Hey everyone, I’m really struggling with something and could use some advice. My oldest is 11 and she’s just starting to explore the internet more on her own. It honestly freaks me out. I feel like there’s so much out there that could be harmful and I don’t even know where to start setting limits. How do you keep your kids safe online without making them feel like you’re hovering all the time? I want to protect her but I also want her to learn how to navigate things responsibly. Any tips or strategies would really help!
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It’s so overwhelming, right? I’ve been there. The internet feels like this endless maze, makes me want to unplug everything.
Omg, my son once googled “how to become a YouTube star” and almost gave me a heart attack 
. It’s wild how quickly they find things! We ended up setting up kid safe profiles, but let me tell you… they always find a way to push the boundaries. I also realized I had to learn about the apps and sites he was into because he’d ask questions about things and socials that I didn’t know at all.
I totally get where you’re coming from! One thing that’s worked well for us is setting up parental controls on devices. You can set screen time limits and block certain websites or apps. I also created a family tech agreement with my daughter basically, we sat down and talked through rules about what she could and couldn’t do online, and why those rules exist. It’s still a work in progress, but it opened up a lot of conversations about staying safe. Oh, and definitely check out apps like Google Family Link! It gives you visibility into what they’re using without feeling like you’re stalking them all the time.