Worried about what your kids see online? These 5 tips make digital parenting easier.

Thanks to our brand partner, eSafety Commissioner

Recently, my almost 12-year-old son Charlie made a solemn announcement: He is the only kid in his entire Year 6 cohort who doesn't play Roblox.

According to him — and his highly questionable research — he's the only one in a school of three thousand boys who's not allowed. I'm unsure where he's getting these stats, so let's just say I'm suspicious of his sources.

But the truth is, I don't know enough about Roblox to make a call. It's a gaming rabbit hole I've yet to fall down. And yes, considering how much YouTube this kid consumes, I'm aware this stance is mildly hypocritical.

Choose your battles, right?

There's no denying tech opens up wonderful ways for kids to connect. It allows my son to stay in touch with friends, organise hangouts and gives him some independence. And as an only child, it's healthy for him.

But here's the thing: For all the benefits, tech was never really designed with kids' safety in mind.

That's where the eSafety Commissioner comes in. The independent regulator helps take the digital overwhelm out of parenting — from what your kids are seeing online to how you can confidently tackle tricky conversations around screen time and safety.

Because it's not just about how much time they're spending online — it's what they're exposed to that can be the real minefield.

So if you're feeling a bit out of your depth, here are five simple tips to help create a safer online world for your kids.

Start the chat

We all know knowledge is power — and when it comes to online safety, it starts with open, honest chats at home.

A mum I know recently had a gut-wrenching moment when her son told her someone had messaged him online asking his age and what suburb he lived in.

Terrifying, right?

But she found comfort in the fact that he shut the computer down straight away and ran to tell his parents what had happened.

It's a scary situation, but also proof that those early conversations work.

The earlier you start talking about safety, the easier it is to tackle the trickier topics when they come up.

Create a family technology agreement

When our son eventually gets a phone, the very first thing he'll be getting alongside it is a phone contract.

A friend of mine told me about the phone contract she created for her son — and honestly, it was genius. It covered everything: phone usage, screen time, passwords, parent access... the works. A full page of clear, no-nonsense rules.

And the best part? You don't have to start from scratch. The eSafety website has a downloadable template you can tweak to suit your own family.

Set up parental controls

Parental controls are a great tool — but they work best when used alongside other safety measures. They can add an extra layer of protection by blocking certain content, setting screen time limits and filtering what your kid can access.

But the key is to constantly update them. Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can just "set and forget".

Choose games and apps carefully

I promised my son that Roblox wasn't a hard "no" — just a "not right now". I also told him I'd do my own research, properly.

I get that he feels like he's missing out, and while I don't want him to feel left out, I do want to help him build some critical thinking skills when it comes to understanding trends and peer pressure. It's easier said than done, but we're slowly figuring it out.

When I finally do get around to doing my homework on Roblox, my first stop will be eSafety's app checklist. It takes the guesswork out of what to look for when your kid wants to download the latest app or game.

Use digital tech together

When Charlie and I first played Minecraft together, I got motion sickness. I somehow got stuck up in the sky and Charlie — rolling his eyes — had to rescue me back down to earth. It was painfully slow and to be honest, pretty boring.

But Charlie was thrilled. That's when I realised how much sense it makes to use technology with our kids, especially when it comes to gaming.

When we play together, he sees it as quality time. And while I'd much rather be baking muffins as our one-on-one ritual like we did back in the day, playing games with our kids is a smart way to do your due diligence on what they're actually playing and being exposed to. 

For more tips and trusted advice info on keeping kids safe online, subscribe to eSafety News.

Feature Image: Getty.

The eSafety Commissioner is Australia's online safety regulator. Stay up to date with trusted online safety tips and advice by signing up to eSafety News