Online Safety for Tweens: A Parent's Practical Guide

There's no magic age when children are "ready" for social media. Consider your individual child's maturity, impulse control, and ability to keep personal information private.

In Australia, most social media platforms require children to be 13+. Even so, maturity matters more than age. A responsible 11-year-old might be ready for supervised access; a careless 14-year-old might not be.

Talk regularly about:

• Never sharing personal information (address, phone, full name, school) online
• Not sharing passwords, even with friends
• Being aware of cyberbullying and what to do if they experience it
• Understanding that online "friends" might not be who they claim
• The permanence of digital footprints—don't post anything they'd regret
• Uncomfortable online contact (if someone asks for photos or private meetings)

Set clear rules: where devices can be used (not in bedrooms), when (not at meals), and time limits. Use parental controls on devices, but combine these with trust and openness.

Occasionally check their device use, but do so transparently. "I'm going to check your phone to make sure you're safe" is better than secret surveillance.

Take it seriously. Help your child:

• Document evidence (screenshots)
• Block or mute the person doing the bullying
• Not engage or retaliate (don't fuel the behaviour)
• Tell a trusted adult immediately
• Report to the platform using their reporting tools

Consider notifying the school if the bully is a classmate. In serious cases, contact police or eSafety Commissioner (Australia).

Children learn more from what you do than what you say. Be the digital citizen you want them to be: don't scroll during family time, treat others respectfully online, and demonstrate privacy awareness.

Show them your own struggles with screen time—it normalises that managing digital life is hard for everyone.