a website, a YouTube channel, social media accounts, I am on my phone quite a lot. I go to YouTube for tutorials on things I want to learn, I will post a picture on Instagram when we have had a nice day out, keep in touch with family and friends on Facebook, but I use all these in a different way to my daughter.

Adele meeting HRH Prince William at the launch of the Stop, Speak, Support campaign

She uses Instagram as a group messaging service, with Snapchat being the main way she communicates with friends, but Facebook is seen as a parents place to be social.

I have worked with Internet Matters to record videos for parents on how to set parental controls while trying to learn more so I can help protect my own children.

One of Adele’s videos with Internet Matters

I met Prince William at the launch of the Stop, Speak, Support campaign to tackle cyberbullying. This is a huge issue in so many lives.

I know I need to use my phone less and set an example to my children.

I know I need to set an example for my children when using my devices

Keeping up to date with the latest apps and online crazes is so difficult.

As I sit here and look around my living room I see my eight-year-old son Jacob laughing out loud watching a YouTube video on his iPad.

My daughter is in her bedroom on her Xbox. She is talking to her friends on Xbox Live and playing games with them.

My husband is in the kitchen preparing dinner while listening to music and also looking at tweets on Twitter.

I am looking at Facebook on my phone and watching TV.

My children don’t watch TV very much anymore. It’s Netflix for Amber and YouTube for Jacob.

After homework has been done, this is a typical evening in our house.

Honestly, I don’t fully know what my children are getting up to while they’re online. I can only hope that by me talking to them about the dangers that it will help them have a good experience.

Jacob loves watching YouTubers on his iPad

Amber is a big gamer, unlike many of her female friends, she loves gaming. She enjoys playing on her Xbox and chats with her friends through Xbox Live (an online gaming subscription service) while playing games with people around the world.

As with many children, she got caught up in the Fortnite craze, which has now gone out of favour with her and her friends.

We once had an incident when Amber was 12 years old.

My husband walked into her bedroom and heard a grown man’s voice talking to her in the headset she was wearing.

I heard my husband say ‘Who are you talking to?’ 

Amber’s reply was ‘Just a friend in Germany!’

A friend in Germany that sounded like a grown man talking to our 12-year-old girl. Terrifying!

This shocked both myself and Mark, and we didn’t realise that Xbox Live gives you access to people all over the world.

We cancelled her subscription and she didn’t have it for the next year. 

Maybe we reacted too over-the-top, but we didn’t have a clue what to do at the time.

We all learned a lesson from that and it opened up our conversation to talk about the dangers online.

I always try and have chats with my kids about what they are doing.

I think the key is to allow them to talk to you and not just tell them off as they are more likely to respond well to that and not shut down and do things in secret.

We encourage them to tell us if they have seen something upsetting or if anyone has been unkind to them.

We have rules for both of them but it is very tricky to monitor their every move online.

Try to guide them to make sure things like the school badge on a blazer or jumper is not in a picture, that their location is turned off. These are simple things but wouldn’t be something we would even have thought about.

We would never, ever, take away our daughters' mobile phone, this is because it doesn’t solve the problem, it just puts up a barrier between you and your child.

Don’t forget, this is their world, and this is their ‘normal’.

It’s frustrating that up and down the country, schools have different policies on smartphone usage. Some allow them, other schools don’t. I will be very unpopular with my daughter for saying this, but I don’t think smartphones should be allowed in schools, primary or secondary.

My son, Jacob, does not have a phone… yet, even though he has started asking when he can have one! 

And the age at which children start using a smartphone is around 10/11 years old but they are getting younger.

He loves to watch videos on YouTube, and even has his own YouTube channel which I manage for him. He loves recording videos. A few of his friends even say they want to be YouTubers when they grow up. Which is seen as a career by youngsters who watch their favourite vloggers making lots of money and having fun.

I will not stop him from wanting to record videos, because the creativity young people have online is fantastic and I can see the benefits of this.

Jacob loves recording video on his Planet Jacob YouTube channel

But, as with most social media, you have to be thirteen years old to have an account which is why I record, edit, upload and monitor the videos. 

We need to teach them online etiquette, they need to learn that if you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, you don’t say it to them online.

And they need to be aware of anything that is posted online could be there forever and companies are delving into the social media history on future employees.

I sometimes feel I am muddling along as a parent and trying to do what’s right for my children.

I think that between children, parents, carers, teachers and tech giants, we all have a role to play in making our online experience a good one, but that can only happen if we all work together.

Where can we get help?

• Parent-friendly social media platforms for kids: kudos.com, PlayKids Talk (appsdrop.com), popjam.com, kidzworld.com, gromsocial.com.

• Pre-installed parental controls are available for most smartphones, tablets, laptops and game consoles – but you can download additional software and apps. See internetmatters.org for a guide.

• Apps to keep your children healthy: Dungeon Runner: Fitness Quest, Habitz, Plant Nanny, Sworkit Kids and Zombies, Run!

• For advice on social media use: internetmatters.org, NSPCC.org.uk/onlinesafety, net-aware.org.uk.

• For more detail on PEGI ratings visit parentinfo.org

• For advice on gaming: internetmatters.org.

• For age-appropriate information on puberty, take a look at amaze.org. And advice for families on staying safe, from ThinkUKnow, is at thinkuknow.co.uk.

• Make young children aware their bodies belong to them. The NSPCC has a fantastic PANTS activity pack (search “pants” on nspcc.org.uk ) with fun games and a funny Pantosaurus song to teach them “what’s in your pants belongs only to you”.

• Log on to selfharm.co.uk for more info and advice, or selfinjurysupport.org.uk, which has a text service for young women, and an any-age helpline. If you need more help visit your GP and ask for a referral to a therapist.

• Why not create a family contract? You can find a template for a family contract at childnet.com. If you are feeling really bold, why not unplug and create “screen free” zones at home?

Launch of the Stop, Speak, Support campaign to stop cyberbullying and meeting HRH The Duke of Cambridge

I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of the Stop, Speak, Support campaign at YouTube Space in London.

I have been working with Internet Matters for a couple of years now. Recording vlogs to help parents keep our children safe while online. Internet Matters are a not-for-profit organisation that has a simple purpose - to help keep children safe in the online world. They offer lots of help and advice to parents.

The Duke of Cambridge with the Royal Foundation has brought together some of the world's most recognisable names in media and tech, as well as children's charities and parents, to work alongside a panel of young people to find a way forward. Together they set themselves the task of creating a safer and more supportive life online. After more than 18 months of work, the Taskforce is unveiling an Action Plan to combat this problem. 

I was there as a parent, to listen to and talk about cyberbullying from a parents perspective. I feel like this is the biggest generational gap ever between us parents and our children. 

We don't have the experience of advice passed on from our parents as it didn't exist when I was a teenager.

We try and keep our children safe everyday. We hold our children's hands when we cross the road, because we can see that danger. You can't see the dangers online.

Cyberbullying is a horrible thing, it can make children's lives a misery and even lead to children taking their own life.

Please show this video about the Stop, Speak, Support campaign

When I was at school, if people were bullied, once they went home and closed the door, they were in the safety of their own home. The bullies couldn't get to them. With the rise of smartphones and other devices, children can be bullied 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Duke of Cambridge believes that our largest social media, technology, gaming, communication service providers and media companies have a positive opportunity to create the solution to support our children online, and to help children feel empowered to question online behaviour, speak out and support their friends.

I had the pleasure of meeting some very inspirational people. It was an absolute honour and a privilege to meet Prince William. He was really lovely and very engaging.

I'm so pleased that The Royal Foundation have taken cyberbullying seriously and joined all these tech giants to help children and parents stamp it out.

Internet Matters and other charities are playing a very important role.

Carolyn Bunting, CEO of Internet Matters, said: “The Stop, Speak and Support campaign gives children a brilliant, positive focus and helps them to tackle cyberbullying in three simple steps. 

"Internet Matters is immensely proud to be supporting such a relevant and significant campaign, and being part of an industry task force which is working hard to combat cyberbullying.

"We have published a guide on our website to help parents understand how their child can benefit from the code and give them practical advice on cyberbullying."

Visit internetmatters.org for more information.

I made a little video of my day...

Six easy steps to tackle cyberbullying: 

●     Talk About It: If your child is using social media or communicating online, don't wait until they experience cyberbullying to talk to them about it. Ensure they are familiar with the Stop, Speak and Support code and understand the importance of making a positive contribution to their online community. 

●     Beware What They Share: Discuss with your child what they should be sharing online and how it could invite bullies. Talk to your child about what their friends share and how they can help support them if they've shared too much. 

●     Learn about it. Find out about the apps, social networks and online games they are using and what they are able to share through them. Find out if there is a social media element and who they are talking to online. 

●     Take Control: Check the apps they are using are age-appropriate, set safety filters on their devices and ensure privacy and settings are at the highest level on social media.

●     Take It Seriously: Check in with your child regularly and look out for signs of cyberbullying. Remember that children can be targeted by cyberbullies at anytime and online bullies can be anonymous. Gently probe to see if they have witnessed anyone else being cyberbullied and remind them they can always talk to you. 

●     Block and Report: Teach your child what to do if they want to prevent or report abusive messages, including keeping the evidence with screengrabs. 

The Action Plan:

1. The UK will today become the first country in the world to launch a national, youth-led, code of conduct for the internet - 'Stop, Speak, Support'.

2. For the first time ever two of the world’s biggest social media firms are adapting their platforms to provide direct access to support when bullying strikes. Facebook and Snapchat have worked with the NSPCC to create new functions that will be trialled among 1,000 young people. If successful, The Duke hopes it can become a global blueprint.

3. A major new commitment to design 'Safety Guidelines' has been agreed by the social media and gaming firms in the Taskforce, as well as creating a new compliance process, with the sole drive to commit all platforms to keeping children and young people safe.

4. Taskforce members are building a universal strategy for information, ensuring all online resources for support and help – whether aimed at young people or parents – are high quality, reliable and have common themes.

Stop, Speak, Support – The Code of Conduct Campaign

Our campaign seeks to reach every single 11-16 year old in this country, aiming to empower all young people to take a stand against bullying. Bullying has no innocent bystanders, and all people online should feel able to look out for their friends, to stop the bullies, to speak out and to get support. The young people on our taskforce said they had rules and guides for every part of their life – but not online. This is the 'green cross code' for the web.

It was a fantastic day and I hope that one day cyberbullying is stamped out for good. But we can only do that if we all learn together.

Find out more

www.royalfoundation.com
www.internetmatters.org

Anti-bullying week: How can parents help their children stay safe online in this digital world

Today sees the first day of Anti-bullying week (13th-19th November). 

I have had the pleasure of working with Internet Matters on all aspects of keeping our children safe while they're online. 

They are passionate about keeping children safe while online. A not-for-profit organisation that has a vast amount of resources to help parents make their children's online lives fulfilling, fun and safe. And they have lots of advice on Anti-bullying week.

Cyberbullying really worries me. 

This online world is still relatively new. And I think it's the biggest generational gap ever between parents and their children. 

In most other aspects of our lives, as parents we can say we've been there.

Going through teenage years, finding new friends, falling out with friends and most of the pressures that come with puberty, we can say we've been there.

But this is a whole new ball game.  

We haven't been there. 

When I was at school, I was one of the few lucky ones, I wasn't bullied, nor did I bully anyone. 

I always tried to get on with everyone (and still do to this day), but obviously there were occasions when I fell out with friends.  

The bullies at school would make other children's lives hell, name calling, embarrassing them and even fighting in the playground.  

The difference from then until now, is that back in the day, that bullying stopped at the school gates. 

When you went home from school, you were in the safety of your own home. When you closed that front door, you knew no one from school could bully you. 

Fast forward to many years later and with the introduction of smart phones, kids can now be bullied 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

As a mum of a teenage daughter, this fills me with dread. 

She tells me 'It's not the same as when you were a kid'. And she's right. 

How can I as a parent help her when I've never been through it? 

This is where internet matters has helped me massively. 

I love the Internet and social media. I have learned lots of new skills and gained new friends just from the little screen I hold in my hands.

My iPhone is never far away from the end of my fingertips. 

The way I use my phone it completely different to my daughter. She prefers Snapchat as a way to contact her friends. I use Facebook, Instagram and Twitter but I use them when I have been somewhere with my family, or have something special to announce.

My daughter and her friends use it as a way of communication - every single day. Through Snapchat or Facetime, they are in contact all the time. And the speed at which she navigates through her phone is mind-boggling!

Internet Matters have age appropriate advice for parents on ways of talking with your children about all aspects of their digital life, being responsible and talking to them about their online reputation.

Obviously my parents didn't talk to me about these things, because they didn't exist! My husband and I are both learning along with our daughter about this new digital world - new to us, but normal to her. 

For more help and advice please visit Internet Matters.

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