Be the Yoda of the internet for your kids

“Always pass on what you have learned” said Yoda. He also said “Unlearn what you have learned” but we’re choosing to ignore that one for the purposes of this blog post…

Following the footsteps of Yoda has never served us wrong before, so we’re taking his advice when it comes to passing on our internet tips and online advice to our kids, in the hope that by learning from our experiences (and from Yoda) they can avoid becoming bankrupt, getting catfished or being embarrassingly unemployable in the future.

“Impossible to see, the future is”

Some of Yoda’s wisest words, but don’t let your kids past come back to haunt them later in life when they’re trying to get a job or a place at college. Remind them of the digital footprint and that whatever seems like a good idea to post publicly as a 15-year-old teenager may not be the best thing for their future 25-year-old self. Remember in terms of the internet, there really is no delete button.

“Looking? Found someone you have, eh?”

Everyone should be cautious when speaking to someone new online, but young people are especially vulnerable to being catfished, that is, being approached by someone online who isn’t who they say they are.

Keep it simple with your advice on this one, let your child know that if at any point they are in an online conversation which makes them feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried, that they can end that conversation at any time, without having to give any reason, and to always let an adult know.

“In this war, a danger there is, of losing who we are”

Kids know (or at least we hope they know) not to share their passwords online, but a reminder to not share any personal information for fear of identity theft is a good idea. Remember personal information includes phone numbers, email addresses, home, and work addresses.

For further practical parental advice on making sure the whole family stays safe online visit: https://www.netsafe.org.nz/advice/parenting/