There’s plenty to navigate in the digital world. The Digital for Life portal has launched 14 curated resources to help make that journey easier. From online safety to using tech positively, discover the tips you need to foster healthier digital habits in your children.
It often seems like kids these days are born knowing how to navigate the digital world with ease. However, it’s not enough to just swipe on screens, dabble with social media and master apps. Children need to learn how to manoeuvre the world wide web safely and be smart and kind online. This becomes even more important when you consider the challenges faced, such as keeping personal information safe, balancing screen use and handling cyberbullying if it ever happens. And since the digital environment is always changing, there’s always something new to learn. Luckily, IMDA’s Digital for Life portal is here to save the day!
Giving Kids Superpowers for the Digital Age
The Digital for Life portal is packed with tips and tricks, useful articles plus expert advice to help parents and caregivers guide their child’s digital journey. Centred around online safety issues such as cyberbullying, sexting and other topics related to a child’s digital wellbeing, these resources will aid you in helping your child build healthier digital habits and a positive relationship with technology while keeping them safe online. The information is bite-sized and easy to understand, and 14 well-curated resources cover the following topics:
Easy Tips to Kickstart Your Child’s Digital Journey
Wondering how to ensure your child’s online safety? Here are the four most common challenges children face online, along with practical tips and techniques to help you support them effectively.
1) Online safety
It isn’t a surprise that online safety has become a major talking point in recent times. After all, Google’s third APAC Kids and Families Online Safety Survey found that four out of five children in Singapore spend up to six hours daily online for both education and entertainment. This exposes them to potential risks such as cyberbullying, online grooming, sexting and other inappropriate content. Don’t hesitate to integrate online safety discussions at home, even though many find it challenging.
Take a proactive approach in managing device usage with children, ensuring they understand the risks, challenges, and expected behaviours associated with device use. For example, you can monitor screen use, try apps or games before your children use them, and create a supportive environment for your children to have open dialogue and communicate with you. Teaching children to recognise risky behaviours online are critical steps in safeguarding their digital experiences.
2) Sharenting and digital footprints
We’ve all done it before: birthday snaps, newborn photoshoots and funny moments with the kiddos all get freely posted online for the world to see. And while “sharenting” (parental sharing) is an easy way to keep loved ones up to date about your child’s latest milestones, it also impacts your child’s digital footprint without their consent. After all, everything stays online forever – even if you’ve deleted the original posts. Instead, if your children are old enough to understand, invite open discussions with your children about how a post may impact them, and consider storing your memories on a cloud service, or sharing them only with private groups or individuals you can trust. Model respectful behaviour by seeking your child’s permission before posting.
3) Digital empathy
The most important thing to remember about teaching your child the ins and outs of being a savvy digital native is digital empathy. This simply means helping them understand the impact of their online interactions on others. If your child has been unkind online to others, one great way to get the conversation started is to encourage them to think about this: “How would you feel if this was done to you?” The key is to have an open and non-judgmental conversation, so they know you’re ready to understand their perspective and help them move forward positively.
4) Screen addiction
If your mini-me won’t let go of the family iPad, then the Digital for Life portal has the perfect article that shares how to help them balance screen time and avoid screen addiction. Not only does it cause sleep disturbances, screen addiction can hinder a child’s overall development too. The first way is to find out what the recommended amount of screen time is for children in different age groups – The Ministry of Health of Singapore (MOH) has a useful guide you can use! Afterwards, you can identify what your child’s favourite online activities are and help them find a balance between screen time and offline play to enrich their minds.
Digital savviness is only a click away! If you’re ready to turn your child into a smarter, more empowered digital user, visit the Digital for Life portal to download the various resources so your child can be an informed digital native.
