Practical Ways Parents Can Help Children Stay Safe Online (FREE Quiz).

Do you know who your child is talking to online? Are you sure they are not being exposed to harmful content while you work, cook, or sleep? If your child faced a dangerous situation online, would they know what to do, and would they tell you? This blogpost is for parents, guardians or carers, so let us get started.

Today, children are online more than ever. Whether it is for school, for play, and for connection, almost every child finds themselves in front of a screen connected to the internet. While the internet comes with many benefits, it also comes with serious risks like cyberbullying, online predators, inappropriate content, scams, and manipulative algorithms.

As a parent or carer, you would not send your child to a busy market alone, so why allow them to wander the internet without proper guidance and protection?

The Internet Is Not Childproof

Many parents assume that children are “tech-savvy” enough to avoid danger online. However, knowing how to use a phone or app is not the same as knowing how to use it safely. Children and teenagers are still developing their judgement and are easily influenced, which makes them prime targets for manipulation, grooming, and exploitation.

The Risks Are Real

Here are just a few of the risks children face online:

• Cyberbullying that impacts their mental health
• Online grooming from adult strangers pretending to be friends or peers
• Scams and fraud targeting their curiosity and innocence
• Exposure to explicit content, hate speech, or radical ideas
• Addiction and overuse, leading to poor sleep and mood issues
• AI-generated deepfakes that spread false or harmful content

These dangers happen every day, in ordinary homes, on devices that sit in children’s hands for hours.

Your Involvement Makes a Big Difference

The most powerful online safety tool your child has is you. Research shows that when parents are actively involved in their children’s virtual lives:

• Children are more likely to speak up if something feels wrong
• They are less likely to fall for scams or grooming tactics
• They develop critical thinking skills and better digital habits

Parental engagement creates a safe space for open conversations that can prevent long-term harm.

Online Safety Is Not Only Restrictions

Online safety goes beyond installing parental controls or banning apps. Real online safety is  equipping children with the skills to know what is private, recognise red flags, question what they see, and ask for help when they need to.

Practical Ways to Encourage Online Safety

Start small by having regular conversations about your child’s online life. Take time to learn about the apps and games they use, so you can better understand their virtual world. Next, work with the children to create a family online safety plan that includes clear boundaries, rules, and routines. It is important to be intentional about modelling healthy tech habits yourself, as children often follow what they see, not just what they are told. Finally, use tools like our Online Safety Quiz to assess what your child already knows, and identify the areas where they still need guidance.

The internet is here to stay, and our children will grow up in it, but how they grow up in it depends on us.

Want to get started?

Invite your child to try Safeglia Online Safety Quiz. It is a fun, interactive way to open up meaningful chats with your child about the internet. After taking the quiz, click to view the answers, and discuss each question and the correct answer with your child.