#1 Learn about games they like to play
- Take an active interest in the games your children are playing to get to grips with how they work and why they enjoy playing.
#2 Find out about who they play with
- Ask who they play with online, who they meet and talk to, and talk about what kind of language is being used. Make sure your child knows how to do report abusive or anti-social behaviour.
#3 Use Airplane mode to avoid accidental purchases
- For younger children, use ‘airplane’ mode settings on your tablet or smartphone. That way, they can play offline without making accidental purchases or connecting with someone they don’t know.
#4 Use ratings to choose age-appropriate games
- Use PEGI ratings and App store ratings to ensure your children are playing age-appropriate games. Help children understand why some games are allowed and others aren’t.
#5 Agree digital boundaries
- Gaming can be very addictive, so agree boundaries and how long they’re allowed to play for and with whom they are allowed to play online with. Remind them that people may hide behind fake profiles and not be who they say they are
#6 Encourage them to think critically about what they share and do
- Teach your children to protect themselves by thinking critically – remind them not to share personal information and to keep gaming friends in the game only rather than adding them to their other social networks.
