spusu offers guidance on building your child’s digital toolkit
99 per cent of children spend time online and nine in ten have a phone by their eleventh birthday, according to online safety regulator Ofcom. For today’s schoolchildren, screens are part of everyday life, from chatting with friends and watching videos to researching homework and revising for exams. With the school year now underway, SIM-only mobile provider spusu, shares five essential phone skills that form a child’s digital toolkit.
1) Privacy and safety awareness
Children must understand what should never be shared online. Home addresses and school details should always stay private to keep them safe, but your child might not think twice about sharing. Take a moment to talk them about why this kind of information is sensitive and how people online may not be who they say they are.
It’s also worth going through the privacy settings on the apps your child uses. You can adjust who can see their posts, turn off location tracking and check who can message or follow them to keep their online space secure.
You may also want to discuss what’s appropriate to post or comment online. A simple rule of thumb can go a long way here. Encourage your child to think about whether they’d be happy with all their friends, family and even potentially even strangers viewing their posts. This could help them to rethink what they post and can also open up conversations about how online content can never be taken back, even when deleted.
2) Critical thinking
From sensational headlines to AI images and sneaky ads, the internet is full of content that looks real but isn’t. Encourage your child to challenge what’s in front of them rather than taking it at face-value. It’s especially important to consider the reason behind a post. Is it to inform, entertain or get a click?
Try going through examples together. Look at a clickbait headline and break it down: what clues show it might be misleading? What evidence is missing? These conversations help children develop a useful radar for spotting false or manipulative content.
3) Healthy boundaries and balance
Setting limits early is essential because screens are everywhere. If you’re consistent and intentional with times that phones are off-limits, it’s often easier for your children to stick to them. Before bed, at meals or during family time lend themselves nicely to phone-free time.
Don’t underestimate the impact of setting a good example. By putting your own phone away and switching off notifications during no-phone times, you reiterate that screen time limits are for the entire family, not just the kids.
Consider also asking your child how they think screen time is affecting them. If it starts to get in the way of sleep, exercise, homework or social time, it’s time to take a step back. They can develop a healthier relationship with technology by learning to recognise these signals.
4) Respectful digital communication
When you think about potential concerns with your child being online, you probably first think about how to keep them safe and what to do to limit their screen time. These are, of course, important but don’t forget to discuss with them how to treat others online.
Sit down together to set some simple rules. These could include: think before typing, ask before sharing others’ photos and step away from heated group chats when needed. Show them how to mute, block and report accounts too so they can create distance from others if needed.
Practising respectful communication helps kids maintain healthier friendships and keeps their online spaces safer and more positive.
5) Asking for help
Even with all of these skills, children may sometimes feel unsure or anxious online. It’s important they know it’s normal and okay to ask for help.
Checking in from time to time makes this much easier. Try asking them what they’ve been looking at online lately, how it has made them feel and if they have any questions. The more casual and regular these conversations, the better for creating a space where your child feels safe to speak up if they need help.
Phones and screens are part of everyday life for children. Now that the school year is in full swing, it’s more important than ever to make sure they’re using them safely and responsibly. Considering these five skills could help your children make good choices, stick to healthy habits and stay in control online throughout this school year and beyond.
Discover spusu’s flexible SIM-only plans, starting at £4.90 a month, by visiting spusu.co.uk.