Summer holidays online safety checklist 

Summer school holidays are a time of fun and excitement for children and young people of all ages, but the break from school can mean a break from formal supervision and an increase in screen and tech time.

As a parent, you might feel nervous about the amount of time your kids are spending online, or a little unsure about the challenges ahead when they unwrap tech gifts on Christmas day. Having awareness of some of these challenges before they arise can help you to develop the confidence that you’ll need to tackle them and ultimately support your child to grow and thrive.

Here are some key tips that will help you relax, while keeping online well-being and safety for the young people in your life front of mind these school holidays.

1. Set a good example of technology use and limit your own screen time 

Children will model what they observe around them, and it is important that you set a good example in your own habits. Give children and other family members your attention to demonstrate that devices are not central to your life and talk about the strategies you use to manage your own screen time and online safety. This helps to model good behaviours and habits and children will learn that this isn’t just about their parents restricting them, but about health and wellbeing for everyone.

2. Plan activities away from the screen 

It’s important to demonstrate where technology fits around life, and that other priorities also matter. Set up a list of activities as a family and schedule some catchups with their friends. This helps children look forward to other activities that don’t involve technology, which can be helpful in learning to regulate emotions and understand that technology can be used for shorter periods of time. 

3. Talk to your children about what they enjoy doing online and why  

This helps to keep the dialogue open, but it also provides an insight into the types of activities, platforms and apps that children enjoy most. Ask children to show you how something works and learn from them. This provides time to encourage appropriate activities and start important conversations about safety. To help you get familiar with some of the language your child may use, have a read of our Garmers Guide – a resource created by young people to help parents understand the online world.

4. Check that the technology is safe to use 

Check that passwords are strong, enable parenting controls as appropriate, and check their privacy settings. Talk to children about these features and how they help to reduce their online risk. If they receive new technology help them set it up and use it as an opportunity to talk about potential risks and how they can keep themselves safe.  If you’re unsure about any of the items on their wish list, this gift guide from the eSafety commissioner has some useful information to better understand the gifts your child has asked for.

5. Set limits and expectations 

Technology use can be great as a leisure activity, for entertainment and creativity so let them enjoy it - but it is important to set healthy expectations and boundaries for use in general and to communicate this clearly. For new technology, it is critical to have a conversation about clear boundaries of use from the start. 

6. Focus on what is achievable and within your control 

There is only so much parents can manage and sometimes you must understand that good enough is good enough. Aim for improvement and mindfulness, not perfection!