Screen Safe Parents

Should I check my child's phone?

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

It’s reasonable to keep an eye on a younger child’s phone, especially when it’s new to them, as long as you’re open about it rather than doing it in secret. Child safety charities suggest agreeing what you’ll check and why, making checks a routine rather than a surprise, and easing off as your child shows they can handle more freedom. The goal isn’t to catch them out. It’s to make sure they’ll come to you if something goes wrong (Action for Children).

Is it OK to look at my child’s phone?

Yes, in the right way. The UK charity Action for Children suggests keeping a closer eye when children are younger and giving them more freedom as they mature. Its starting point is always to talk to your child about online safety and include them in setting the rules (Action for Children).

It also gives a clear line on looking without their agreement: that’s for when you think your child is at risk of harm and the risk outweighs how they’ll react. In everyday life, it’s better to agree checks together.

Why being open works better than snooping

Most children won’t want you reading every message, and that’s normal. Action for Children suggests being clear about what you want to see and why, and reassuring your child that you trust them. It warns against using checks to catch them out or as a punishment, because that could make a child more secretive (Action for Children).

Dr Joanne Orlando, a researcher in Western Sydney University’s School of Education, makes a similar point about older children: routine checking of a teenager’s phone may end up building mistrust between parent and child (Western Sydney University).

A few ground rules that Action for Children suggests can make checks feel normal rather than nosy:

Look at social media together, side by side.
Keep phones in shared parts of the home rather than the bedroom. Our guide on keeping phones out of the bedroom at night has more on this.
Agree time limits, and write them into a family screen time agreement.

How should checking change as they get older?

Dr Orlando suggests the first year of a child’s phone is about safety, with controls and monitoring in place, and that “after about 12 months” of phone ownership, give or take, checking should start to fade. Some children will need longer and some less, depending on their maturity and their world (Western Sydney University). In place of checking, she suggests teaching them to use their phone well: going through privacy and app settings together, learning the screen time features, and trying new apps alongside them.

These are suggestions, not fixed ages. You know your child best, and a child who’s struggling or particularly vulnerable may need more support for longer.

What about monitoring apps and location tracking?

Monitoring apps can manage screen time, approve or block apps, lock devices and show location. The UK Safer Internet Centre says they may help when a child is just starting out with their own device or has particular vulnerabilities, but they can’t guarantee a child is safe from harmful content, and they work best alongside open conversations at home (UK Safer Internet Centre).

You may not need to pay for anything. Internet Matters points to free tools built into devices: Screen Time on iPhone and iPad, Google Family Link on Android and Microsoft Family on Windows and Xbox (Internet Matters). Our step-by-step guides cover Screen Time on iPhone and Family Link on Android. Features and menus change between versions, so check the current help pages too.

Internet Matters says it doesn’t recommend software that records everything a child does, calling it “highly invasive” and a sign of a lack of trust. It suggests talking the options through with your child and reviewing the boundaries as they mature. Action for Children adds that if you install anything, explain what it is and why, and that you’re not spying on them. Location sharing can be handy if your child goes out or travels to school alone.

What if I find something worrying?

Action for Children’s advice is to try to stay calm and reassure your child that they can talk to you (Action for Children). Your child may worry about getting into trouble or losing their phone, so lead with support rather than consequences. Depending on what you find, you can help them block and report the content or person, update parental controls, and talk to their school. If you believe your child is in danger, contact the Gardaí (or the police in the UK) straight away.

Our guides on what to do if your child sees something upsetting online and if your child is being bullied online walk through the next steps.

What to do next

Have the conversation first. Tell your child what you’d like to check, why, and how often, and listen to what they think is fair.
Make it a routine. Pick a regular, relaxed time to look at apps and settings together, rather than surprise checks.
Use the free tools. Set up Screen Time or Family Link together this week, so your child knows exactly what’s switched on.
Agree when you’ll ease off. For example, review the rules after a few months or on their next birthday, and give more privacy as they show they can handle it.
Keep the door open. Remind them that if anything online ever worries them, they can come to you and won’t be in trouble for telling you.

Should I post photos of my kids online?

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

You don’t have to stop sharing photos of your children, and you’re far from alone if you do. The aim is to share more privately and more thoughtfully. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) is honest that posting online “can never be 100% safe”, but its tips, and those from Internet Matters, come down to a few habits: keep your audience small, check each photo before it goes up, and, as your child gets older, ask them first (DPC; Internet Matters).

What is “sharenting”, and why is it in the news?

Sharenting is the word for parents regularly sharing information, photos and videos of their children on social media (DPC). If the word rings a bell, it may be from the DPC’s “Pause Before You Post” campaign, which it launched with France’s data protection authority, the CNIL, in November 2025.

As part of that campaign, the two regulators surveyed parents in Ireland and France. In Ireland, 75% of parents had shared something about their child online in the past year, yet only 10% said they understood what “sharenting” means (DPC research summary). The most common reason was simply keeping friends and family up to date. So if you’ve been posting the school play for granny, you’re in very good company.

What are the risks?

None of this is about scaring anyone off. It’s worth knowing what the experts have in mind, so the tips below make sense. The DPC and Internet Matters point to a few things (DPC; Internet Matters):

A digital footprint they didn’t choose. Photos and stories posted today can still be around when your child is a teenager or applying for jobs, often shared without their knowledge or say.
Giving away details. A first-day-of-school photo can reveal your child’s name and school. Location tags and background details can show where you live or where they’ll be each week.
Photos ending up where you didn’t intend. Images can be copied and reposted elsewhere, and the DPC names AI-made fake images as a newer concern.
Identity fraud. Internet Matters notes that scammers can use details from posts to guess passwords or security answers, or to pretend to be your child.
Embarrassment and trust. Internet Matters notes that an embarrassing post can follow a child into secondary school, and that posting without asking may make an older child start to lose trust in you.

These steps come from the DPC’s top tips and Internet Matters’ advice. Privacy menus differ between Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp and move around between app versions, so look for the setting names below in your own app.

Pick a smaller audience. The DPC suggests sharing family updates in a secure, private messaging app instead of a public feed. If you do use social media, set your profile to Private, or use a close friends list, so a post only reaches people you pick.
Tidy your followers. Every so often, go through your friends and followers and remove anyone you wouldn’t happily hand a printed photo of your child to (DPC). Internet Matters puts it simply: share only with people you actually know.
Turn off location. Switch off geo-location (the setting that adds where a photo was taken) and leave out location tags.
Do a final check of the photo. Before posting, look at the background for a house number, street sign, landmark, school crest or club name. Crop or blur anything that identifies where your child lives, learns or plays.
Think about the face. The DPC suggests photos where your child faces away or their face is covered. It also warns that popping an emoji over a face can give parents a false sense of security, so don’t rely on that alone.
Use the “printed copy” test. The DPC’s rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t hand a stranger a physical copy, don’t post it. It specifically mentions health details, school progress and beach photos as things to think twice about.
Ask other parents. Before posting a group shot from a birthday party, check with the other children’s parents (Internet Matters). You can also ask family members not to post photos of your children without checking with you first.

Should I ask my child first?

Yes, once they’re old enough. The DPC reminds parents that “it’s their personal data you are sharing, not yours” (DPC). If your child can understand the question, ask whether they’re happy for a photo to go up. If they’re too young, a good test is whether they’d be glad about it when they’re older.

Internet Matters points out that very young children can’t give informed consent, and suggests asking permission more as they grow (Internet Matters). Asking has a bonus, too: it shows your child how to treat other people’s photos, which helps when they get their own phone. Our guide to what age children can join social media covers that next step.

Every family is different. Some parents keep things fully private, some share happily with a small circle. There’s no single right answer, just a few small checks that make whatever you choose a bit safer.

What to do next

Check your settings this week. Open the app you share on most, see whether your profile is public or private, and turn off location for posts.
Do a five-minute follower tidy. Remove anyone you don’t actually know or wouldn’t share a printed photo with.
Look back at old posts. The DPC suggests reviewing what you’ve shared and deleting anything you or your child are no longer comfortable with.
Ask your child. Next time you go to post a photo of a child old enough to have an opinion, show them and ask, “Is it OK if I share this?”
Start a family group chat for everyday photos, so grandparents and aunties still get every update without a public post.

Is Discord safe for my child?

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Discord can be a reasonably safe place for a teenager, if they’re 13 or older and you set it up together. Discord says the minimum age in most countries is 13 (Discord), and Internet Matters advises making sure your child is 13+ and mature enough to use it safely (Internet Matters). It isn’t designed for younger children. For teens, the main things to manage are who can message them, what images they see, and which servers they join. Discord’s free Family Center lets you see who they’re talking to without reading their messages.

What is Discord?

Discord is a chat app, launched in 2015, that’s especially popular with gamers. People gather in servers, which are communities with their own text channels (marked with a #) and voice channels, where members can type, talk, listen and watch each other’s live video (Internet Matters). A server might be a few school friends, a fan group for a game, or a huge public community with strangers. Users can also send direct messages (DMs) to one another.

For a lot of teenagers it’s simply where they chat with friends while they play games together, a bit like a group call that runs in the background.

What are the risks?

Internet Matters lists a few things for parents to know about, and notes that children of any age are likely to come across some risks on the platform (Internet Matters):

Contact from strangers, especially in large public servers or through DMs.
Inappropriate language and images. Some servers contain adult content. These should be labelled as 18+, and anyone opening one is asked to confirm they’re over 18.
Live video and location. These are opt-in, but worth knowing about.
Spending. Discord has a paid subscription called Nitro, plus paid servers and donations.

None of this means your teen shouldn’t use it. It means it’s worth agreeing a few ground rules and settings at the start.

Age checks in the UK

Internet Matters reports that, as part of the UK’s Online Safety Act, Discord introduced age checks in July 2025, working with a company called k-ID. Users in the UK may be asked to do a face scan or ID scan so the system can estimate whether they’re an adult (Internet Matters). Internet Matters is clear that age checks can’t replace parental controls and regular conversations. Our guide to what age children can join social media covers the wider picture.

How Discord’s Family Center works

Family Center is Discord’s free parent tool. Both you and your teen have to agree to connect, and you’ll need your own Discord account and the Discord mobile app to finish setting it up (Discord).

To connect, Discord’s help page describes these steps:

On your teen’s device, they go to User Settings > Family Center and show the QR code there.
On your phone, open the Discord app, tap your profile picture to open User Settings, then the Family Center tab and My Family.
Scan your teen’s QR code. Once your teen accepts, you’re connected.

Once linked, the Activity tab shows the last seven days of (Discord):

new friends they’ve added
who they’ve messaged and called
total minutes on voice and video calls
their top five people and servers
new servers they’ve joined, and servers they’ve been active in
total purchases, including Nitro

You also get a weekly summary by email. Discord’s list of what parents can see doesn’t include the content of messages, so Family Center gives you a sense of who and where, rather than what was said. Many families find that a fair balance for a teenager.

You can also change some of your teen’s safety settings from Family Center, including (Discord):

Sensitive content filters: whether sensitive images are blurred, blocked or shown. For UK teens, the choice is limited to blur or block.
Friend Requests: who can send them one (everyone, friends of friends, or server members).
Server Direct Messages: whether people in shared servers can DM them.
Message Requests: on by default for teens, so messages from people who aren’t their friends go into a separate folder.

Settings to go through together

Even without Family Center, Internet Matters suggests a few settings in Discord’s Privacy & Safety menu (Internet Matters):

Safe Direct Messaging: choose Keep me safe, which scans direct messages from everyone for explicit content.
Server DMs: turn off Allow direct messages from server members to stop strangers in big servers messaging them directly. You can also do this one server at a time in that server’s settings.
Who can add you as a friend: narrow this down so random people can’t send requests.

And make sure your teen knows how to block someone: click their name and select Block. Discord asks teens to use the in-app report option if they come across something that breaks its rules (Discord). If something upsetting does happen, our guide on what to do if your child sees something upsetting online can help.

What to do next

Check the age first. If your child is under 13, Discord isn’t meant for them yet. Internet Matters suggests younger children use apps designed for their age instead.
Set it up side by side. Sit with your teen, go through Privacy & Safety together, and turn on Keep me safe for direct messages.
Suggest Family Center as a deal, not a punishment. Explain that you’ll see who they’re talking to, not their messages, and agree when you’ll review it.
Agree a simple rule about servers: small servers with people they know in real life are a good start; ask before joining big public ones.
Keep talking. Ask what servers they’re in and what they enjoy about them. A child who chats about it at dinner is more likely to come to you if something goes wrong.

Every teenager is different, and you know yours best. With the right settings and an open door, Discord can be just another place they hang out with friends.

How do I set up parental controls on Netflix?

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

To set up parental controls on Netflix, give your child their own profile, set that profile’s maturity rating to the age you’re happy with, and then put a Profile Lock PIN on your own profile so they can’t simply switch over to it. You can also block individual shows or films and turn off autoplay. It’s all free and included with every plan. Most of it can be done in the Netflix app, but a few settings, especially for Kids profiles, need a web browser. Set aside about ten minutes.

The steps below come from Netflix’s own Help Centre and the Internet Matters guide. Netflix updates its apps often, so if a menu looks a little different, the linked help pages are the place to check.

Step 1: Give your child their own profile

Netflix’s own announcement says every account has a kids profile built in, and parents can set profiles to specific age levels (Netflix). If your child is watching on yours or a shared “Family” profile, that’s the first thing to change.

Internet Matters describes adding one in the app (Internet Matters):

Open the Netflix app and select Add on the “Who’s watching?” screen.
Type your child’s name and turn on the Kids Profile toggle.
Select Save.

A Kids profile gives a simpler, child-friendly version of Netflix. One thing to know: Netflix says that changing the maturity rating or blocking titles on a Kids profile has to be done in a web browser, not the app (Netflix Help). If you have an older child who wants the normal look, you can leave the toggle off and rely on the maturity rating in Step 2 instead.

Step 2: Set the profile’s age rating

When you set a maturity rating for a profile, Netflix says that profile only sees shows, films and games rated at or below that level (Netflix Help). That includes Netflix’s games, whose ratings follow the same setting.

In Ireland and the UK, Netflix uses ratings provided in partnership with the BBFC, the UK’s film classification body (Netflix Help):

U (suitable for all ages) and PG (parental guidance): recommended for kids
12 (ages 12 and up): recommended for teens
15 and 18: recommended for adults

On an iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet (Netflix Help):

Open the Netflix app and tap My Netflix in the lower right.
Tap the profile name at the top, then Manage Profiles.
Choose your child’s profile and tap Viewing Restrictions, then Maturity Rating.
Enter your Netflix account password.
Choose the rating level you’re happy with.

In a web browser (and for any Kids profile):

Go to your Account page on the Netflix website and select Profiles.
Select Adjust parental controls, then choose your child’s profile.
Confirm it’s you, with a code sent to your email or phone, or your password.
Set the maturity rating and select Save.

You might need to switch profiles and back, or sign out and in again, before the change shows up on the TV.

Step 3: Lock your own profile with a PIN

This is the step families most often miss. An age limit on your child’s profile doesn’t help much if they can tap onto yours. A Profile Lock is a four-digit PIN that has to be entered before anyone opens that profile (Netflix Help).

In the app:

Tap My Netflix, then the profile name, then Manage Profiles.
Choose your own profile and tap Profile Lock.
Tap Create a Profile Lock, enter your account password, then choose four numbers.

In a web browser: go to Account > Profiles, choose your profile, select Profile Lock, then Create a Profile Lock, enter four numbers and select Save PIN.

Do the same for any other grown-up or older-teen profiles in the house. Netflix notes that some older devices don’t work with Profile Lock PINs, so it’s worth testing on each TV and tablet.

Step 4: Stop them adding a new profile

Children are quick to discover that they can make their own fresh profile with no limits. Netflix lets you require the PIN before anyone adds a profile, but only from a web browser and only on the main profile, which is the one shown first on the “Who’s watching?” screen (Netflix Help):

In a browser, go to your Account page and select Profiles.
Choose the main profile and select Profile Lock.
Confirm it’s you with a code or your password.
Tick Require PIN to add new profiles, then select Save PIN.

Step 5: Block particular titles (optional)

Sometimes a show is rated fine but isn’t right for your child, or for a younger sibling who watches along. You can block it by name (Netflix Help):

In the app, go to My Netflix > profile name > Manage Profiles, choose the profile, then Viewing Restrictions > Block Titles. In a browser, use Account > Profiles > Adjust parental controls and find Title Restrictions.
Enter your password if asked.
Type the show or film’s name and select it to add it to the blocked list.

Remember, on a Kids profile this has to be done in a browser.

Step 6: Turn off autoplay and check viewing history

Autoplay is what makes “just one more episode” so easy. Internet Matters suggests going to your child’s Edit Profile page and turning off Autoplay next episode, and says turning off autoplay previews also cuts down on distraction while they scroll (Internet Matters). Without autoplay, the end of an episode becomes a natural moment to stop, which can save a few arguments.

Netflix also says parents can look at a profile’s viewing history to see what’s been watched (Netflix). It’s a gentle way to start a chat about what they’re enjoying, rather than something to check up on them with.

What to do next

Tonight: check that each child has their own profile with the right maturity rating, and put a Profile Lock PIN on your own profile.
When you’re next at a laptop: log in to your Netflix account in a browser and tick Require PIN to add new profiles on the main profile. This is the one setting the app can’t do.
Turn off autoplay on your child’s profile if episodes tend to run into each other at bedtime.
Tell your child what you’ve set up and why. Children are more likely to go along with limits they understand, and you can agree to revisit the rating as they get older.

Every family’s choices will look a bit different, and that’s fine. Netflix’s controls are a useful safety net, and watching something together now and then is still one of the easiest ways to know what your child is enjoying.

Where can we go for a free family day out in Ireland?

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Plenty of great family days out in Ireland are free. Coillte’s forests are free to walk and cycle in, all four National Museum of Ireland sites have free admission, many Office of Public Works (OPW) castles, abbeys and gardens are free on the first Wednesday of every month, and library membership costs nothing at any age. A few need a little planning, such as parking charges or opening days, so here’s what to know about each.

A day out isn’t a cure for screen time, and it doesn’t need to be. It’s simply a good, cheap reason for everyone to put the phones away for a few hours, adults included.

Forests and forest parks

Coillte, the state forestry company, manages more than 260 recreation sites, including 12 forest parks and 3,000km of waymarked trails (Coillte, July 2026). Coillte says entry to all its forests is free for walkers and cyclists, although some of the larger forest parks charge for car parking, paid by card or app rather than cash (Coillte). Charges can change, so check the park’s own page before you go.

Coillte’s own picks for families include (Coillte):

Portumna Forest Park, Co. Galway: a 1.5km tarred loop that’s good for learning to cycle, and picnic spots by Lough Derg.
Ards Forest Park, Co. Donegal: a playground, a bird hide and a buggy-friendly 1km walk.
Donadea Forest Park, Co. Kildare: an accessible lakeside walk, ducks to feed and the remains of a castle.
Curraghchase Forest Park, Co. Limerick: two playgrounds, picnic tables and a buggy-friendly lake trail.
Ticknock Forest, Co. Dublin: up to 10km of family walks and a café, with mountain bike trails for experienced riders.

Barbecues and open fires aren’t allowed in Coillte forests, so bring a flask and sandwiches instead (Coillte). The recreation map on Coillte’s website shows the nearest forest to you, and a local wood can be just as good as a famous one for a short walk.

National museums

Admission to all four National Museum of Ireland sites is free, and families don’t need to book (National Museum of Ireland):

Archaeology, Kildare Street, Dublin 2: in the city centre, with baby changing in all toilets (NMI, Archaeology).
Decorative Arts and History, Collins Barracks, Dublin 7: pushchair-friendly, with lifts and ramps. The natural history collection, often called the “Dead Zoo”, is now on show here in the new Dead Zoo Lab (NMI, Collins Barracks).
Natural History, Merrion Street, Dublin 2: currently closed for refurbishment (NMI, Natural History).
Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo: free, with gardens, a woodland playground, a café and a greenway (NMI, Country Life).

The Dublin museums open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday to Saturday and 1pm to 5pm on Sundays and Mondays (NMI, Collins Barracks). At the time of writing the museum’s pages also mention closures and reduced services because of industrial action, including the Kildare Street museum closing for a day at short notice, and no cloakroom for bags (NMI, Archaeology). Check the museum’s website or ring ahead on the day, and travel light.

Castles and gardens on the first Wednesday

On the first Wednesday of each month, many OPW heritage sites offer free admission to individual visitors and families (Heritage Ireland). The list runs to dozens of sites around the country, including Charles Fort, Donegal Castle, Dún Aonghasa, Glendalough, Trim Castle, Cahir Castle, Ross Castle and the Battle of the Boyne Visitor Centre.

A few things to know (Heritage Ireland):

No online booking. Tickets are first come, first served, so arrive early at busy sites.
Some sites are open all year, others are seasonal, and opening times can change at short notice.
Some sites are guided tour only, and parking can be limited.
Children must be supervised at all times.

A Wednesday is a school day, so this works best for younger children, home-educating families or school holidays. The first Wednesday this month is 4 November, and the next is 2 December.

Your local library

Public library membership is free for everyone in Ireland, at any age, and children under 18 just need a parent or guardian’s permission to join (Libraries Ireland). You can start the form online and then bring photo ID and proof of address to the library to collect the cards. Children under 12 get the children’s library and PG-rated DVDs, and 12 to 14-year-olds get the young adult collection too (Libraries Ireland).

A library trip pairs nicely with any of the days out above: pick up a book about castles, birds or forests before you go. Our guide to getting your child reading has more ideas.

Making it work with kids (and phones)

Keep it short for little ones. An hour in a forest with a playground can beat a long trek.
Give older children a job: navigator, photographer on one shared phone, or in charge of the picnic.
Agree the phone plan before you leave, for everyone. Our guide to getting kids playing outside more has more ways to make outdoors the easy choice, and our rainy day ideas cover the days when the weather wins.

What to do next

Put the next free Wednesday in the family calendar (4 November and 2 December are the next two) and check the Heritage Ireland list for a site near you.
Look up your nearest forest on Coillte’s recreation map and plan a one-hour walk this weekend, with a flask and snacks.
Join the library as a family if you haven’t already. Start the form online, and bring photo ID and proof of address on your next visit.
Before any museum trip, check the website or ring ahead on the day, in case of short-notice closures.

How much screen time should my teenager have?

Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT

There’s no official daily screen time limit for teenagers. The HSE’s advice for children aged 6 and over says a one-size-fits-all approach may not work, and asks parents to focus on a balance between screens and offline life: enough sleep, physical activity, time with friends and hobbies (HSE). Bodies in the UK and the US take a similar line. So rather than counting minutes, the most useful question for a teenager is: what is screen time crowding out?

That can feel less reassuring than a number. But teenagers use screens for homework, friendships, music, games and winding down, often all at once, so a single figure was never going to fit every teen or every day.

What the official advice says

The HSE. Its screen time page (last reviewed in May 2024, next review due May 2027) only gives an hours figure for children aged 2 to 5. For 6 and over it suggests prioritising sleep, play, physical and social activities and hobbies, trying not to use screens in the hour before bed, and trying to keep screens and TVs out of bedrooms (HSE).

Physical activity. Ireland’s national physical activity guidelines, announced by the HSE in 2024, recommend that young people aged 5 to 17 get at least an average of 1 hour a day of moderate to vigorous activity across the week. They also say limiting time spent sitting is a key recommendation for every age, and that screen time is a very common type of sitting time for adolescents (HSE).

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Its 2024 guides for young teens (10 to 14) and older teens (15 to 17) don’t set a time limit either. Instead they suggest a family media plan built around five questions, the “5 Cs” (AAP, young teens; AAP, older teens).

Internet Matters. Its guide for 14 to 17-year-olds suggests helping teens manage their own limits, adding your own restrictions only where they need support, and, as they move towards adulthood, letting them set their own (Internet Matters).

The five questions worth asking instead

The AAP’s 5 Cs are a handy way to look at your own teenager, without getting stuck on the clock (AAP):

Child: who is your teen, how do they react to media, and why are they using it?
Content: what’s worth their attention?
Calm: how do they calm down and get to sleep?
Crowding out: what does screen time get in the way of?
Communication: how can you talk about it together?

If your teen is sleeping reasonably well, getting some exercise, seeing friends and keeping up with school, the exact hours probably matter less than you fear. If one of those is slipping, that’s the place to start, calmly and without anyone being in trouble.

Sleep is the big one

If you only focus on one thing, make it sleep. Most teenagers need 8 to 10 hours a night, though it varies from person to person (Oxford Health NHS; Healthier Together, NHS).

It also helps to know that late nights aren’t all down to the phone. Oxford Health’s NHS mental health service explains that brain changes in adolescence mean teens tend to produce the sleep hormone melatonin later at night, so bedtimes and waking times typically shift about 2 hours later than before (Oxford Health NHS). A teenager who isn’t sleepy at 10pm isn’t simply being difficult.

Screens can make that harder, though. NHS sleep advice for young people suggests avoiding screens for an hour before bed and not having screens in the bedroom, because screens tell the brain to stay awake and social media can leave you feeling worried or excited just when you need to be calm (Healthier Together, NHS). The AAP also advises against phones and gaming devices in the bedroom at night, which it links with poor sleep (AAP). Internet Matters suggests charging phones overnight in the kitchen (Internet Matters). Our guide to keeping phones out of the bedroom at night covers how to do that without a row.

Agreeing limits with a teenager, not for them

Teenagers are far more likely to stick to rules they helped make. Internet Matters suggests swapping “these are the limits” for something like “we need to set limits, so let’s discuss what they look like”, and setting aside time each week to check in (Internet Matters). Older teens often feel they already have the balance right, so a conversation about how screens affect sleep and energy may help them adjust for themselves (Internet Matters).

Some practical ideas from the AAP and Internet Matters:

Device-free times that apply to everyone, such as mealtimes and car journeys (AAP).
Focus or Do Not Disturb modes during school, homework and bedtime. The AAP suggests teaching young teens to set these up themselves (AAP, young teens).
Turning off notifications and autoplay, which are designed to keep people watching (Internet Matters).
Using the built-in tools together. Internet Matters points to Apple’s Screen Time, Android’s Digital Wellbeing and the supervision tools in TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat (Internet Matters). Menus change between versions, so check the current help pages. Our guides to Screen Time on iPhone and Google Family Link walk through the set-up.
More freedom as they show they can handle it. The AAP suggests giving more independence as your teen shows more responsibility (AAP).

A written family screen time agreement works well at this age too, especially if the adults sign up to a few rules of their own.

When to look for more help

Most screen time worries are about balance, and the steps above help. If you notice your teen is very distressed when away from a device, has stopped seeing friends, or has lost interest in things they used to enjoy, talk to them first, and then to your GP if you’re concerned. Internet Matters notes that problem gaming is usually only considered when a pattern goes on for at least 12 months (Internet Matters), so a few weeks of heavy gaming over a holiday isn’t the same thing.

Every family is different, and nobody gets this right all the time. A teenager who can talk to you about their screen use is in a very good place.

What to do next

Pick one evening this week to ask your teen the “crowding out” question: is there anything they’d like more time for? Start from their answer, not yours.
Agree where phones charge overnight, ideally outside bedrooms, and make it a rule for the adults too.
Help them switch on a focus or Do Not Disturb schedule for homework and bedtime on their own phone, so the phone does the reminding instead of you.
Set a weekly 10-minute check-in, such as Sunday evening, to see how the agreed limits are going and change what isn’t working.

How do I help my child spot an online scam?

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The best way to help your child spot an online scam is to teach them one habit and a few warning signs, then make sure they know they can come to you without getting into trouble. Webwise, Ireland’s online safety awareness centre, suggests a simple rule: Stop, Think, Check before clicking, paying or sharing anything (Webwise). Most scams rely on rushing people, so a pause does a lot of the work.

You don’t need to be technical to teach this. It’s the same instinct you’d use with a cold caller at the door, just applied to game chats, messages and pop-ups.

What scams aimed at children actually look like

Scams that reach children rarely look like the badly spelled emails adults have learned to ignore. They’re designed around what kids want: free stuff, help in a game, attention from someone they admire.

Webwise and Internet Matters, the UK online safety charity, describe these common types (Webwise, Internet Matters):

Phishing: a fake message or page that tricks someone into typing in their password. Webwise gives the example of fake Roblox login pages and TikTok password resets.
“Free” offers: free in-game currency, skins (outfits for a game character), or help beating a level. Internet Matters says the scammer usually wants account access or personal details, and the child ends up losing their account.
“You’ve won!” messages: a prize that needs a small “processing fee” first.
Impersonation: a fake profile pretending to be a friend, a teacher or an influencer. Internet Matters calls this social media spoofing, and notes it’s often used to ask for money.
Fake shops: cheap or “exclusive” items, sometimes sold through social media shops, that turn out to be knock-offs or never arrive.
Money mule offers (older teens): someone offers a cut of the money, or a flashy gift, for letting them move money through the teen’s bank account (Webwise). This is worth a specific chat with any teen who has a bank card.

Webwise lists gaming platforms, TikTok, Instagram and messaging apps as the places these turn up most.

The warning signs to teach

Scams come in lots of shapes, but they tend to share the same tells. Webwise and Internet Matters both point to these:

Hurry. “Act now”, “offer ends in 10 minutes”, “your account will be deleted”. Pressure to act immediately is the biggest red flag.
Too good to be true. Free currency, a prize they didn’t enter for, a huge discount.
Strong feelings. A message designed to make them scared, panicked or very excited.
“Let’s chat somewhere else.” A request to move quickly from a game to another app.
“Don’t tell your parents.” Webwise is clear that no genuine opportunity online should need to be kept secret.
Asking for logins or details. Webwise’s phishing guide notes that a reputable company won’t send a link asking you to hand over personal or financial details (Webwise).

Webwise also warns that phishing messages now look far more convincing than they used to, so spelling mistakes are a clue but not a guarantee. If in doubt, the safe move is to close the message and go to the real app or website directly.

How to have the conversation

A short, regular chat beats one big lecture. A few approaches that work well:

Make it a game. Next time a dodgy text lands on your own phone, show it to them and ask “What gives this away?” Kids are often brilliant at spotting the tells once they know what to look for.
Talk about their games. Ask what free offers or strangers they’ve come across in Roblox, Fortnite or whatever they play. You’ll learn a lot, and it keeps the conversation about them, not about rules.
Agree a “check with me” rule. Anything that asks for a password, money, a code or a photo gets shown to a grown-up first. Internet Matters suggests children should come to you if someone offers them something free or threatens them.
Promise no trouble. The single most useful thing you can say is that they won’t be punished for telling you. Children who fear losing their device are much less likely to speak up.

Simple settings that help

You don’t need special software. Webwise recommends a few basics (Webwise):

Two-factor authentication (2FA) on gaming and social media accounts. This means a code is needed as well as the password, so a stolen password alone isn’t enough. Roblox recommends it in the Internet Matters guide.
Never share login details, even with friends.
Keep personal details private: real name, birthday and school are the kind of information scammers use.
Check privacy settings together on the apps they use most.

If your child does get caught out

It happens to careful adults too, so try to stay calm. Webwise’s steps are (Webwise):

Reassure them. Make it clear they are not in trouble.
Gather evidence. Take screenshots and note account names before anything is deleted.
Report it on the platform where it happened.
Contact your bank straight away if any card or bank details were shared.
Change passwords on the affected account (and any account using the same password), and turn on 2FA.
Report it further if needed: Webwise points parents to the Irish Internet Hotline at hotline.ie and to An Garda Síochána’s cyber crime advice.

If a scam involves threats to share private images, which Internet Matters calls sextortion, don’t pay and don’t delete the evidence; report it and get support. Children and teens can talk to Childline free, any time, on 1800 66 66 66 or by texting 50101 (Webwise).

What to do next

This week, show your child one real scam message. Use a dodgy text or email from your own phone and spot the warning signs together. Five minutes is plenty.
Turn on two-factor authentication on their main game or social media account, sitting with them so they know how it works.
Agree your “check with me” rule: anything asking for a password, money, a code or a photo gets shown to you first, with no trouble for asking.
Save Childline’s number (1800 66 66 66) in your child’s phone, so they have somewhere to turn even if they’re not ready to talk to you.

Every child will click on something they shouldn’t at some point. What matters most is that they tell you when it happens, and that’s something you can build now.

Should my child's phone stay out of the bedroom at night?

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

For most children, yes: the simplest bedtime phone rule is that phones, tablets and consoles charge overnight outside the bedroom. Common Sense Media, the family media charity, recommends keeping phones out of the bedroom or sleeping area at night and switching screens off at least an hour before bed (Common Sense Media). Ireland’s online safety charity CyberSafeKids makes the same point: its chief executive, Alex Cooney, says boundaries should start with switching off at night (Irish Examiner).

If your child’s phone currently lives beside their pillow, you’re not doing anything unusual. Here’s how to change it calmly.

Why the bedroom is the place to start

It’s not that phones are uniquely bad. It’s that night-time is when they get in the way of something kids really need: sleep.

Common Sense Media points out that using screens before bed makes it harder to fall asleep, and that the light from screens at night can interrupt natural sleep rhythms. Then there are the interruptions. Speaking to RTÉ, Alex Cooney of CyberSafeKids described the problem as constant notifications, interruptions and the temptation to be on them (RTÉ).

Interestingly, teens themselves often agree. Common Sense Media says teens report that putting the phone in another room overnight is the best way to help them resist using it. Many children find it a relief not to have to make that decision at midnight.

You’re far from the only family dealing with this

CyberSafeKids’ research, reported in October 2025, found that 83% of primary school children aged 8 to 12 had internet-connected devices in their bedrooms, and 63% were allowed to keep them overnight (Irish Examiner). The same research found that 24% of the children said they find it hard to switch off.

So if you’re about to bring in a new rule, it’s worth knowing your child probably has friends with the same rule, and plenty who’d quietly like one.

How to agree the rule without a battle

A rule your child has helped shape is much more likely to stick than one announced at bedtime. A few things that help:

Pick a calm moment. Raise it at the weekend or over dinner, not when you’re trying to get the phone off them at 10pm.
Explain the why. Keep it about sleep, tiredness and feeling better in the morning, not about punishment or trust.
Agree the details together. What time do devices go to the charging spot? Where is that spot? Does it change at the weekend or in the holidays?
Make it a family rule. Common Sense Media suggests parents model the habits they want to see. If your phone charges in the kitchen too, it’s a lot harder to argue with.
Write it down. Our family screen time agreement guide has a simple way to do this.
Expect some testing. The first week or two is the hardest. Stay friendly and consistent, and it usually settles.

Every family is different. A 15-year-old who has always had their phone at night may need a gentler step first, like phones on the landing from a certain time on school nights, before moving to the full rule.

“But I need it for my alarm” (and other good questions)

These come up in nearly every house:

The alarm: a cheap alarm clock solves this neatly.
Music or sounds to fall asleep: Common Sense Media suggests a white noise machine, or if the phone stays, turning off notifications and using Do Not Disturb so its only job is playing sound.
“What if someone needs me?”: the settings below can keep calls from you working even during the overnight block.
Homework on the phone: agree a cut-off time for schoolwork, so it’s finished before devices go to charge.

The settings that back the rule up

Settings are a helpful backstop, not a replacement for the conversation. Menus change between versions, so check the linked page if something looks different.

iPhone and iPad (Screen Time Schedule)

Apple’s current guide covers iOS and iPadOS 27 or later, and calls this a Screen Time Schedule (Apple). You set it up from your own device if your child is in your Family Sharing group:

Open Settings, tap Family, then tap your child’s name.
Tap Screen Time Schedule, then turn on Schedule.
Tap Add Schedule and choose the days.
Tap Add Time Window, give it a name such as “Night”, set the times, and choose which app categories (if any) are allowed.

Apple notes that Always Allowed contacts and apps keep working whatever schedule you’ve set, so your child can still reach you. Apple also says every device in your family needs to be on version 27 or later to use this. If your child’s device is on an older version, Apple’s main Screen Time page links to the older guide.

Android phones (Downtime in Family Link)

Google’s Family Link app calls this Downtime, and it works on Android 7 and up (Google):

Open the Family Link app and select your child at the top left.
Tap Screen time, then Schedules.
Turn on Downtime.
Under Downtime, tap Weekly schedule, choose the days and the start and end times, then tap Done.

Google says calls are always available during Downtime. If you want your child to be able to text you, the messaging app needs to be set as an unlimited app. For a one-off change, such as a late night at the weekend, you can tap Downtime then Tonight.

What to do next

Choose a charging spot this week. The kitchen or the landing works well. Put a multi-plug or charging station there so it’s easy for everyone, including you.
Have the five-minute chat at a calm time, agree the cut-off time together, and decide what happens at weekends.
Sort the alarm question before it comes up: a basic alarm clock, or Do Not Disturb if the phone stays for music.
Set up the schedule on your child’s iPhone or Android as a backstop, using the steps above, and check that your number still gets through.

It won’t be perfect every night, and that’s fine. A rule that holds most school nights still makes a real difference to how rested everyone feels.

Is WhatsApp safe for my child, and what age is it for?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

WhatsApp’s minimum age in Ireland and across Europe is 13. It was lowered from 16 in February 2024, and WhatsApp said it wanted the same minimum age everywhere (RTÉ). For children under 13, WhatsApp has started rolling out parent-managed accounts, where a parent decides who can contact the child and which groups they join (WhatsApp). Like any messaging app, it’s as safe as its settings and the conversations around it, and there’s a fair bit you can do to make it a calmer place for your child.

Why kids want it

For many children, WhatsApp is where the class group, the football team and the grandparents all are. Being left out of the group chat can feel like a big deal, so it helps to know the options before the question comes up, rather than deciding on the spot.

What age is WhatsApp for?

The official minimum is 13. Internet Matters lists WhatsApp as 13+ and notes it used to be 16 (Internet Matters).
You may still see 16 mentioned. The EU’s Better Internet for Kids guide to the app still says users in the EU must be 16, while also listing the minimum age as 13+ (Better Internet for Kids). That’s left over from the old rule; Irish reporting at the time confirmed the drop to 13 (RTÉ).
The minimum age is not a recommendation. It’s the youngest age the service allows. Around the time it was lowered, the Department of Education had asked tech firms to raise minimum ages to 16, not lower them (BreakingNews.ie). Whether 13 feels right for your child is a family decision.

The new option for under-13s: parent-managed accounts

In March 2026, WhatsApp announced accounts that parents set up and manage for pre-teens, limited to messaging and calling (WhatsApp). Here’s what WhatsApp and TechCrunch’s report describe:

Set-up needs both phones side by side, yours and your child’s, to link the accounts. TechCrunch says this is done with a QR code (TechCrunch).
You decide who can contact them and which groups they can join, and you review message requests from people they don’t know.
A parent PIN protects the settings. Only you can change the privacy settings (WhatsApp). TechCrunch says it’s a six-digit PIN you can change from your own phone.
Some features are switched off, including Meta AI, Channels and Status, and your child can’t turn on disappearing messages in one-to-one chats. TechCrunch also reports the accounts won’t be shown ads.
You get alerts when your child adds, blocks or reports a contact, with optional alerts for things like joining or leaving a group.
Messages stay private. Chats are still end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one, not even WhatsApp, can read them. You manage who your child talks to, not what they say.

A caveat: WhatsApp said it would roll this out gradually over the following months, and TechCrunch reported it was starting in select countries (TechCrunch). Neither names Ireland or the UK, so if you don’t see the option, update the app and check again later.

Settings worth changing on a 13+ account

If your child has a regular account, Internet Matters suggests three quick wins: show them how to block and report, turn off automatic downloads, and tighten privacy (Internet Matters). Menus can move between app updates, so check the linked guide if something looks different.

Groups: open WhatsApp Settings (Internet Matters starts from the three dots in the top corner), then Privacy > Groups, and choose My contacts. Without this, anyone with your child’s number can add them to a group. It only stops automatic adds; people can still send an invite.
Last seen and online: Settings > Privacy > Last seen and online. Internet Matters notes hiding this can ease the pressure to reply straight away, or late at night.
Profile photo and About: set to My contacts, and keep anything personal out of the About line.
Automatic downloads: Settings > Chats, then switch off Media visibility, so photos and videos don’t save straight to the phone’s gallery.
Live location: it’s off by default, according to Internet Matters, and can be checked under Settings > Privacy > Live location. Remind your child to keep location and personal details out of Status updates.

Blocking and reporting: in a chat, tap the contact’s name, scroll down and choose Block or Report. Internet Matters notes that if you want to keep the messages, for example to show the Gardaí or police, untick Block contact and delete chat before reporting (Internet Matters). Our guide on what to do if your child is being bullied online has more on next steps.

The things to talk about

Settings help, but the conversation does the heavy lifting. Internet Matters suggests children only join groups with people they know from school or clubs, ask you before joining Communities or following Channels, and know how to block and report anyone who makes them uncomfortable (Internet Matters). It’s also worth agreeing what’s OK to share in a group, since anything posted there can be screenshotted and passed on.

What to do next

Decide on your family’s age, using 13 as the minimum, not the target. If your child is younger and the class group is the pressure, check whether parent-managed accounts have reached your phone.
Sit down together for ten minutes and change the Groups, Last seen and Media visibility settings side by side, so it feels like a shared job rather than a rule.
Practise blocking and reporting on a test chat, so your child knows exactly what to do if something feels wrong.
Agree a simple check-in, like a quick chat at the weekend about how the groups are going, rather than reading their messages.

Every family lands in a different place on WhatsApp, and that’s OK. Knowing the options means you get to make the call calmly, rather than at the school gate.

How do I set up parental controls on an Xbox?

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

To set up parental controls on an Xbox, you first give your child their own child account inside your Microsoft family group, with you as the organiser. Once that’s done, you can set screen time, limit games by age, choose who they can chat and play with, and control spending, from the console, a web browser, or the free Xbox Family Settings app on your phone (Xbox). These steps are for the Xbox Series X and Series S. Set aside about twenty minutes.

The steps below are based on Xbox’s own pages and the Internet Matters step-by-step guide. Menus can move a little between system updates, so if something looks different, the linked pages are the place to check.

Before you start: the family group

Everything hangs off a Microsoft family group: your own Microsoft account, plus a child account for each child. Xbox encourages parents of children aged 13 or under to set one up, because it’s how you manage screen time, spending limits, privacy and content settings (Xbox). Internet Matters points out you need a Microsoft account for yourself and a separate one for your child (Internet Matters).

Xbox gives three ways to add your child (Xbox):

On the web: go to account.microsoft.com/family, sign in, set up a family group and add your child.
On the console: press the Xbox button on the controller to open the guide, then select Profile & system > Settings > Account > Family settings > Manage family members.
On your phone: use the Xbox Family Settings app, free for iPhone and Android.

One thing to know: the settings only apply when your child is signed in to the Microsoft account with the Xbox profile that’s in your family (Xbox). If they play on a sibling’s or a guest profile, your limits won’t follow them, which is why Step 5 below matters.

Step 1: Set age limits on games and apps

On the console, go to Settings > General > Online safety & family > Family settings. You’ll be asked for your PIN. Select Manage family members, choose your child, then Access to content, and pick your child’s age from the list (Internet Matters).

Age ratings come in steps, so the number you pick may not match a rating exactly. Internet Matters gives the example that choosing 13 lets your child access content rated up to 12, as there is no 13 rating.

Step 2: Set screen time

Internet Matters describes this route (Internet Matters):

Go to Settings > General > Online safety & family > Family settings > Family on the web (enter your PIN).
Choose your child’s account, then the Xbox tab.
Scroll to Devices. Under Xbox consoles, select Turn limits on.
Select the three dots at the top right, then Edit limits. Set a time limit and schedule, either Every day or different for each day of the week. Add a schedule lets you allow more than one slot in a day.
Select Done.

The Xbox Family Settings app does the same from your phone: you can create a schedule for each child that’s different for each day of the week, and Pause Screen Time to stop play straight away. Your child sees a message that their screen time is up until you let them play again (Xbox). If they ask for more time from the console, the request lands in the app for you to answer, which can be a calmer way to handle “five more minutes” than calling up the stairs.

Internet Matters also suggests break reminders on your child’s console: Settings > Preferences > Break reminder. They suggest every 30 minutes for children under 13 and every hour for older children (Internet Matters).

Step 3: Choose who they can chat and play with

Go to Family settings > Manage family members, choose your child, then Privacy & online safety > Xbox privacy. You can pick Child defaults as a starting point, or View details & customise to go setting by setting (Internet Matters). Internet Matters says the Child default makes your child’s profile private.

Under Communication & multiplayer, the settings include:

Multiplayer games: whether they can play online with others.
Cross-network play: whether they can play with people on other consoles and PCs.
Others can communicate: Everybody, Friends or Block.
Communication outside of Xbox and Video for communication.

In the app, Friend Management means your child can “Ask a parent” before adding a new friend, and you can see and remove friends they follow (Xbox). There’s also an Enable Minecraft option, which lets your child play Minecraft online even if online multiplayer is off for other games. Handy if Minecraft with their cousins is the one game that matters.

Step 4: Sort out spending

Internet Matters suggests two layers (Internet Matters):

On the console: in your child’s Xbox privacy settings, select Buy & download and turn Ask a parent on. Your child then needs your permission to buy or download new games or content.
In Microsoft Family: select your child, then Spending. Turn on notifications for every purchase, and keep credit cards off your child’s account. If you can’t, turn on Require approval for every purchase.

If you’d like your child to have some pocket money to spend, you can add money to their account balance and they can spend up to that amount. The Xbox app shows their balance and spending history, and sends you an Ask to Buy notification when they want something they can’t afford (Xbox). Our guide on stopping children spending money in games and apps covers the in-game side too.

Step 5: Lock the settings with a PIN

The Family settings menu on the console is protected by a PIN, which keeps your choices from being changed by anyone but you (Internet Matters). Pick one your child won’t guess, and keep it to yourself. It’s also worth checking that your child plays on their own profile, since that’s where all of the above applies.

What to do next

This week: add your child to your Microsoft family group and choose Child defaults in their Xbox privacy settings as a starting point. You can loosen things later as they get older.
Download the Xbox Family Settings app and set a daily screen time schedule that fits your family, with a bit extra at the weekend if that suits.
Turn on “Ask a parent” for buying and downloading, and keep your card off their account.
Talk it through with your child before the first limit kicks in: what happens when time’s up, and when it’s fine to ask for more.

Every family’s settings will look a bit different, and that’s fine. The aim is for the console to do the reminding, so you don’t have to be the timekeeper.

How can I help my teenager find a hobby that isn't on a screen?

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The best way to help a teenager find an off-screen hobby is to let them lead. Start from what they already enjoy online, offer a few low-pressure things to try (without a long commitment), and use what’s already built for their age, like youth clubs, Scouts, local sport or the Gaisce award. Expect a few false starts. A hobby they choose and drop after a month is still a win, because it’s practice at trying things.

You’re not trying to win a fight with their phone. You’re trying to make something else easy and appealing enough that it earns a place in their week.

Why it’s worth the effort

The HSE says children and young people should be active for at least an hour a day, at a moderate to vigorous intensity, and lists hiking, skateboarding, team sports, martial arts, and walking or cycling to school as ideas for older children and teens (HSE). Its screen time advice also says to prioritise play, physical and social activities, and hobbies alongside screens (HSE).

That doesn’t mean every hobby has to be sport. Music, drama, cooking, art, volunteering or fixing bikes all count. The point is having something in the week that’s theirs, with real people, that isn’t on a screen.

Start with what they already like

Teenagers are far more likely to stick at something they picked. A good opening is curiosity rather than a plan:

Ask about what they do online. If they watch cooking videos, there’s a kitchen. If they play football games, there’s a local club. If they’re into Minecraft builds, there might be a woodwork, art or robotics group nearby.
Ask what they’d try if it was easy. “If you could learn anything, what would it be?” takes the pressure off.
Ask who they’d go with. Lots of teens will try something with a friend that they’d never try alone.
Keep it short. One chat in the car is often better than a big sit-down talk.

If they shrug, that’s fine. Drop it for a week and come back to it.

Clubs and programmes made for their age

You don’t need to invent something from scratch. Ireland has several long-running options built for young people:

Foróige clubs. Foróige runs weekly clubs for 12 to 17-year-olds, and junior clubs for 10 to 12-year-olds, all across Ireland. Young people help run their own club nights with adult volunteers, plan trips and fundraisers, and try new things. The Foróige website has a page to find your nearest club (Foróige).
Scouts. Scouting Ireland groups usually run Scouts for ages 12 to 15 and Venture Scouts for 15 to 17, with younger sections for Beavers and Cubs. Age bands can vary slightly between groups, so check with your local group (Dún Laoghaire Scouts).
Gaisce, the President’s Award. This is a personal challenge award with three main areas: a personal skill (something new, or something they already do), community involvement (volunteering) and physical recreation, plus an adventure journey (Gaisce). It’s a handy structure if your teen likes a goal. Details are below.
Local sports clubs and community classes. GAA, soccer, swimming, climbing, martial arts, dance and drama groups often take beginners at this age. Your local sports partnership or library noticeboard is a good place to look.

How Gaisce works

Gaisce suits teenagers who’d like something to show for their effort. According to Gaisce (award levels):

Bronze is open from age 14 (or 13 if their friends or class are registering). It asks for 1 hour a week for 13 weeks in each of the three main areas, 13 more weeks in one area of their choice, and an adventure journey of at least 2 days and 1 night. Registration is €15.
Silver starts at 15 (14 if peers are registering) and Gold at 17 (16 if peers are registering), with longer commitments.

To start, a young person connects with an organisation that runs Gaisce and works with a President’s Award Leader. If you can’t find one, Gaisce suggests asking at school, local youth centres, volunteer centres, or scouting or guides groups (Gaisce).

A nice side effect: the “personal skill” can be almost anything, from learning guitar to baking, so it gives a reason to try that thing they’ve mentioned once or twice.

Make trying things low-stakes

The biggest barrier for many teens isn’t the phone; it’s the awkwardness of being new. A few things help:

Agree on a short trial. “Try it three times, then decide” is easier to say yes to than a whole season.
Go with a friend, or ask whether a friend’s parent can share lifts.
Don’t buy all the gear first. Borrow, rent or buy second-hand until you know it’s sticking.
Let them quit without a lecture after a fair try. Then help them look for the next thing.
Make the off-screen time easy. The HSE suggests screen-free times and keeping screens out of bedrooms, which naturally leaves more room in the evening (HSE).

And, gently, it helps if they see you doing something you enjoy too. The HSE notes that being active yourself is one of the best ways to motivate children (HSE).

What if they’re anxious or withdrawn?

Some teenagers aren’t just bored; they’re finding it hard to go out or meet new people. If your teen seems low, worried or withdrawn for a while, it’s worth talking to them gently and speaking to your GP. A hobby can help, but it isn’t a fix for everything, and you don’t have to work it out alone.

What to do next

Have one curious chat this week: ask what they’d love to learn or try if it was easy, and just listen.
Look up one local option together, such as the nearest Foróige club, Scout group or a beginner class, and pick a date to try it.
If they’re 13 or older, ask their school whether it runs Gaisce, or whether their friends are signing up.
Agree on “try it three times” so there’s no pressure to love it straight away.
Free up one evening by agreeing a screen-free time, so there’s space in the week for something new.

Every teenager is different, and some will take longer to find their thing. Keep the door open, keep it light, and let them know you’re happy to drive.

How much screen time should my 6 to 12-year-old have?

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

There’s no single official number for children aged 6 to 12. The HSE’s current advice says a one-size-fits-all limit may not work at this age, and asks parents to aim for a balance: enough sleep, plenty of play and physical activity, time with family and friends, and screens fitting around those rather than pushing them out (HSE). Another HSE page, on helping children be active, still gives “no more than 2 hours each day” as a good guide for over-5s, and many families find that a handy rule of thumb. Either way, how and when your child uses screens matters as much as the total.

That can feel less tidy than a number, but it’s good news. It means you can build rules around your own child and your own week, rather than watching the clock.

What the official advice says

Under 6s do have a clear guideline in Ireland. The HSE suggests that 2 to 5-year-olds have ideally no more than 1 hour a day, including TV (we cover this in How much screen time should a toddler have?).

From 6 years old, the HSE page (last reviewed in May 2024, with its next review due in May 2027) doesn’t give an hours figure. Instead it suggests:

prioritising enough sleep, and trying not to use screens in the hour before bed
trying to keep screens and TVs out of your child’s bedroom
having screen-free zones and times, such as the kitchen table, mealtimes or after dinner
making room for play, physical and social activities, and hobbies
agreeing a set of screen time rules with your child, and setting aside some screen-free family time each week

(HSE)

The “2 hours” figure. The HSE’s page on helping children be active says that for children over 5, a good guide is no more than 2 hours of screen time a day (HSE, being active). A 2020 leaflet for parents of primary school children, from HSE speech and language therapy and psychology teams in Dublin North City and County, suggested trying to limit screen time to 2 hours a day or less, and noted that children this age need 8 to 12 hours of sleep a night (HSE leaflet). The HSE’s main screen time page has since moved away from a fixed figure for this age group, so the sources don’t quite agree. Treat 2 hours as a rough guide rather than a strict rule.

Other bodies take a similar line. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ family media plan doesn’t set a time limit; it suggests a plan that fits your family’s routines and values, with screen-free times and places (AAP, HealthyChildren.org). Internet Matters notes that experts have found it hard to recommend an overall cut-off, and that not all screen time is harmful (Internet Matters).

Why “balance” rather than a number

At primary school age, screens are used for so many different things: homework, a film with the family, a video call with a cousin, building something in a game, or scrolling short videos. An hour of each isn’t the same.

The 2020 HSE leaflet suggests thinking about limits if you’re worried about your child’s physical health, sleep, social life, energy levels or weight, and agreeing limits that suit your child’s needs (HSE leaflet). In other words, the question isn’t only “how long?” but “what is it crowding out?”

Some useful things to notice:

Sleep. Are they getting to sleep at a sensible time, or is a device keeping them up?
Moving and playing. Are they still getting out, playing with friends and doing things they enjoy?
Mood. Internet Matters lists signs such as anxiety or stress when separated from a device, not getting enough sleep or exercise, and not wanting to see friends (Internet Matters).
The type of screen time. Internet Matters suggests balancing passive use, such as watching videos, with more active use, like creating things or playing games (Internet Matters).

If those things look fine, you probably don’t need to worry about the exact minutes. If they don’t, that’s a good sign to make a few changes, without anyone being in trouble.

Setting limits that actually work

If you decide to set limits, the HSE suggests a few practical tools (HSE):

Use the device’s own settings. Downtime and screen time limits are built into most phones, tablets and consoles. Our guides cover Screen Time on iPhone and iPad, Google Family Link on Android, the Nintendo Switch and the PS5.
Pick apps that pause or stop on their own, so the end of a session isn’t always a battle with you.
Use a timer plug on the wifi router to switch the internet off at set times, such as bedtime.
Try greyscale or sleep mode on a smartphone for all or part of the day, to make scrolling less tempting.

The AAP also suggests turning off autoplay and notifications, which are designed to keep children watching for longer, and using a “one screen at a time” rule (AAP, HealthyChildren.org).

The 2020 HSE leaflet adds a few ideas parents often find useful: letting children earn screen time after other activities like playing outside, and sharing your family’s plan with grandparents, childminders and babysitters so the rules are the same everywhere (HSE leaflet).

Doing it together, not to them

Children aged 6 to 12 are old enough to help make the rules, and they’re more likely to stick to rules they helped shape. The HSE recommends starting conversations about screen time and limits now, and talking about age-appropriate content and respecting others online as they grow (HSE). Our guide to making a family screen time agreement walks you through it.

It also helps to share some of their screen time. Internet Matters suggests a family film or games night, and pointing children towards apps that build on their interests (Internet Matters).

And, gently: children copy what they see. Both the HSE and the AAP say parents are role models here (HSE, AAP, HealthyChildren.org). Nobody gets this perfect, and small changes, like phones off the dinner table for everyone, count.

What to do next

Aim for an hour of moving every day, which is the HSE’s guide for children, and let screens fit around that (HSE, being active).
Check the basics this week: is your child sleeping well, moving every day and still seeing friends? If yes, you’re probably in a good place, whatever the exact hours.
Choose one screen-free time or place, such as the dinner table or the hour before bed, and try it as a family for a week.
Move devices out of the bedroom at night, charging them in the kitchen or your room instead.
Set up downtime on their main device using one of our step-by-step guides, so the device does the reminding rather than you.
Sit down together and agree the rules, then look at them again at the start of the next school term, as the AAP suggests reviewing plans at the start of each school year or during breaks.

Every family’s week looks different, and that’s fine. The aim isn’t a perfect number; it’s a childhood with plenty of room for sleep, play and people, with screens as one good part of it.

How do I stop my child sharing their location on Snapchat?

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

To stop your child sharing their location on Snapchat, open Snap Map with them and turn on Ghost Mode, which hides them from everyone on the map. If they’d rather keep sharing with a few close friends, choose Select Friends instead of “My Friends”. Then back it up on the phone itself by changing Snapchat’s location permission to Never, or at least While Using the App. It takes a couple of minutes, and it works best done together rather than behind their back.

The steps below come from Snapchat’s, Apple’s and Google’s current help pages. Apps change their menus fairly often, so if something looks different on your child’s phone, check the linked page.

What Snap Map actually shares

Snap Map is the map screen inside Snapchat. It shows where your friends are, using their Bitmoji (their cartoon avatar), and it shows public Snaps posted from places nearby. Webwise explains that a user’s location updates while they’re using the app.

The good news is that sharing is opt-in. Snapchat says location sharing is off by default, and that teens can only share their location with people who are accepted friends, never with strangers who aren’t on their friends list (Snap). The catch is that many teens switch it on to see where their friends are and then forget about it, or add friends they don’t really know in real life.

The three choices are (Webwise):

Only Me (Ghost Mode): nobody else sees their location on the map.
My Friends: everyone on their friends list can see them, including anyone they add later.
Select Friends: only the people they pick can see them.

As Webwise points out, a location shared every day quickly reveals regular places like home and school. That’s the real reason to check this setting, not panic.

How to turn on Ghost Mode

Snapchat’s own help page gives these steps (Snapchat Support):

Open Snapchat and go to the Map.
Tap the gear icon to open Map Settings. Snapchat currently places it in the bottom right corner; older guides say top right.
Turn on Ghost Mode.
Choose how long it should last: 3 hours, 24 hours or Until Turned Off. For a child, pick Until Turned Off, otherwise sharing comes back on its own when the timer ends.

Two things to know. First, Ghost Mode hides your child from other people, but their location is still shared with Snap itself. Second, Snaps your child submits to the map can still appear there whatever their location setting (Snapchat Support). So it’s worth a quick word about not posting public Snaps from home or school.

If your teen really wants to share with friends, the Australian eSafety Commissioner suggests Select Friends with just close friends and family, rather than everyone on their list (eSafety). That’s a reasonable middle ground for an older teen.

Back it up in the phone’s settings

Snapchat’s setting can be changed by anyone holding the phone, so it helps to set the phone’s own location permission for the app too.

iPhone or iPad (Apple):

Open Settings and tap Privacy & Security, then Location Services.
Scroll down and tap Snapchat.
Choose Never to stop Snapchat using location at all, or While Using the App so it can’t use it in the background.
If you leave it on, you can also turn off Precise Location, so the app only gets a rough area rather than an exact spot.

Android with Google Family Link (Google):

Open Family Link and choose your child.
Go to Screen time > Time limits > App limits and select Snapchat.
Tap App details, then Permissions, and turn off location.

Family Link also lets you decide who can grant permissions in the future. Under Controls > Signed-in devices, pick the device, then App permissions, choose a permission and select Only parents. Google notes this doesn’t remove permissions already granted, so do step 3 as well. Google also warns that turning a permission off can stop some app features working.

If you haven’t set up the wider controls yet, our guides to Screen Time on an iPhone and Family Link on Android walk you through them.

Want to know where they are? There’s a better way

Some parents keep Snap Map on precisely so they can see where their teen is. Snapchat has a tidier option for that inside Family Center, its parental tools. Once you and your teen are linked, you can send a request to see their live location and share yours back. Your teen has to accept, and you can choose to be told when they arrive at or leave up to three places, such as home or school (Snap).

To set up Family Center, you need your own Snapchat account and to be friends with your teen on it. Then search for “Family Center” in the app (or find it in Settings), invite your teen, and they tap Accept (Snapchat). Family Center also shows you who’s on their friends list and who they’re chatting with, though not what’s in their messages.

That way your teen can stay in Ghost Mode for everyone else, while still sharing with you. If you’re still deciding whether your child should be on Snapchat at all, our guide to what age children can join TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram covers the official ages and Irish rules.

Talk it through, don’t just switch it off

Teens often use Snap Map for good reasons: meeting up, checking a friend got home. If the setting just vanishes, they may turn it back on. eSafety suggests talking about both sides: the benefits, and the risk of sharing a real-time location with people they don’t know or trust (eSafety). Webwise adds that it’s worth looking through the friends list together and removing anyone they don’t know in real life (Webwise).

A simple way in: open your own phone’s map app and ask, “Who do you think can see where you are right now?” Then check together.

What to do next

Sit down with your child’s phone this week and open Snap Map together. Turn on Ghost Mode set to “Until Turned Off”, or switch to Select Friends with a handful of close friends.
Change Snapchat’s location permission on the phone to Never or While Using the App, and turn off Precise Location on an iPhone.
Go through the friends list together and remove anyone they haven’t met in person.
If you want to see their location, set up Family Center and use its location sharing instead of Snap Map, so only family can see where they are.

How do I talk to my child about AI chatbots?

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The best way to talk to your child about AI chatbots is to start with curiosity, not worry: ask which ones they use and what they like about them. Then cover four things over time: a chatbot isn’t a person and doesn’t really know them; it can be confidently wrong; personal details stay private; and for feelings, health or anything worrying, they come to you or another trusted adult. Agree a few family rules, especially for homework, and keep the conversation going rather than having one big talk.

You don’t need to understand how the technology works to do this well. The advice below comes from the NSPCC, Internet Matters and Webwise, all of which have published guidance for parents on AI.

Why it’s worth talking about now

Chatbots are tools like ChatGPT, Snapchat’s My AI and Character AI that answer in chatty, human-sounding sentences. They’re also increasingly built into apps, games and homework tools children already use (NSPCC).

Many children are already using them. In Internet Matters’ research, two-thirds of 9 to 17-year-olds had used an AI chatbot, including 58% of 9 to 12-year-olds, even though many chatbots set a minimum age of 13. The same research found children use them for schoolwork, for fun and, for some, for advice about friendships and feelings.

None of that is a reason to panic. Internet Matters also points to real benefits: help learning at their own pace, practising a language and having tricky ideas explained more simply (Offaly Express). The aim is to help your child use it well, not to make them feel they’ve done something wrong.

How to start the conversation

The NSPCC’s first tip is to start with curiosity, not concern (NSPCC via Vodafone). Children clam up when a chat feels like an interrogation. Try:

“Which AI apps do people in your class use? What for?”
“Can you show me how you’d use it for homework?”
“What’s the funniest or weirdest thing it’s ever said to you?”

Share how you use AI yourself too, if you do. Internet Matters suggests exploring it together: sit down and try a chatbot side by side, which lets you model good habits and set expectations early (Offaly Express).

Short, regular chats work better than one big talk. A car journey or washing up together is often easier than sitting face to face.

The four things to get across

1. A chatbot isn’t a person. It can sound warm and personal, but it doesn’t know your child and doesn’t have real feelings. The NSPCC says chatbots shouldn’t replace people in a child’s life. This matters: in a Vodafone poll of 11 to 16-year-olds, 31% of those who had used a chatbot said they’d describe it as a friend (Offaly Express). For younger children, “it’s a clever computer program that guesses what words come next” is enough.

2. It can be wrong. Chatbots make mistakes and can sound sure of themselves while doing it. The NSPCC suggests checking anything important, especially for schoolwork or health, against a trusted source. Questions you can ask aloud together (NSPCC):

“Does this answer make sense?”
“Where did this information come from?”
“How could we check it?”

3. Keep personal details private. No full names, home address, school, phone number or photos. The NSPCC points out that chats may be stored or used to train the AI, so it’s worth treating a chatbot like a public space (NSPCC via Vodafone).

4. For feelings and worries, talk to a person. The NSPCC is clear that AI tools aren’t trusted adults. For health, relationships or anything upsetting, your child should come to you, another adult they trust, or a children’s helpline. In Ireland, Childline is on 1800 66 66 66 (Webwise); in the UK, Childline is on 0800 1111 (NSPCC).

Agree some family rules

Once you’ve talked, agree a few simple rules together. Children are more likely to stick to rules they helped make. The NSPCC suggests covering when and how AI can be used, including whether any topics are off-limits, and making clear that for homework it should help them understand, not do the work for them (NSPCC via Vodafone). It’s worth checking what their school’s rules are too.

The NSPCC also says using AI to make fake images or messages about other people, or to bully, is never okay. That’s worth saying plainly, especially with older children.

If you already have a family screen time agreement, add a line or two about AI. Our guide to making a family screen time agreement that sticks shows how.

Signs to keep an eye on

Most children use chatbots in ordinary, harmless ways. Internet Matters suggests gently paying attention if your child seems to be forming an emotional bond with a chatbot, sharing personal information with it, or turning to it instead of a trusted adult (Offaly Express). Its research also encourages parents to help children keep up friendships and activities offline, since a chatbot is always available to talk (Internet Matters).

If you notice any of these, don’t confiscate the phone in a panic. Ask about it calmly, the same way you started. If your child seems low or anxious generally, talk to your GP, who can point you to the right support.

What to do next

Ask one curious question this week, such as “Which AI apps do your friends use?”, and let your child do the talking.
Try a chatbot together for ten minutes on a homework question, and check its answer against a book or trusted website as you go.
Agree two or three AI rules as a family: what it’s okay to use it for, what stays private, and who to talk to when something’s worrying.
Download Webwise’s free Parents’ Guide to Generative AI, available in English and Irish, for explainers on tools like ChatGPT and My AI.

Is Fortnite safe for my child?

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Fortnite can be a safe, fun game for many children, as long as a parent sets it up first. It’s rated PEGI 12 (Battle Royale, Save the World and Fortnite Festival), and the violence is cartoon-style with no blood (Internet Matters; Common Sense Media). The things worth managing are chat with people they don’t know, spending on the in-game currency, and time, because matches are short enough that “one more” is always tempting. Epic Games, which makes Fortnite, has free parental controls for all three.

Settings change, so this guide describes Epic’s current safety pages. If a menu looks different, check the linked pages.

What age is Fortnite for?

PEGI, the age-rating system used in Ireland and the UK, rates the main Fortnite modes 12, while LEGO Fortnite Odyssey is rated 7. Internet Matters explains that the ratings reflect violence, the ability to talk to other players and in-game spending (Internet Matters).

Common Sense Media, a US charity that reviews games, recommends it for 13 and up, mainly for the action violence. It also says that with the right controls and a parent involved, it can work for younger children (Common Sense Media). In other words, the two bodies are close, and both leave room for a parent’s judgement.

It helps to know that Fortnite is really several games in one. Battle Royale is the famous one: up to 100 players, last one standing wins. There’s also Save the World (a paid mode where players build a base and fight zombie-like creatures), the music game Fortnite Festival, and lots of player-made “islands”. Common Sense notes that Party Royale is a mode with no weapons at all.

Younger players start with a “cabined” account

Epic gives a cabined account to anyone who says they’re under 13 or under their country’s age of digital consent, whichever is higher (Epic Games). In Ireland, the age of digital consent is 16 (Data Protection Commission), so an Irish child under 16 who gives their real date of birth starts on one.

A cabined account can still play, but these are switched off until a parent says otherwise (Epic Games):

voice chat and free text chat
buying things with real money
a custom display name (they get an automatic one instead)
signing in to other apps and sites with their Epic account

When your child signs up, they’re asked for a parent’s email address. You’ll get an email called “Your Child Created an Epic Games Account”; follow its link to finish setting up the account and choose what to allow. That’s why it matters that your child enters their real date of birth: the protections depend on it.

The parental controls worth knowing

You manage these by signing in to your child’s Epic account and opening Parental Controls in the Epic Account Portal on the web. Some can also be changed inside Fortnite, using your parental controls PIN (Epic Games).

Chat. Voice and text chat each have four options: Everybody, Friends, team members & connections, Friends Only or Nobody. Under-10s are capped at Friends Only and under-13s at Friends, team members & connections, whatever you choose. You can also turn on Filter Mature Language (always on for under-13s) and Require a PIN to Add Friends, so you approve each new friend.

Spending. Fortnite’s currency is V-Bucks. The Battle Pass, which unlocks rewards over a season, costs 950 V-Bucks, which Internet Matters puts at roughly £8 (Internet Matters). In Epic’s controls, Require a PIN for Epic Games Payments covers real-money purchases made through Epic, and Allow Paid Random Items can be switched off so V-Bucks can’t be spent on mystery rewards (not available everywhere). Epic is clear that the PIN doesn’t cover purchases made through the console’s or phone’s own shop, so set the device’s spending controls too.

Age ratings for islands. A Fortnite Content Ratings slider means player-made islands above the level you choose need your PIN.

Time. You can set a daily limit or specific playing hours. Your child gets a warning with 30 minutes left, and with Request for More Time turned on, they can ask you for extra. Time Reports show a daily breakdown in the portal, and you can get a weekly summary by email.

AI characters. A newer setting, Allow Voice and Written Communication with AI Features, controls whether your child can chat with AI-powered characters in the game.

Don’t forget the console or device

Epic points out that chat can also happen through the console’s own party chat, which its settings don’t cover, so turn on the device’s parental controls as well (Epic Games). We have step-by-step guides for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and stopping in-game spending.

Making stopping easier

Common Sense Media notes that a match lasts about 20 minutes, so it suggests agreeing a number of matches rather than a number of minutes, and using the end of a match as the natural stopping point (Common Sense Media). Stopping mid-match can mean leaving teammates in the lurch, which feels like a big deal to a child, so agreeing the finish line in advance saves a lot of arguments.

What to do next

Check the date of birth on your child’s Epic account, and finish the parental consent email if it’s waiting in your inbox.
Set chat to Friends Only (or Nobody) and turn on Require a PIN to Add Friends in the Epic Account Portal. You can open things up as they get older.
Switch on the PIN for purchases and the device’s own spending limit, and agree how V-Bucks get earned or bought in your house.
Play a match together. Internet Matters suggests it as a way to learn the game, and it makes talking about who they play with, and how to block or report someone, feel natural (Internet Matters).

Every child is different, and you know yours best. With the settings in place and an open conversation, Fortnite can be just another game they enjoy.

How do I set up parental controls on a PS5?

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

To set up parental controls on a PS5, you first give your child their own child account inside your PlayStation “family”, with you as the family manager. Once that’s done, you can set daily play time, limit games by age rating, switch chat on or off and cap spending, from a web browser, the console itself, or the free PlayStation Family app on your phone (PlayStation). Play time and age limits are tied to your child’s account, so they apply on a PS4 too if your child uses one. Set aside about twenty minutes.

These steps are based on PlayStation’s current help pages. Menus can move a little between system updates, so if something looks different, the linked pages are the place to check.

Before you start: the family account

Everything hangs off a family: a group of PlayStation accounts with one adult in charge, called the family manager. You need your own PlayStation account first, and when you add a family member, you become the manager (PlayStation). There can only be one family manager, though they can make another adult a parent or guardian with the same powers.

To add a child on the web (PlayStation):

Sign in to Account Management on playstation.com and select Family Management.
For your first child, select Set Up Now > Add a Child. For another child, select Add Family Member > Add a Child.
Follow the on-screen steps. You’ll enter your child’s name and date of birth, and you can set the controls now or later.

To add a child on the PS5: sign in, select your profile picture at the top right of the home screen, then Switch User > Add User > Get Started > Create an Account, and follow the steps.

Already got an account? If your child set one up on their own, you don’t have to start again. In the UK and Ireland, you can send a family request to their existing account from Family Management, using their sign-in email and date of birth. They then accept it from their own account (PlayStation).

A good habit from Internet Matters: set the account and age limits up before your child starts playing, rather than reining things in afterwards (Internet Matters).

Step 1: Choose a restriction level

Each child account has a restriction level that sets several controls at once. PlayStation lists three presets: Child, Early Teens and Late Teens or Older (PlayStation).

The Child preset is the strictest. It limits PS5 games to those rated for your child’s age, restricts web browsing, chat and shared content, blocks PlayStation VR, and sets the monthly spending limit to zero. Once you change any single setting, the level becomes a custom one, and you can adjust each setting yourself:

Age level for games and apps: a PS5 game will only start if its age rating is the same as or lower than your child’s age.
Web Browsing: on or off.
Communication and User-Generated Content: controls chatting and messaging with other players, and seeing or sharing videos, pictures and text.
Use of PlayStation VR and PlayStation VR2.
Blu-ray Discs and DVDs: age limits for films played on the console.

To change them on the PS5, go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, select your child, then choose the control. On the web, open Family Management, select your child and choose Edit next to the setting.

Restricting communication blocks chat with everyone, friends included. Internet Matters notes you can still let specific games through using Allowed Games, which is handy if your child plays one game with their cousins or classmates (Internet Matters).

Step 2: Set play time

PlayStation’s play time controls have three parts (PlayStation):

Restrict Playtime: turns the limits on.
Playtime Duration and Playable Hours: how long, and between which hours, your child can play. These can be the same every day or set for each day of the week, so weekends can be a bit longer.
When Playtime Ends: Notify Only shows a message; Log Out signs your child out.

On the PS5: Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management, select your child, set the Time Zone first, then choose Playtime Settings and Save.

Your child gets a warning at the top of the screen as time runs low. From the PS5, they can choose Ask for More Playtime, and you get a notification to approve or decline. Many families find that a calmer way to handle “five more minutes” than shouting up the stairs. “Log Out” can interrupt a game mid-match, so it’s worth agreeing together whether a notice is enough.

Step 3: Check spending

The monthly spending limit starts at zero for child accounts, so nothing can be bought from the PlayStation Store unless you raise it (PlayStation). Purchases come out of the family manager’s wallet (PlayStation).

One catch: this covers the PlayStation Store. Internet Matters points out that some in-game spending has to be limited inside each game’s own settings (Internet Matters). Our guide on stopping children spending money in games and apps covers that side.

Step 4: Lock the console’s own settings

Some settings belong to the console, not to an account. Internet Matters suggests going to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > PS5 Console Restrictions, setting a PIN, and setting User Creation and Guest Login to Don’t Allow, so a new account can’t be made to get round your limits (Internet Matters). In the same section, you can set your Country or region so the age ratings match the PEGI system used here.

Bonus: the PlayStation Family app

Once the family is set up, the free PlayStation Family app lets you do most of this from your phone. From the home screen, choose your child, then (PlayStation):

Playtime: set the daily limit and hours, and answer requests for more time.
Activity: see the last seven days, including their most-played games.
Playing Now: see what they’re playing and its age rating.
Requests: approve or decline when they ask to play a restricted game or use a chat feature.

What to do next

This week: create your child’s account in your family and pick the Child or Early Teens level as a starting point. You can loosen things later.
Download the PlayStation Family app and set a daily play time that fits your family, with a little extra at the weekend if that suits.
Set the console PIN and turn off new user creation, so the limits can’t be side-stepped by a new account.
Talk it through with your child before the first limit kicks in: what happens when the warning pops up, and when it’s fine to ask for more time.

Every family’s settings will look different, and that’s fine. The aim is for the console to do the reminding, so you get to stay the good guy.

How can I get my child reading instead of always on a screen?

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The most reliable way to get a child reading more is to make it easy, short and their choice: a few minutes a day, books (or comics, or audiobooks) about things they already love, and a few screen-free times in the day when a book is the obvious thing to reach for. Great Ormond Street Hospital’s guide says even 10 to 15 minutes a day is enough to spark a child’s enjoyment of stories (GOSH).

If your child currently prefers a tablet to a book, that’s very normal, and it doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. Screens are designed to be easy to pick up. The aim isn’t to win a battle against them, just to make reading feel like a treat rather than a chore.

Why it can feel like an uphill climb

You’re not imagining it. A Children’s Books Ireland survey found that 24% of teenagers aged 13 to 18, and 19% of boys across all ages, weren’t reading for pleasure, and that the average child owned 20 books, down from 30 in 2023 (Arts in Education, on the Children’s Books Ireland report).

The same survey found that 21% of parents said the most important thing when choosing a book was that “it will teach them something” (Arts in Education). That’s a lovely instinct, but for reading for fun, the experts below all point the other way: let them pick what excites them.

Let them choose (yes, comics count)

Every source we checked agrees that what a child reads matters far less than whether they enjoy it.

Comics and magazines are real reading. GOSH says that if your child only reads comics or magazines, that’s fine for now, and you can gently widen their range later without pushing (GOSH). nidirect’s tips include fiction, non-fiction, comics, magazines, poetry and even recipes (nidirect).
Graphic novels and manga are popular and, as Common Sense Media puts it, “they’re not baby stuff!” They can win over reluctant readers (Common Sense Media).
Follow what they already love. A TV show with a book spin-off, a game they’re obsessed with, a hobby like football or rock collecting. Common Sense Media also suggests not judging their picks (unless they’re truly inappropriate) and letting them stick with one topic or series for a while (Common Sense Media).

This is where screen-loving kids can have an advantage. If your child loves Minecraft, Pokémon or a particular YouTuber, there’s very likely a book, annual or guide about it, and that’s a perfectly good place to start.

Make it short, cosy and regular

Little and often beats long and dutiful.

Pick a regular time. Bedtime is a popular one for quiet shared reading (GOSH). nidirect also suggests a family reading time when everyone reads, either the same book or their own (nidirect).
Read aloud, even to older children. nidirect suggests reading to your child every day and using different voices for the characters (nidirect). Common Sense Media says reading aloud still helps after children can read on their own (Common Sense Media).
Make a cosy spot. Sit close, put your own phone away, and let younger children hold the book and turn the pages (nidirect).
Talk about it, don’t test them. Chat about the cover, what surprised you, or how a story made you feel (nidirect).
Keep it fun. nidirect’s last tip is the most important: how you read matters less than both of you enjoying it (nidirect).

Give books a fair chance against the screen

You don’t need to ban screens to make room for reading. A few small changes to the house help:

Create screen-free times and places where devices aren’t welcome but books are (Common Sense Media). The car, the kitchen table or the last half hour before bed all work well.
Leave books lying around in several rooms (GOSH). Common Sense Media notes that children who grow up with lots of books around tend to read more (Common Sense Media).
Let them see you read. Children are more likely to read if they see you doing it, for fun rather than as a chore (GOSH). A paperback on the sofa counts for more than reading the news on your phone, because they can’t tell what you’re doing on a screen.

If ending screen time itself is the sticking point, our guide on getting your child off a screen without a meltdown can help.

Ideas for tweens and teens

Older children often need a different hook. Common Sense Media suggests (Common Sense Media):

Books with films or series coming out: read it before or after, then compare.
Non-fiction on something they care about, such as climate change or true crime, including adult books.
Novels in verse and poetry, which are quicker to read thanks to all the white space.
Audiobooks on the way to school or on long drives.
Letting them choose in a bookshop, for example with a gift card, so browsing is part of the fun.

The free option most families can use: the library

In Ireland, joining the library is free for everyone, and there are no fines for returning things late. Members can borrow books, magazines and more, plus eBooks and audiobooks through the BorrowBox app, at no cost (LocalGov.ie). That makes it easy to let a child try lots of books without worrying about wasted money, and the children’s librarian is a great person to ask for suggestions (GOSH).

October is also the month of the Children’s Book Festival, when libraries such as dlr Libraries put on family events to celebrate books and reading (dlr), so it’s a good time to check what’s on at your local branch.

What to do next

Join the library together this week if you haven’t already, and let your child choose three things to borrow, with no rules on what they are. Download BorrowBox on a family device for audiobooks in the car.
Pick one 10 to 15 minute reading slot a day, such as bedtime, and protect it. Read aloud to them, or sit and read your own book beside them.
Find one book linked to a screen favourite, whether that’s a game, a show or a YouTuber they love.
Leave a small basket of books or comics where screens usually live, like beside the sofa or in the car.
Ask your local library what’s on for families this month and next.

What age can my child join TikTok, Snapchat or Instagram?

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The short answer: TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and WhatsApp all set a minimum age of 13. In Ireland there’s an extra layer, because the digital age of consent is 16, which means apps that rely on consent to use a child’s data need a parent’s permission for under-16s (Data Protection Commission). And in September the European Commission proposed new EU-wide limits that would change things again, although they aren’t law yet (Better Internet for Kids).

Irish experts are clear on one point: CyberSafeKids says children under 13 should not have their own social media accounts (CyberSafeKids). Beyond that, it’s a judgement call for your family, and this guide is here to help you make it.

The apps’ own minimum ages

These are the ages in each company’s current help pages or terms:

TikTok: 13. Some features have higher limits, such as messaging during TikTok LIVE, which needs users to be 16 or 18 (Internet Matters).
Snapchat: 13, and Snapchat notes that laws in some countries set a higher age for the app or certain features (Snapchat Support).
Instagram: 13. Everyone aged 13 to 17 gets a “Teen Account” with stricter settings (more on those below) (Instagram).
WhatsApp: 13, or older where a country requires it. WhatsApp’s European terms also mention parent-managed accounts for younger children where they’re available (WhatsApp terms, EEA).

It helps to know where 13 comes from. Internet Matters explains that most platforms chose 13 because of US privacy law, rather than because the content has been judged suitable for 13-year-olds (Internet Matters). So 13 is the youngest an app will accept, not a sign that it’s ready for your 13-year-old.

The Data Protection Commission (Ireland’s data protection regulator) says the age of digital consent here is 16. Where an online service relies on consent to process a child’s personal data, it needs a parent or guardian’s consent for children under 16 (DPC).

There’s a catch the DPC is honest about: consent is only one of several legal bases a company can use, so your consent isn’t always needed for your child to open an account. Companies only have to make “reasonable efforts” to check that a parent agreed (DPC). In practice, then, 16 is not a ban, and many 13 to 15-year-olds sign up without a parent being asked.

What’s changing: the EU KIDS Act and Irish plans

On 17 September 2026 the European Commission proposed the EU KIDS Act. As proposed, it would (Better Internet for Kids):

Ban social media accounts for under-13s. Children from 3 to 12 could use specially designed, child-friendly video services through accounts their parents set up and supervise.
Give 13 and 14-year-olds “mini accounts”, set up with a parent’s consent, with limited features, parental controls, limited contacts and up to an hour a day.
Set 15 as the EU-wide age for an independent account.
Require proper age checks when new accounts are opened, and make app stores stop children downloading apps above their age rating.

This is a proposal. It now goes to the European Parliament and the Council (the EU’s member state governments) to be examined and agreed, and no start date has been set (Better Internet for Kids). Separately, the Tánaiste, Simon Harris, said in July that a blanket ban on social media for under-16s remains the Government’s preferred approach (The Irish Times).

Some rules already apply now. Under Coimisiún na Meán’s Online Safety Code, video-sharing platforms that allow under-16s must offer parental controls, and must use proper age checks, not just a typed-in birthday, to keep children away from adult content such as pornography and extreme violence. The regulator opened its first investigation under the Code, into X, in September (Law Society Gazette).

So what age is right for my child?

Nobody can give you one perfect birthday, and every family’s situation is different. What Irish experts suggest:

Under 13: stick to the apps’ age limits. CyberSafeKids points out that age checks are weak, so younger children can sign up easily, which is why it’s worth talking about the rule rather than relying on the app to enforce it (CyberSafeKids). If your child mainly wants to chat with friends, Internet Matters suggests apps designed for under-13s as a safer alternative (Internet Matters).
13 and over: ask whether your child is emotionally ready for the social pressures that can come with it, and whether you’re ready for your part too (CyberSafeKids). Internet Matters suggests doing things online together first to see whether they have the skills and resilience to handle other people safely (Internet Matters).

If your under-13 already has an account, you’re far from alone, and it’s not a reason for panic. Internet Matters suggests talking regularly about why the age limits are there, and notes that each platform has its own route for reporting an underage account if you decide to close it (Internet Matters). Closing it together, with an explanation, usually goes better than deleting it behind their back.

If you say yes: the settings that help

Teen accounts on the big apps now come with stronger defaults:

Instagram Teen Accounts are private by default, limit messages to people your teen follows or is connected to, nudge them to leave after 60 minutes a day, and mute notifications from 10pm to 7am. Under-16s need a parent’s permission, through Instagram’s supervision tools, to make any of these less strict (Instagram).
TikTok teen accounts start private, have a one-hour daily screen time default, and turn notifications off overnight. Family Pairing links your account to your teen’s so you can set screen time and privacy limits, and Time Away can block the app during school hours (Internet Matters).

These features and menus change often, so check the app’s own help pages when you set them up. CyberSafeKids also suggests making sure the account is private, turning location sharing off on the phone and in the app, and reviewing their friends list together from time to time (CyberSafeKids). Our guide to what age to get a first smartphone covers the phone itself.

What to do next

Ask your child which apps their friends are actually using, and look at one together this week. You’ll learn more from ten minutes on the sofa than from any article.
Agree your family’s rule out loud. For example: “No social media accounts until 13, then one app at a time, set up together.” Writing it into a family screen time agreement helps it stick.
If you’re saying yes, set it up side by side: private account, location off, and Instagram supervision or TikTok Family Pairing switched on before the first post.
Talk to two or three other parents in the class. “Everyone else has it” is much easier to handle when a few families agree to wait together.
Keep an eye on the EU KIDS Act. If it’s agreed, the rules for under-16s will change, and the apps will have to bring in proper age checks.

How do I handle screen time over the mid-term break?

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The calmest way to handle screen time over a mid-term or half-term break is to agree a simple holiday plan with your children before the break starts, rather than making it up day by day. Keep a few fixed screen-free anchors in each day (meals, time outside, wind-down before bed), agree what has to happen before screens go on, and let the rest be a bit more relaxed than a school week. Holidays don’t need stricter rules, just clear ones.

Every family is different, and a week off is meant to feel like a break for everyone, parents included. A lazy morning with cartoons or an afternoon gaming with friends isn’t a problem in itself. What tends to cause the arguments is not knowing what the rules are.

Why holidays are harder

During term, school, homework and bedtimes give the day a shape, and screens fit around it. Take that away and the default can quietly become “screens unless someone says no”, which leaves you saying no all day.

The family support charity Family Action suggests keeping rules clear, consistent and predictable, and explaining any exceptions you make for holidays. It also suggests focusing on how screens are used as well as how long: a video call with a grandparent, a creative game with friends and hours of scrolling short videos are not the same thing.

For a sense of overall balance, the HSE advises agreeing limits for children aged 6 and over based on each child’s needs, and suggests trying to keep screen time to two hours a day or less. On a rainy holiday that may feel ambitious, and that’s fine; think of it as a direction, not a test.

Have the chat before the break starts

Ten minutes at the weekend, or on the first morning, is enough. Sit down together and agree:

The anchors. Two or three screen-free parts of the day that don’t move. The HSE suggests screen-free times or zones such as dinner and bedrooms (HSE).
“Screens after”. What happens first each day, such as getting dressed, something outside or a job around the house. The HSE suggests letting children earn screen time by doing other activities first, like playing outside.
How much, roughly. A daily amount, or a morning and an afternoon slot. Older children can help decide.
The end of the day. When devices go off and where they charge overnight. The HSE notes children sleep less well with screens in their bedrooms.
What’s different about holidays. A movie night, a later finish for a gaming session with friends. Saying it up front avoids “but you let me yesterday”.

Family Action suggests a traffic light approach that many children find easy to understand: green for screen use that’s always fine (a call with a relative), amber for things that are limited (gaming with friends) and red for the things with the tightest limits (Family Action). Explain what’s in each colour and why.

If you’d like to write it down, our guide to making a family screen time agreement that sticks has a step-by-step version you can adapt for the week. Sharing the plan with grandparents or anyone else minding the children helps too; the HSE suggests doing exactly that.

Let the devices do the reminding

Family Action points out that parental controls and device timers reduce conflict, because the limit isn’t resting on you in the moment (Family Action). If you haven’t set them up yet, the start of a holiday is a good time:

You can usually loosen a daily limit for the holiday week and tighten it again when school starts, rather than switching it off. And when time is up, our tips on getting children off a screen without a meltdown can help.

Have something ready to say yes to

Saying no to a screen is far easier when there’s something to say yes to. The HSE lists simple options like hobbies, small jobs, toys and board games, dancing and colouring (HSE). Family Action suggests a holiday activity chart, outdoor play, sports, library visits and crafts, and makes the reassuring point that a little boredom often leads children to find something to do on their own.

You don’t need to fill every hour. One planned thing a day, even a walk to the shop or a trip to the library, gives the week some shape. For more ideas, see what kids can do instead of screens on a rainy day and how to get kids playing outside more.

Internet Matters also suggests spending some screen time with your child: finding out what they enjoy online and doing it together. A holiday week is a good chance to have them teach you their favourite game.

Friends’ houses and sleepovers

Holidays mean more playdates, and other families will have different rules. Family Action’s advice is to treat that as normal, and to talk to your child beforehand about what you expect and why (Family Action). Be realistic: if friends have phones, screens will probably feature.

If you’d like a lighter-touch option, you can host at your house, or ask the children to leave phones with an adult during certain activities. If you need to raise it with another parent, Family Action suggests keeping it warm and practical, along the lines of “this is what tends to work for us”, and remembering that their house has its own rules.

What to do next

Have the ten-minute chat before Monday. Agree two or three screen-free anchors, what happens before screens go on, and when devices go off at night.
Adjust, don’t remove, the device limits. Loosen the daily limit for the week in Screen Time, Family Link or the console app, and put a reminder in your phone to tighten it when school starts.
Plan one thing a day. A walk, a library visit, a board game or a friend over. It doesn’t need to be big or cost money.
Go easy on yourself. Some days will be screen-heavy, especially if it rains or you’re working. One busy day doesn’t undo the plan; just pick it back up tomorrow.

How do I stop my child spending money in games and apps?

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The surest way to stop surprise spending is to make every purchase need your approval. On a child’s iPhone or iPad that’s Ask to Buy; on Android it’s purchase approvals in Google Family Link; on consoles and in games like Roblox it’s a spending limit you set from your own account. Add one more habit, keeping your bank card off your child’s account, and money can’t leave without you knowing. Each one takes a few minutes.

It’s also worth saying: if a child has already run up a bill, it’s rarely sneaky behaviour. Many games are free to download and then sell coins, skins, loot boxes and passes, and young children don’t always connect a tap on the screen with real money. Webwise makes exactly this point. The fix is settings plus a chat, not a telling-off.

The steps below come from each company’s current help pages. Menus move between software updates, so if something looks different, check the linked page.

iPhone and iPad: turn on Ask to Buy

Ask to Buy sends you a request whenever your child tries to buy or download something, including in-app purchases (Apple). It works when your child has their own Apple Account in your Family Sharing group. In some countries and regions it’s already on by default for under-18s and can’t be switched off.

To turn it on from your own iPhone or iPad (Apple):

Open Settings and tap Family.
Tap your child’s name.
Tap Apps & Websites, then Restrictions.
Tap Ask to Buy and turn on Require Purchase Approval.

When a request comes in, you approve it with your password or Face ID, or decline it and nothing is bought. Two things to know: a request you ignore expires after 24 hours, and Ask to Buy doesn’t cover redownloading something your child already owns, app updates or redeeming a code (Apple). So a gift card code can still be redeemed without asking you.

If you haven’t set up Family Sharing yet, our guide to setting up Screen Time on your child’s iPhone walks through it.

Android: purchase approvals in Family Link

If your child’s Android phone or tablet is supervised with Google Family Link, you can decide which Google Play purchases need your approval. The options are all content, paid content only, in-app purchases only or never (Google). For most families, “all content” or “paid content only” is the sensible choice.

To change it in the Family Link app (Google):

Open Family Link and select your child.
Tap Controls, then Google Play.
Under Purchases & download approvals, tap Require approval for and pick an option.

Approvals cover paid apps, in-app purchases and prepaid subscriptions bought through Google Play’s own payment system. Google is clear that anything paid for outside that system isn’t covered (Google). Keep Family Link and Play Store notifications switched on, or you won’t see requests. Our Family Link set-up guide covers the rest of the controls.

Consoles: PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch

PlayStation 5. A child account’s monthly spending limit starts at 0, so nothing can be bought until you raise it, and purchases come out of the family manager’s wallet (PlayStation). To check or change it:

On the console, go to Settings > Family and Parental Controls > Family Management.
Select your child, then Parental Controls > Monthly Spending Limit.

You can also do this in a web browser through Account Management. Any guardian the family manager appoints can change the limit too, so agree it between you.

Xbox. Rather than a cap, Xbox works best with a prepaid balance. In the Microsoft Family app, select your child, choose Spending and use Add money to top up their Microsoft account balance: that’s the most they can spend (Internet Matters). In the same place you can turn on a notification for every purchase. On the console, the Ask a parent setting (under Buy & download in the child’s Xbox privacy settings) means they need your permission to buy or download games. If a card is on their account, turn on Require approval for every purchase, though Internet Matters suggests not attaching one at all.

Nintendo Switch. Spending is controlled through your Nintendo Account rather than the console’s parental controls app. Our Nintendo Switch parental controls guide covers how to restrict eShop spending.

Roblox and other games with their own money

Some games, Roblox in particular, have their own spending controls on top of the device’s. Once you’ve linked your account to your child’s with parent privileges, you can set a monthly spending limit; in most regions this is for children under 13 (Roblox). When they hit it, your child is told they can’t buy anything else that month.

Two catches, both from Roblox’s own help page: you won’t be told when the limit is reached unless you opt in to spending notifications, and the limit doesn’t apply to gift cards. So a Roblox gift card from a birthday will still go straight into their account. That’s not a bad thing, as a gift card is a fixed amount, but it’s worth knowing. Our guide to whether Roblox is safe for a 7-year-old covers linking accounts.

Talk about loot boxes and in-game money

Settings stop the surprise bills; a conversation helps your child make good choices when they do have money to spend. Webwise describes loot boxes as mystery bundles of game items where you don’t know what you’ll get until you’ve paid, and notes concerns about how close that is to gambling. Its suggestions:

Ask your child to show you the games they play and how buying works in them.
Make sure they know that coins, gems and loot boxes cost real money.
Agree rules for spending together, and check PEGI ratings, which flag in-game purchases.

Internet Matters adds that a small weekly or monthly allowance, on a gift card or prepaid balance rather than your card, lets children practise managing money online with a built-in limit. It also suggests talking about peer pressure, since wanting the same skin as their friends is a powerful pull.

If money has already gone

Don’t panic: refunds are often possible. For Apple purchases, sign in at reportaproblem.apple.com, choose I’d like to > Request a refund, pick a reason and select the item (Apple). Apple says to expect an update within 24 to 48 hours, and eligibility varies by country. If you’re the Family Sharing organiser, purchases on the shared payment method show up when you choose All. For Google Play, consoles and games, start with the help pages of the store the money went through, and act quickly.

Then turn on the relevant setting above so it doesn’t happen again, and have a calm chat with your child about what happened.

What to do next

Check your child’s main device tonight. Turn on Ask to Buy (iPhone or iPad) or purchase approvals (Android), and look up the monthly spending limit on their console.
Take your card off their accounts. Use a prepaid balance or gift card instead, so the most that can ever be spent is what you put in.
Opt in to purchase notifications on Xbox and Roblox, so you hear about every purchase rather than finding out from your bank statement.
Have a five-minute chat this week. Ask your child to show you how buying works in their favourite game, and agree together what’s okay to spend and on what.

Is Minecraft safe for my child?

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

For most children, Minecraft is one of the gentler, more creative games around, and it can be a good choice from around 7 if you set it up with them. It’s rated PEGI 7, the combat is mild and cartoony with no blood, and on a child account multiplayer is switched off by default (Minecraft). The real decisions come when your child wants to play online with other people: who they can play with, and who can talk to them.

Here’s what parents need to know, and how to set it up.

What Minecraft actually is

Minecraft is an open world made of blocks. Children build, explore and craft, either alone or with others. The main modes are (Minecraft, Hwb):

Creative: build anything, with unlimited blocks and no enemies. The Welsh Government’s Hwb online safety guide recommends this mode for younger players.
Survival: gather resources, find food and fend off creatures like zombies and skeletons.
Hardcore: a tougher version of Survival where you don’t come back after dying.

Minecraft itself recommends PEGI 7 (and ESRB Everyone 10+ in North America). There are two main versions: Bedrock Edition, on consoles, tablets, phones and Windows, and Java Edition on computers. Both need a Microsoft account (Minecraft).

Playing alone vs playing online

This is the part that matters most. Minecraft can be played in a few ways (Minecraft, Internet Matters):

Single-player: just your child in their own world. No contact with anyone.
Local play: friends or siblings playing together in the same room.
Realms: a private, paid-for server that only invited people can join. Internet Matters suggests it as a way for families to play online without strangers.
Servers: private servers need an invitation; public servers are open to anyone.

Internet Matters recommends single-player only for younger children, and that older children steer clear of public servers. On public servers, chat messages are seen by everyone there, and strangers, bad language and player-made add-ons (“mods”) with unsuitable content are the main things parents run into (Internet Matters). Hwb adds that some players try to move children onto other apps to chat, which is worth talking about calmly with your child (Hwb).

How to set it up: a child account linked to yours

Minecraft treats players under 16 in the EU, including Ireland, as children, and a child account needs an adult account linked to it. Only the adult can change the settings (Minecraft). Minecraft doesn’t check ages, so Hwb suggests setting up the account together so the date of birth is right (Hwb).

Create your own Microsoft account if you don’t have one.
Create your child’s account with their real date of birth, and link it to yours as a family. Hwb describes doing this through the Microsoft Family Safety app: create a family group, invite your child, and they accept the invite.
To change their online settings, sign in at account.xbox.com/settings with your account, pick your child’s account and check their gamertag (username) at the top right (Minecraft).

Minecraft’s help page was written in 2023 and Microsoft does move its menus around, so if a name below looks different, look for the nearest match.

The settings that matter

On your child’s Xbox account settings (Minecraft):

“You can join multiplayer games” (under Online Safety): leave this blocked while they’re playing alone. Switching it to Allow is what opens up Realms and servers.
“You can add friends”: decide whether they can add friends at all.
“Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites” (under Privacy): choose Friends or Block, rather than Everyone.

Inside the game, Hwb points out that under-16s have chat filters on by default, and under Settings > Chat Settings you can switch chat off, filter bad language or allow messages from friends only. Players can also be reported or blocked from the player list (Hwb). On Java Edition, the pause menu has a Player Reporting option for abusive messages (Minecraft).

Spending and screen time

Minecraft is a one-off purchase, but extras like skins, maps and mini-games are sold in the Marketplace for Minecoins, which are bought with real money (Minecraft, Internet Matters). Microsoft family settings can require your permission before your child buys anything (Hwb).

Minecraft has no time limit of its own. Screen time and purchase limits are set on the device your child plays on, such as the iPhone, Android tablet, Nintendo Switch or games console (Internet Matters). If they play on a Switch, our Nintendo Switch parental controls guide walks you through it.

What to do next

This week: set up your child’s account with their real date of birth, linked to yours, and check that multiplayer is blocked to start with.
Start in Creative, single-player. Sit with them for a session or two and let them show you what they’re building. You’ll learn a lot about how they play.
When they ask to play with friends, start with local play or an invite-only Realm with people you know, and set communication to Friends.
Agree a “come and tell me” rule: if anyone online asks them to chat somewhere else, or something feels off, they tell you and they won’t be in trouble.
Set a time limit on the device they play on, so the game doesn’t become the nightly battle.

Every family will draw the line in a different place, and that’s fine. With the online side set up thoughtfully, Minecraft can be a genuinely creative, sociable game for your child to enjoy.

How do I set up parental controls on a Nintendo Switch?

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The easiest way to set up parental controls on a Nintendo Switch or Switch 2 is Nintendo’s free Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app for iPhone and Android. Once it’s linked to the console, you can set a daily play time limit and a bedtime, block games above your child’s age rating, and control who they can chat with, all from your own phone (Nintendo). Spending is handled separately, in your Nintendo Account. Set aside ten to fifteen minutes and you’ll have the lot done.

These steps are based on Nintendo’s current UK and Ireland help pages. Menus can move a little between console updates, so if something looks different, the linked pages are the place to check.

Before you start

You’ll need (Nintendo):

Your own phone (iPhone or Android) with an internet connection.
A Nintendo Account for you, the adult. It has to belong to someone aged 18 or over. You can create one during set-up if you don’t have one.
The console, switched on and connected to the internet.

One thing worth knowing from the start: parental controls apply to the whole console, not to each player. Nintendo suggests setting them with the youngest person who plays it in mind (Nintendo). If a teenager and a six-year-old share one Switch, you can let specific games through with the “safelist” (more on that below).

Step 1: Link the app to the console

These are Nintendo’s steps for a Switch 2; the original Switch works the same way through System Settings (Nintendo):

On your phone, download Nintendo Switch Parental Controls from the App Store or Google Play.
Open the app, tap Start and follow the introduction.
Sign in to your Nintendo Account (or create one). The app then shows a six-digit registration code.
On the console, go to the HOME Menu and open System Settings > Parental Controls > Parental Controls Settings, then choose the option for people who’ve already downloaded the app.
Type in the six-digit code from your phone.
Select Link on the console, then confirm on both the console and your phone.

If the console says Change Settings instead, parental controls were already set up without the app. Enter the PIN and choose the option to use the free app, then carry on from step 4. One app can manage up to eight consoles.

Step 2: Choose the settings that matter

In the app, tap Parental Controls at the bottom right. Save each setting with the red Save button; the changes reach the console next time it’s online (Nintendo).

Play Time Limit. Set a daily limit (up to six hours), or a different limit for each day of the week, so weekends can be a bit longer. On the day, you can add 5, 15 or 30 minutes from your phone, or switch the limit off for that day.

Bedtime. Set a time after which the console can’t be played, plus an optional wake-up time in the morning.

Suspend Software. By default, the console just shows a notice when time is up. If you choose Suspend Software at Set Time, the game stops instead. Internet Matters points out that this can mean lost progress if your child is mid-game, which is worth weighing up (Internet Matters). Many families start with the notice and agree that “time’s up means save and stop”.

Restriction Level. Pick a preset (Young Child, Child or Teen) or choose Custom. Each preset is tied to a game age rating (Nintendo’s table lists 8+ for Young Child, 13+ for Child and 17+ for Teen), and the two younger levels also limit posting and chatting (Nintendo). The console uses your region’s age-rating system by default. Custom lets you set:

Restricted Software: the highest age rating allowed.
Posting screenshots and videos to social networks: on or off.
Free Communication With Others: limits chat and messaging, across all games or game by game.
VR Mode: Nintendo advises restricting it for children aged 6 or under.

Safelist. Lets chosen games through the restrictions without a PIN. A game only appears in the list once it has been played on the console, and safelisted games still count towards the time limit.

PIN. The app shows your PIN, which you’ll need to change settings on the console itself. Nintendo suggests keeping the console out of the dock when entering it, so it doesn’t show up on the TV for the whole room to see.

Step 3: Turn off surprise spending

Spending isn’t in the app. It’s in your Nintendo Account, and your child’s account needs to be a supervised account in your family group (a new account for a child aged 15 or under, for example). Then (Nintendo):

Sign in to your Nintendo Account on the web.
Select Family Group and choose your child’s account.
Tick Spending Restrictions to block purchases and automatic renewals in the Nintendo eShop (the console’s shop).
Tick Age-Based Purchase Restrictions so the eShop only shows games suited to their age.
Select Save changes.

If you have a Switch 2: GameChat

Switch 2 has GameChat, which lets players talk, share screens and (with a camera) video chat while they play. Nintendo has built in some sensible defaults (Nintendo):

Under-16s can only use GameChat once a parent has set up the parental controls app.
They can only chat with people on their friend list, and you approve each friend before they can chat. You can take that approval back at any time.
You decide whether video chat is allowed at all, and if so, how much of the picture is shown.
The app shows you when GameChat was used and with whom.

GameChat also needs a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership, so it’s off the table unless you have one.

What to do next

Tonight: download the app, link the console and set a daily limit and a bedtime. That covers the most common flashpoints.
This week: sign in to your Nintendo Account and turn on Spending Restrictions, so nothing gets bought without you.
Agree the “time’s up” routine with your child before the first limit kicks in, such as a two-minute warning to save. It’s far easier than arguing at the deadline.
Look at it again in a few months. As your child gets older, you can loosen a setting or two together; it’s a nice way to show trust.

Every family’s limits will look a bit different, and that’s fine. The point is that the console does the reminding, so you don’t have to.

How can I get my kids playing outside more?

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The most reliable way to get children playing outside more is to go out with them, keep it short and fun, and make it part of the routine rather than a special event. Walk part of the school run, invite a friend along, and have a few ready-made ideas for when they say they’re bored. The HSE’s own tips come down to the same things: be active with your child, explore outdoors together and arrange play time with other children (HSE).

If your kids would happily stay on the sofa, that’s very normal, and it’s not a sign you’ve got anything wrong. Outdoor play mostly needs a nudge and a bit of company.

How much active time do children need?

It helps to know what you’re aiming for. According to the HSE:

Under 5s should have at least 3 hours of physical activity a day, spread through the day. From age 3, that should include at least an hour of moderate to vigorous activity, where their heart rate goes up and they breathe faster than normal (HSE).
Older children and teenagers need at least 1 hour a day of moderate to vigorous activity, plus activities that strengthen muscles and bones at least 3 times a week (HSE).

All activity counts, from organised sport to active play at home (HSE). It doesn’t all have to happen outdoors, but the HSE suggests making sure children play both indoors and outdoors every day (HSE). The NHS notes that short bursts add up: 10 minutes here and there count towards the daily total (Healthier Together, NHS).

Seven ways to make outside the easy option

Go with them. The HSE says being active with your child is a good way to bond, and that children learn by example (HSE, HSE). Even ten minutes kicking a ball in the garden with you is more appealing than being sent out alone.
Bring other children into it. Arranging play time with other children is one of the HSE’s suggestions (HSE). A neighbour’s child or a cousin can make the green outside far more interesting than any screen.
Use the journeys you already make. Walk or cycle part of the way, even if not the whole trip (HSE). The NHS suggests walking to and from school where you can (Healthier Together, NHS). Parking a few streets away counts.
Let them choose. The HSE warns that activities that don’t suit a child’s age or interests can leave them bored or frustrated, and that children find it hard to stick with things they don’t enjoy (HSE). Ask what they’d like to try, and let them try a few things.
Make it a game. The NHS suggests turning everyday tasks into family games and celebrating progress rather than performance (Healthier Together, NHS).
Have the gear by the door. The HSE’s weather advice is simple: raincoat and wellies when it’s wet, a hat and coat when it’s cold or windy, and sunscreen and a sunhat when it’s sunny (HSE). If boots and coats are easy to grab, “let’s pop out” is a much smaller ask.
No garden? Use what’s nearby. Local parks, playgrounds and beaches all work (HSE).

Free ideas, by age

Toddlers and pre-schoolers

The HSE suggests ball kicking, catching and throwing, chasing games, action songs, and copycat moves like skipping, jumping and hopping (HSE). The NHS adds treasure hunts, hide and seek, building a den and playing catch with a bean bag (Healthier Together, NHS). Swings and climbing frames at the playground help build strength too (HSE).

Primary school age

Scooting, cycling, running games and tug-of-war are all on the HSE’s list (HSE). An outdoor treasure hunt or den-building session works well for this age too (Healthier Together, NHS). If they enjoyed something in PE, the NHS suggests asking whether they’d like to keep it up outside school, perhaps through a local team or club (Healthier Together, NHS).

Older children and teens

Hiking, skateboarding, cycling, swimming and team sports such as Gaelic football, hurling, basketball and tennis are all suggested by the HSE (HSE). With teens, it can help to give it a purpose or bring friends into it: a walk to the shops with a mate, a bike ride to meet someone or a local club is an easier sell than “go and get some fresh air”.

Try a junior parkrun

Junior parkrun is a free 2km event for children aged 4 to 14, held on Sunday mornings in parks in Ireland and the UK. Children can walk, jog or run, and there’s no time limit (Healthier Together, NHS). Registering on the parkrun website is free and gives your child a barcode so their time is recorded, but they can still take part without one (Limerick.ie). Start times vary by event, so check your local one.

Where screens fit in

You don’t have to ban screens to get children outdoors. The HSE suggests limiting screen time to cut down on inactive time, keeping some areas of the home free of TVs and devices, and avoiding screens at certain times of day (HSE). A simple “outside first, then screens” after school can work well, and our guide to getting your child off a screen without a meltdown can help with the switch. For wet days, see our rainy day ideas.

If your child has a health condition or disability, the HSE suggests talking to your GP before increasing their activity, and adapting activities where needed (HSE).

What to do next

Pick two short outdoor slots this week, such as ten minutes after school and a longer walk at the weekend, and put them on the calendar.
Put coats, wellies and a ball by the door so getting out takes seconds, not a search.
Ask your child one question: “If we went outside tomorrow, what would you want to do?” Then do that.
Look up your nearest junior parkrun and try it one Sunday morning, even just to walk it.

Not every day will be a big adventure, and some days the weather will win. A few short, fun trips outside each week soon add up, and that’s what makes it a habit.

How much screen time should a toddler have?

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

For children under 2, the official advice is to keep screen time to a minimum, though video calls with family are fine. For children aged 2 to 5, it’s no more than an hour a day, and less is better, ideally something you watch or play together. That’s the guidance from the HSE in Ireland (HSE), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK government’s Best Start in Life guidance (Best Start in Life).

If your toddler gets more than that some days, you’re not doing it wrong. These are guides to aim for, not a test. Busy mornings, sick days and long car journeys happen in every family.

What the guidance says, age by age

The three main sources broadly agree. Here’s how they line up.

Under 18 months (Ireland) / under 2 (UK and WHO)

The HSE says to try not to let your baby spend time in front of a screen, but video calls with friends and family are fine (HSE).
The WHO says screen time is not recommended for babies under 1, and that sedentary screen time (watching TV or videos, or playing computer games) is not recommended for 1-year-olds (WHO).
The UK guidance says to avoid screen time for under 2s, except shared family activities that build bonding and conversation, such as video calls or looking through digital photo albums together (Best Start in Life).

18 months to 2 years (Ireland)

The HSE says to limit screen time as much as possible. At this age children learn to talk, play and get on with others through time with you and other children. It suggests offering a toy or activity near you, or getting them involved in what you’re doing, like cooking (HSE).

2 to 5 years

HSE: ideally no more than 1 hour a day of screen use, including TV, and choose something you can watch or play together (HSE).
WHO: for 2-year-olds and for 3 to 4-year-olds, sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour; less is better (WHO).
UK: try to keep it to 1 hour a day, less if possible (Best Start in Life).

Guidance gets updated from time to time, so it’s worth checking the HSE page now and then.

Why the advice is the way it is

The guidance is less about screens being “bad” and more about what they can crowd out. The WHO stresses that time spent with a caregiver in interactive, non-screen activities is very important for young children’s development, and encourages reading and storytelling together when children are sitting still (WHO). The UK guidance says screen time shouldn’t replace sleep, active play or time interacting with parents and carers (Best Start in Life).

The HSE notes that heavy screen use can contribute to things like poorer language skills and sleep problems (HSE). Keeping to the guidance, and watching together, is the simplest way to keep screens as one part of a full day.

Not all screen time is the same

The hour is a ceiling, but what fills it matters too.

Watch together when you can. The HSE suggests staying in the same room and talking with your child about what they’re watching and how it connects to the world around them (HSE). Internet Matters suggests asking what they liked about a video and noticing whether it leaves them excited or sleepy (Internet Matters).
Choose slower programmes. Both the HSE and the UK guidance suggest avoiding very fast-paced or noisy content. The UK guidance says to look for simple stories, few scene changes, slow speech and clear faces showing emotions (Best Start in Life).
Be a bit sceptical of “educational” apps. The HSE notes there’s little evidence behind many of these claims, and suggests testing apps yourself before your child uses them (HSE).
Hold off on AI toys and chatbots. The UK guidance and Internet Matters both advise avoiding AI chat apps, smart speakers and interactive robots for young children for now, until there’s more evidence (Best Start in Life, Internet Matters).
Keep them off social media, including your own feed (Internet Matters).

Making it work on a real day

You don’t need to time every minute. A few habits do most of the work:

Have screen-free times and places. Both the HSE and the UK guidance suggest mealtimes and bedrooms, and no screens in the hour before bed (HSE, Best Start in Life).
Switch off the background TV. The HSE says background TV can affect a child’s development, and the UK guidance suggests not leaving screens on during meals, play or family time (HSE, Best Start in Life).
Try not to use a screen as the go-to way to calm them down (HSE). Some days it’ll happen, and that’s OK; it just works better as the exception.
Use the settings on your devices. Parental controls can block unsuitable content (Best Start in Life). If your toddler uses an iPad or an Android tablet, our guides to setting up Screen Time on Apple devices and Google Family Link walk you through it, and YouTube Kids or YouTube? covers videos.
Look at your own phone habits, kindly. Children copy the adults around them, and the UK guidance notes that long stretches on your phone can make it harder to notice what your child is doing or feeling (Best Start in Life). Nobody is perfect at this; small changes count.

What about children with additional needs?

The UK guidance points out that children with special educational needs and disabilities may need a more tailored approach, and that screen-based assistive technology can help some children communicate and take part in daily life (Best Start in Life). If that’s your family, follow the advice of your child’s therapists and care team.

What to do next

Pick one screen-free time this week, such as mealtimes or the hour before bed, and stick to it for seven days.
Sit in on one programme or app with your toddler and chat about it. Swap anything fast and noisy for something slower.
Turn off the TV when nobody’s watching it, especially during play and meals.
Check your tablet’s parental controls with our device guides so you’re not relying on willpower alone.

Some days will be an hour of cartoons, and some days the TV will barely go on. What matters is the overall pattern: plenty of play, talk, sleep and time with you, with screens as one part of it.

How do I get my child off a screen without a meltdown?

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The easiest way to get a child off a screen without a meltdown is to sort out the ending before they start: agree how long or how many episodes, stop at a natural break, give them a visible timer and have something to move on to. If it still goes wrong, stay calm, say very little and talk about it later. That’s the advice from Common Sense Media, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Scotland’s Parent Club (Common Sense Media, AAP, Parent Club).

If switch-off time is a battle in your house, you’re very far from alone, and it doesn’t mean your child is “addicted” or that you’ve done anything wrong.

Why stopping is so hard

The AAP explains that fun activities like games and videos give the brain a feel-good boost, and when they stop that dip can leave anyone grumpy. Sometimes a screen is also an escape from boredom or a bad mood, which comes straight back when it’s switched off. And apps and games are designed to hold attention, which makes stopping hard at any age, adults included (AAP).

Common Sense Media adds that tantrums over devices don’t necessarily mean an unhealthy attachment. If handing over a phone has become a habit, the outbursts can take a while to settle as you change things (Common Sense Media).

Before they start: agree the ending

Most of the work happens before the screen goes on.

Say how long, and what happens next. Common Sense Media’s advice is to have a plan: how many shows or how much time, and what comes after (Common Sense Media).
Pick a natural stopping point. The end of an episode, a level or a match is much easier than the middle of one. Agree it up front; a couple of extra minutes to finish is reasonable (Common Sense Media).
Tie it to the routine. Screens off when dinner’s ready, for example, so the ending feels expected rather than random (Common Sense Media).
Have the next thing lined up, and make it sound appealing, even if it’s just lunch (Common Sense Media).
Make the rules together, and keep them yourself. The AAP says children accept limits more easily when they’ve helped make them, and resent limits the adults don’t follow (AAP). The HSE also suggests agreeing screen rules with your child and points out that children like to copy others (HSE).

Let the tech help

You don’t have to be the bad guy every time.

Turn off autoplay on streaming apps so one episode doesn’t roll into the next. Prerecorded or streamed shows that end cleanly are easier to stop than live TV (Common Sense Media).
Use a timer they can see or hear. It helps children who can’t tell the time yet and lets them be part of ending it (Common Sense Media). The AAP notes that for some children, a timer they set themselves builds a sense of control (AAP).
Use built-in limits. The HSE suggests apps with automatic stops, your device’s downtime or screen time limit settings, or even a timer plug for the wifi (HSE). Our guides to Screen Time on an iPhone and Family Link on Android walk you through it. Menus move between versions, so check the official help page if a setting has moved.

At switch-off time

Try a short warning, but don’t rely on it. Common Sense Media says a two-minute warning works for some children but not all. Some cope better with a clean stop, possibly because a warning sets up an expected fight (Common Sense Media). Try both and see which suits your child.
Let them press the button. Showing a child how to switch off the TV themselves gives them some control (Common Sense Media).
Praise a good switch-off. Specific thanks, like “thanks for turning it off and helping set the table”, makes it more likely to happen again (Common Sense Media).

If it still turns into a meltdown

It will sometimes, and that’s normal.

Stay calm. Take a few deep breaths before you respond, and step out for a minute if you need to (Parent Club).
Skip the lecture. A child in full meltdown can’t think logically, so use few words and hold your position (AAP). Acknowledge how they feel and say you’ll talk later (Parent Club).
Offer a calm-down spot or a trade. A quiet place to settle, or something appealing instead: a run, music, a book or time with the dog (AAP).
Talk afterwards, and make up. Once they’re calm, explain that it’s the behaviour that’s the problem, not them, and finish with a hug (Parent Club).
Use consequences you’ve agreed in advance, and keep them proportionate: Parent Club suggests taking a device away for a while rather than a whole weekend, and not cutting children off from friends (Parent Club, Common Sense Media).

What changes with age

Toddlers and preschoolers often don’t understand “five more minutes” because they live in the moment (Common Sense Media), and they’re still learning to handle disappointment, so losing the tablet is often hardest for them (AAP). A visible timer and a fun next activity help most here.
School-age children can usually handle plans and warnings and like some control (Common Sense Media).
Tweens and teens may push back harder; involving them in setting the rules works best (AAP).

The AAP suggests talking to a doctor if meltdowns happen almost every time however you handle it, or if screens seem linked to changes in sleep, eating or friendships (AAP). In Ireland or the UK, that’s your GP.

What to do next

Tonight, agree the ending before the screen goes on: “two episodes, then bath”, or “finish this match, then dinner”.
Switch off autoplay on the streaming apps your children use most.
Set up a visible timer, a kitchen timer is fine, and let your child start it.
Choose one go-to “next thing” for after screens, such as a snack, a walk or a game together.

Every child is different, so give a new approach a week or two before deciding whether it works. Calm and consistent beats perfect.

What should I do if my child is being bullied online?

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If your child is being bullied online, start by listening calmly, telling them it’s not their fault and that they’re not in trouble. Then help them not to reply, save the evidence, block and report the people involved, and talk to the school if other pupils are involved. Internet Matters, Webwise and the NSPCC all set out this same basic approach (Internet Matters, Webwise, NSPCC).

Online bullying can happen to any child, in any family, however careful you’ve been. It isn’t a sign you’ve done something wrong, and there’s a lot you can do to help.

What counts as online bullying?

Internet Matters describes cyberbullying as behaviour that is intentional, repeated and difficult to get away from (Internet Matters). That last part is what makes it so hard: the NSPCC points out it can follow a child wherever they go, and a child can be bullied online and offline at the same time (NSPCC).

The NSPCC lists forms it can take, including:

threatening or abusive messages
embarrassing photos or videos being shared
being deliberately left out of games, group chats or friendship groups
fake accounts, or groups set up to mock someone
pressure to send sexual images or have sexual conversations

It happens on social media, in messaging apps and inside games.

Signs something might be wrong

Children don’t always say. The NSPCC lists general signs of bullying such as not wanting to go to school, being nervous or withdrawn, or changes in eating or sleeping, and stresses that no single sign means for certain that a child is being bullied (NSPCC). Look for a pattern, and if something feels off, a gentle “you seem a bit down lately, is anything going on?” is a good start.

Step by step: what to do

Talk, and make it easy. Internet Matters suggests a relaxed chat, perhaps on a walk or in the car, which can feel less intense than sitting face to face. Ask open questions, listen without judging, give them time, and praise them for telling you (Internet Matters).
Tell them it’s not their fault. Reassure them that you’ll sort it out together (Internet Matters).
Don’t take their devices away unless that’s what they want. Internet Matters warns this can leave a child feeling more isolated and upset, and it’s often the reason children keep bullying to themselves (Internet Matters).
Don’t reply or retaliate. Webwise advises not replying, as it can make things worse (Webwise). Internet Matters adds that hitting back only spreads bullying behaviour; leaving the chat or group is a better move (Internet Matters). That goes for parents too: resist the urge to post or message the other child.
Keep the evidence. Take screenshots or save the messages. Webwise notes that platforms, phone companies and the Gardaí will look for evidence before they act (Webwise). Internet Matters suggests storing it somewhere your child won’t keep seeing it (Internet Matters).
Block the people involved. Most apps and games have a block option, usually on the person’s profile or in settings (Webwise). If it’s someone from school, your child may not want to; Internet Matters suggests talking about what a healthy friendship looks like (Internet Matters).
Report it to the platform. Social networks, games and phone operators all have reporting tools (Webwise). You can report content even if you don’t know who’s behind it (Internet Matters). Report and block options move around between app versions, so check the app’s own help page if you can’t find them.

Talking to the school

If other pupils are involved, Internet Matters suggests speaking to a teacher first rather than going straight to the other child’s parents. If you do contact another parent, stay calm and ask for their help rather than accusing their child (Internet Matters).

In Ireland, schools follow the Department of Education’s Bí Cineálta procedures, which cover primary, post-primary and special schools and include cyberbullying. Schools aren’t responsible for cyberbullying that happens after school hours, but they are expected to act when it carries on in class or on school grounds. They’re asked to treat parents as key partners and to check back with the child and parents after 20 school days to see whether the bullying has stopped (Webwise). Ask the school for a copy of its anti-bullying policy.

In the UK, schools should also have an anti-bullying policy, and a pastoral lead or mentor may be able to help (Internet Matters).

When it’s more serious

Most online bullying is dealt with through blocking, reporting and the school. Some of it crosses a line:

In Ireland, Webwise advises contacting the Gardaí for serious bullying or harassment (Webwise). Coco’s Law (the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020) made sending threatening or grossly offensive communications, and sharing intimate images without consent, criminal offences. You can report confidentially at any Garda station or by phone, and intimate image abuse can also be reported to Hotline.ie, which starts a request to have it removed (Webwise).
In the UK, Internet Matters notes there’s no specific law against cyberbullying, but some behaviour is still a crime. It advises reporting to the police anything sexually abusive, anything targeting your child’s ethnicity, sex, disability or sexuality, threats of harm, or content encouraging them to hurt themselves (Internet Matters).
If you think your child is in immediate danger, call the emergency number 112 (CCPC).

If you’ve reported something to a platform in Ireland and are having trouble getting it dealt with, Coimisiún na Meán’s Contact Centre gives advice on problems with platforms: usersupport@cnam.ie or +353 1 9637755, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (CCPC).

Look after how they’re feeling

Being bullied can really knock a child’s confidence. If you’re worried about their mental or physical health, Internet Matters suggests talking to your GP (Internet Matters). Make sure they know they can also talk to someone other than you:

Ireland: Childline (ISPCC) on 1800 66 66 66 or text 50101, 24 hours, for under-18s. The National Parents Council Primary helpline for parents is 01 887 4477 (Webwise).
UK: Childline on 0800 1111, free and confidential, 24/7. Parents can call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 (NSPCC).

What to do next

This week, show your child how to block and report in the apps and games they use most, so they know how before they ever need it.
Agree a “tell me, you won’t be in trouble” rule: if anything online upsets them, they come to you and the device stays theirs.
Save Childline’s number in their phone (1800 66 66 66 in Ireland, 0800 1111 in the UK).
If it’s already happening, start a simple log today: screenshots with dates, kept somewhere private, then book a chat with their teacher.

Every situation is different, and you don’t need to fix it all at once. Staying calm, keeping them talking and taking it one step at a time makes a real difference.

How do I set up parental controls on my child's Android phone?

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On an Android phone or tablet, parental controls come from Google’s free Family Link app. You give your child their own Google Account, link it to yours, and then manage time limits, bedtimes, app downloads and content filters from your own phone, which can be an Android phone or an iPhone (Google). Set-up takes about 15 minutes (Google).

Below is what to have ready, the settings worth doing first, and the one thing Family Link doesn’t cover. Google moves menus around between versions, so if a screen looks slightly different, the linked help page has the current wording.

Before you start

Google lists a few requirements (Google):

Your own Google Account. It’s free, and you need to be 18 or over (or the adult age in your country) and live in the same country as your child.
A phone for you running Android 6.0 or later, or an iPhone or iPad on iOS 16 or later. Download the Family Link app on it.
An Android device for your child running Android 6.0 or later, or a Chromebook. Family Link can’t supervise a child’s iPhone or iPad; for those, see our guide to Apple’s Screen Time.

Jargon check: a supervised account is just a Google Account linked to a parent’s, so the parent can manage its settings. Daily limits, bedtimes and app limits need Android 7 or later on your child’s device (Google).

Step 1: Give your child their own Google Account

This is easiest on a brand-new device. Google’s steps for a child under 13 are (Google):

Turn on your child’s device and follow the set-up screens.
When it asks you to sign in with a Google Account, tap Create account. If you don’t see that, tap More options, then For my child.
Enter your child’s name, birthday, email address and password.
Sign in with your Google Account, give parental consent, and choose their settings.

Have your child’s details ready before you start. Google may also ask for a card to confirm you’re an adult: you won’t be charged, though a temporary hold may appear for up to 48 hours.

If the device is already set up, Google’s advice is to remove the existing accounts, delete anything you don’t want your child to see, then add a new account and follow the same steps. If your child already has a Google Account, you can add supervision to it from the Family Link app instead. Google notes that families in the EU with a child aged 13 to 15 should use the new-device route.

Step 2: Set a daily limit

Open Family Link on your phone and pick your child at the top left.
Tap Screen time, then Time limits.
Turn on Daily limit, tap Weekly schedule, then choose a day and set the time.
To use the same limit every day, tap Apply to all days of the week, then Done.

(Steps from Google.)

Two handy things to know. Bonus time lets you add extra minutes for one day without changing the usual limit, which is useful for a long car journey or a rainy Sunday. And daily limits apply to each device separately, so a two-hour limit on a phone and a tablet means two hours on each.

Step 3: Set bedtime and school time

Family Link calls these Schedules (Google):

In Family Link, pick your child, then tap Screen time > Schedules.
Turn on Downtime (overnight, when the device locks) or School time.
Tap Weekly schedule to choose the days and the start and end times.

During a schedule, you can still let certain apps through, such as a reading app, under Allowed Apps. Internet Matters, the UK online safety charity, suggests setting downtime around bedtime to help children switch off, and building limits around schoolwork and responsibilities (Internet Matters). Even when the phone is locked, your child can still take calls and make emergency calls (Google).

Step 4: Approve downloads and purchases

This is the one that stops surprise bills.

In Family Link, pick your child, then tap Controls > Google Play.
Under Purchases & download approvals, tap Require approval for.
Choose All content, Paid content only, In-app purchases only or Never.

(Steps from Google.)

Internet Matters recommends All content, especially for younger children, so you see every new app before it lands (Internet Matters). One catch: approvals only cover purchases made through Google Play’s own payment system, so it’s still worth checking how a game takes payment.

Step 5: Set content ratings

In Family Link, pick your child, then tap Controls > Google Play.
For Apps & games, Movies and TV, choose the highest age rating you’re happy with. For Books, choose whether to block explicit content.

(Steps from Google.)

Your child simply won’t see apps above that rating in the Play Store. Apps already on the device, or ones you approved before, aren’t removed, so it’s worth a quick look through what’s installed.

The gap to know about

Family Link manages Google’s own services and the device, but it can’t filter what happens inside other companies’ apps, such as games or social media. Internet Matters advises checking each app’s own parental controls as well (Internet Matters). Internet Matters also suggests setting content restrictions across Google’s own products, including YouTube.

Two more tips from the same guide: don’t share your Google password with your child. If they need you to approve something on their device, use the Family Link parent access code instead, which expires after 30 minutes.

What happens as they get older

When your child reaches 13 (or the age that applies in your country), Google emails you both. Nothing changes unless your child chooses to update their account, and under-18s need a parent’s approval to stop supervision (Google). That’s a good moment to sit down together and loosen the settings that no longer fit.

New in Android 17: controls on the device itself

On phones running Android 17 or later, there’s also a simpler option in Settings > Parental controls: a PIN-protected daily limit, downtime, app limits and web filters set on the device itself, with no Family Link needed (Google). It suits a younger child’s tablet. Family Link adds school time, location sharing and managing everything from your own phone, and Google offers a Get Google Family Link button to switch over later.

What to do next

Tonight: download Family Link on your phone and check your child’s device is on Android 7 or later.
This week: set up their account, turn on purchase approval for All content, and agree a daily limit and bedtime together, so the rules don’t arrive as a surprise.
Then: look at the games and apps they use most and switch on their own controls too.

Every family’s settings will look a bit different, and that’s fine. Family Link works best alongside regular, relaxed chats about what your child is doing online, not instead of them.

Should my child use YouTube Kids or YouTube?

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

For most children under about 9, YouTube Kids is the better fit: it’s a separate app with a narrower set of videos, and you choose an age level. For tweens who have outgrown it, YouTube offers a middle option many parents haven’t heard of: a supervised account on regular YouTube, with a parent managing what they can see and do (YouTube). Full, unsupervised YouTube is for teenagers.

There’s no single right answer: it depends on your child, what they watch and how you feel. Here’s how the options differ and the settings worth switching on. Menus change from time to time, so the linked help pages have the current wording.

The three options at a glance

YouTube Kids (for 12 and under). A separate app and website, with three content levels (YouTube):

Preschool: ages 4 and under
Younger: ages 5 to 8
Older: ages 9 to 12

You can also choose Approved content only, where your child can only watch videos and channels you’ve picked yourself, and can’t search.

A supervised kid account on YouTube (for under-13s). Google describes this as a parent-managed version of regular YouTube and YouTube Music (YouTube). You choose one of three content settings, Older kids, Teens or Older teens, each with more content than YouTube Kids (YouTube). Some older guides call these settings “Explore” and “Explore more”; Common Sense Media describes the gentlest one as mostly content for ages 9 and up (Common Sense Media).

A teen account (13 and over). Teens are placed in teen accounts automatically, with built-in protections such as break and bedtime reminders and private uploads by default. Parents can choose to supervise (YouTube).

What about the minimum age?

Here the sources don’t quite agree, which is worth knowing. YouTube’s general terms of service say you must be at least 13 to use YouTube, though children of any age can use it, and YouTube Kids, if a parent sets it up (YouTube). Webwise, Ireland’s online safety awareness centre, says YouTube’s terms require users to be 16, and that under-18s need a parent’s permission (Webwise).

Either way, the practical message is the same: a younger child shouldn’t have their own regular YouTube account with a made-up birthday. They should use YouTube Kids or a supervised account that you’ve set up.

What’s different in a supervised account

The supervised account looks like normal YouTube, but a lot is switched off. According to YouTube, children with a supervised account can’t (YouTube):

upload videos, Shorts or live streams, or make public playlists
post comments or use live chat (on the Older kids setting, they can’t read comments either)
buy channel memberships or Super Chats
see personalised ads

That’s often the deciding factor for parents: their child can watch the football highlights, Minecraft builds and science videos their friends are talking about, without the comments section or the pressure to post.

How to set it up

Both options are managed from your own Google Account, through Google’s free Family Link app or the Family Center in the YouTube app (Google). If your child uses Android, our guide to setting up Family Link covers the account part.

To change the YouTube Kids level (Android steps):

Open the YouTube Kids app and tap Settings.
Solve the sum or enter your passcode.
Choose your child’s profile and enter your password.
Tap Edit settings and pick Preschool, Younger, Older or Approve content yourself.

(Steps from YouTube.)

To set a supervised account’s content level: in Family Link, pick your child, tap Controls, then YouTube, then Edit under “YouTube Settings” and choose a setting (Google). One thing to know first: if you add supervision to an account your child already uses, Google deletes some of its content, including their uploads, comments and playlists, so download anything they want to keep beforehand.

The settings worth switching on

In YouTube Kids, use the timer: open Settings, solve the sum, tap Set timer, choose a time and tap Start timer. When it runs out, the app shows “Time’s up!” and locks (YouTube). This is a lot less of a battle than asking a 6-year-old to stop mid-episode.

In a supervised account, open the YouTube app, tap You > Settings > Family Center, choose your child, and look at (YouTube):

Disable autoplay, so one video doesn’t roll into the next. Common Sense Media recommends this to limit continuous viewing.
Time management, where you can set a daily limit on the Shorts feed (even to zero) plus take-a-break and bedtime reminders.
Pause watch history and Pause search history, if you’d like recommendations not to build on what they’ve watched.

No filter is perfect

YouTube is upfront that no automated system is perfect, and that search results in YouTube Kids aren’t reviewed by a person (YouTube). Common Sense Media makes the same point about every setting, and says young children need a parent keeping an eye on things whatever controls are in place.

That’s not a reason to panic, just a reason to stay involved. Webwise suggests keeping the conversation open, showing your child how to block and report a channel, and asking them to tell you about anything that upsets them (Webwise). If they come to you with something, our guide on what to do if your child sees something upsetting online can help.

What to do next

This week: check which app your child is actually using, and on whose account. If a younger child is watching on your account or a family TV, set up YouTube Kids or a supervised account for them.
Pick the level together: look at the content options side by side and agree which one fits. A child who helped choose is more likely to stick with it.
Switch on one time setting: the YouTube Kids timer, or the Shorts limit and bedtime reminder in a supervised account.
Every few weeks: sit and watch a few of their favourites with them. It’s the easiest way to know what they’re into.

Every family draws these lines in a slightly different place, and that’s fine. The aim is a set-up that grows with your child.

What can my kids do instead of screens on a rainy day?

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On a rainy day, the easiest wins against a screen are free, quick to start and a bit silly: living-room dance-offs, indoor sports with household bits, treasure hunts, card games, a trip to the library or simply putting on a raincoat and going out anyway. The ideas below come from the NHS, the HSE and Common Sense Media, sorted by age so you can pick something in seconds.

And if the tablet comes out some afternoons, that’s normal. The aim is to have a few good options ready, not to win every wet day.

Why bother: a little movement goes a long way

The HSE says older children and teens need at least 60 minutes a day of activity that gets them a bit out of breath, and under-5s need at least 3 hours of activity spread across the day (HSE). On a wet day stuck indoors, that can be hard to reach, which is why many of the ideas below get children moving.

The HSE also suggests cutting down on time spent sitting still, limiting screen time and keeping some areas of the home screen-free (HSE).

Get moving indoors (all ages)

The NHS Healthier Families site has a page of free indoor ideas (NHS). Some of our favourites:

Dance-off. Copy a routine from a favourite song or invent one, and hold a “best new move” contest. Musical chairs works too. The HSE also suggests dancing to music together (HSE).
Living-room sports. Bowling with cardboard tubes, basketball into the bin, cricket with a frying pan, a penalty shoot-out with the sofa as the goal (NHS). Use a soft ball, and move anything breakable first.
Rainy Day Indoor Games. Set up a few games, keep score, and the winner gets to make everyone else do star jumps (NHS).
Calmer movement. Yoga, stretching or balance challenges for when energy needs to come down a notch (NHS).

The same NHS page has a set of free Disney-themed movement games for younger children, which can help if they need a bit of persuading (NHS).

Ideas for ages 3 to 8

Common Sense Media suggests (Common Sense Media):

A 1 to 10 scavenger hunt. Find one of something, two of something else, and so on up to ten things around the house.
The one-word guessing game. One person can only ever answer “Sausage” (or a word of their choice) while everyone else asks questions and tries to make them laugh.
Creature feature. Draw a favourite animal and talk about where it lives, what it eats and what noise it makes.
Draw your feelings using colours and shapes.
Bird-watching from the window. Count the birds and try to name them.

For the youngest children, the HSE says floor-based play is especially good for building movement skills (HSE).

Ideas for ages 9 to 12

Again from Common Sense Media (Common Sense Media):

Crack a code. One person plays a robot and can only follow exact step-by-step instructions, such as how to make a sandwich. It usually gets messy and funny.
Make a cardboard board game from boxes and bits from around the house, then play it as a family.
Dance around the world with a playlist of music from other countries.
Snail mail. Write a proper letter to a grandparent, cousin or friend.

Ideas for teens

Teenagers are a harder sell, so offer rather than insist, and let them choose. Common Sense Media suggests (Common Sense Media):

An at-home Olympics, with silly events and paper medals.
Learning a new card game, or teaching each other card tricks.
Growing seeds on a windowsill.
Kicking a ball around or shooting hoops once the rain eases.

Cooking something they actually want to eat is another one that tends to work with teens, and it’s useful too.

The library: free, dry and full of ideas

In Ireland, public library membership is free for everyone and children can join at any age with a parent’s or guardian’s permission. You can start the form online, then finish joining at a branch with photo ID and proof of address (Libraries Ireland). Children under 12 get the children’s library and can borrow DVDs up to a PG rating (Libraries Ireland). Many branches run children’s events too, so it’s worth asking at your local one.

Common Sense Media also suggests a family book club, where everyone reads the same book and chats about it (Common Sense Media).

Or just go out in it

Irish and British weather rarely waits for a dry day. The HSE’s advice is simple: raincoat and wellies when it’s wet, hat and coat when it’s cold or windy (HSE). Puddle jumping, a walk to the park or a quick cycle can reset everyone’s mood, and a hot drink afterwards is part of the fun.

Making it easier than reaching for the tablet

Have a list ready. Write five or six ideas on a card and stick it on the fridge, so nobody has to think when the rain starts.
Keep a “rainy day box” with a pack of cards, a soft ball, paper, colouring things and a few cardboard tubes.
Join in for the first ten minutes. Most games take off once a grown-up starts them.
Plan a screen you’ll share. Webwise suggests one evening a week for a family movie or games night, which makes screens a treat you do together (Webwise).
Try not to make screens the automatic fallback. Webwise notes that using devices to keep children occupied makes agreed screen rules harder to keep (Webwise). That said, every family has days when it’s exactly what’s needed.

What to do next

Make a rainy day list this week: pick two ideas per child from this guide and put the list on the fridge.
Put together a rainy day box from things you already have at home.
Join your local library if you haven’t already. It’s free, and a good wet-weekend outing.
Next time it rains, try one movement game before any screens come out, and see how it goes.

Some wet days will be dance-offs and cardboard bowling, and some will be a film on the sofa. Both are fine. Having a few easy ideas ready just gives you more choice.

What age should my child get a smartphone?

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

There’s no legal age for a smartphone, and no single right answer, but the advice from Irish and UK child safety bodies leans one way: wait as long as you reasonably can. CyberSafeKids suggests waiting until your child is at least 13 (CyberSafeKids), and the NSPCC suggests children under 10 use basic devices, such as phones that only call and text (NSPCC). Every body we checked agrees that your child’s maturity matters more than their age.

If your child already has a phone, or you’ve decided they need one, that’s fine too. Plenty of families have good reasons, and the steps further down help whatever age they are.

What the experts say about age

CyberSafeKids (Ireland) recommends waiting as long as possible before any smart device, and suggests at least 13 for a smartphone (CyberSafeKids). Its parenting guide adds that “every child is different” and encourages holding off for as long as possible (CyberSafeKids guide).
The Department of Education has encouraged parents and schools to agree voluntary codes on smartphones for primary school children, giving the example of Greystones, where parents agreed not to buy smartphones while their children were in primary school (gov.ie).
The NSPCC (UK) says there are no exact rules about the right age. It suggests basic, limited devices for under-10s, and for older children, checking app age limits and keeping talking (NSPCC).
Internet Matters (UK) doesn’t set an age either, but notes that many children have their own device by 11 to 13 (Internet Matters).
Common Sense Media says age isn’t as important as your child’s maturity, and that the decision is up to you (Common Sense Media).

So the Irish advice is a little firmer than the UK and US advice, but nobody is saying there’s one correct birthday.

Why 13 keeps coming up

Most social media apps have a minimum age of 13, and CyberSafeKids says children under 13 shouldn’t have their own social media accounts (CyberSafeKids guide). The NSPCC explains that 13 comes from data protection laws that limit collecting under-13s’ data without a parent’s consent (NSPCC). In Ireland, CyberSafeKids notes that the digital age of consent is 16, so 13 to 16-year-olds need a parent’s permission to sign up (CyberSafeKids guide).

A smartphone isn’t the same as social media, but in practice it makes those apps much easier to reach. That’s a big part of why many experts link the two.

Is my child ready? Questions to ask

These questions come from Internet Matters, Common Sense Media and CyberSafeKids (Internet Matters, Common Sense Media, CyberSafeKids guide):

What’s the phone for? Staying safe on the walk home, keeping in touch with friends, gaming? The answer shapes what kind of phone they need.
Do they look after their things? If school jumpers and lunchboxes go missing every week, a phone might too.
Do they keep the rules you already have for the tablet or console, and stop when asked?
Do they make good choices online, and tell you when something goes wrong?
Will they use it kindly, without sharing photos or messages that could hurt or embarrass someone?
Are you ready? CyberSafeKids makes the point that you’re taking on responsibility too: setting it up, checking in and keeping an eye on it (CyberSafeKids guide).

If the honest answer to a few of these is “not yet”, Common Sense Media says it’s fine to say “No, not yet” (Common Sense Media).

The in-between options

If the real reason is staying in touch, you don’t have to choose between nothing and a full smartphone:

A basic phone that only calls and texts. The NSPCC suggests these for under-10s (NSPCC), and CyberSafeKids suggests a non-internet phone if contact is the main worry (CyberSafeKids).
A GPS watch instead of a phone, which CyberSafeKids suggests as another option for staying in contact (CyberSafeKids).
A “phone in stages” approach. CyberSafeKids suggests starting with a phone that gives basic connectivity with limits on social media and browsing, then adding more over time (CyberSafeKids guide).

It also helps to talk to other parents in the class. The pressure of “everyone else has one” is much easier when a few families agree to wait together, which is exactly what the voluntary codes encourage (gov.ie).

If you do go ahead: set it up first

Internet Matters recommends setting up parental controls before you hand the phone over, and factory resetting a hand-me-down phone first (Internet Matters). CyberSafeKids suggests (CyberSafeKids guide):

Use the family controls built into the phone: Screen Time and Family Sharing on an iPhone, or Google Family Link on Android.
Turn off location sharing on the phone and in individual apps.
Turn on safe search and content filters.
Switch off in-app purchases.
Keep the phone out of bedrooms, especially overnight, and agree screen-free times such as meals and bedtime.

If it’s an iPhone, our guide to setting up Screen Time on your child’s iPhone walks you through it. Menus change between versions, so check the current help page for your phone too.

Just as important: explain why the settings are there, so your child is less tempted to get around them, and keep talking about what they do online (Internet Matters).

What to do next

Ask yourself what the phone is really for. If it’s mainly for contact, look at a basic phone or GPS watch first.
Go through the readiness questions with your child, honestly and calmly. It can turn a “no” into a “not yet, and here’s what would help”.
Have a chat with two or three other parents in the class about when your children will get phones. You may find they feel the same.
If a smartphone is coming, set up the controls before the big day, and agree a few rules together. Our guide to a family screen time agreement can help.

Whatever you decide, there’s no perfect age, and you know your child best. Waiting a bit longer and getting a first phone well set up are both good choices.

What should I do if my child sees something upsetting online?

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

If your child has seen something online that upset them, the most useful thing you can do first is stay calm, thank them for telling you and listen, before you reach for settings or rules. Then report the content, make one or two changes so it’s less likely to happen again, and keep an eye on how they’re doing over the next while. Recognised bodies including the NSPCC, Internet Matters and Webwise all put the conversation first (NSPCC, Internet Matters, Webwise).

This happens to lots of children in families who are doing everything right. Content spreads fast, feeds pick things up, and friends share things in group chats. It isn’t a sign you’ve failed. Here’s what to do, step by step.

Step 1: Listen first, and make it safe to talk

Children often don’t mention upsetting things because they’re worried their device will be taken away. Internet Matters suggests reassuring them that they’re not in trouble and that you’ll work it out together (Internet Matters).

A few things that help:

Ask open questions. What did you see? How did it make you feel? Listen without judging (NSPCC).
Expect any reaction. The NSPCC notes children may feel confused, ashamed, guilty, shocked, sad or even excited, and all of those are normal (NSPCC).
Find out how they came across it. Was it a search, a video that autoplayed, a link from a friend? That tells you what to change.
Explain, at their level. Let them know what is and isn’t suitable for their age, and, for scary videos or “challenges”, that not everything online is real (Webwise).

If your child doesn’t come to you but seems “off”, Internet Matters lists signs worth noticing: anxiety, trouble sleeping, or odd questions or a sudden interest in a topic. You could open gently with something like “there’s clearly something bothering you” and make clear it’s about helping, not punishing (Internet Matters).

It’s natural to want to show another parent or the school. Don’t forward the content itself. The NSPCC points out that sharing content showing abuse is illegal and can upset others who see it (NSPCC), and Hotline.ie warns that sharing such imagery may be an offence under Irish law (Hotline.ie). Describe it instead, and report it using a link.

Webwise adds a useful tip for scary “challenges”: avoid repeating the challenge’s name or showing children the images, as that can lead them to go looking for more. And don’t pass on unverified warnings, because many turn out to be hoaxes (Webwise).

Step 3: Report it in the right place

Where you report depends on what it was:

On the app or site first. Most platforms have a report option on each post, video or profile. The NSPCC notes some platforms have no moderators, so reporting may be the only way to get content removed (NSPCC). Block the account too if it came from a person.
If you’re in Ireland and the platform doesn’t help, Coimisiún na Meán (Ireland’s media and online safety regulator) runs a Contact Centre that advises the public on problems with platforms: email usersupport@cnam.ie or call +353 1 9637755, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (CCPC).
Suspected illegal content in Ireland, such as child sexual abuse material, grooming or intimate images shared without consent: report it to Hotline.ie, Ireland’s national reporting centre, which you can do anonymously (Hotline.ie). In the UK, the NSPCC points to CEOP for reporting this kind of content (NSPCC).
If a child is in danger right now, call 112 or 999. In Ireland, Hotline.ie also lists the Garda Confidential Line, 1800 666 111, for children at risk or content on private devices or encrypted messaging (Hotline.ie).

If it was bullying, Webwise suggests keeping the messages as a record of dates and times before you report them (Webwise).

Step 4: Make it less likely to happen again

Once things are calmer, use what you learned about how it happened:

Check the parental controls on the device and router, and the content and age settings inside each app they use (NSPCC). Review them now and then, as children’s needs change.
Follow app age limits. Internet Matters recommends sticking to them, and notes that on WhatsApp, images are saved to the phone’s photos by default, so anything upsetting needs deleting from the album and then from “Recently deleted” (Internet Matters).
Practise the basics together: block, report, don’t reply, and come and tell an adult (Webwise).

No setting catches everything, which is why the conversation in Step 1 matters most.

Where to get support

For your child (Ireland): Childline is free, open 24 hours and for young people up to 18. Call 1800 66 66 66, text 50101, or use live chat on childline.ie (gov.ie, Webwise). Webwise notes parents can contact Childline for advice too. Text About It offers anonymous support: text HELLO to 50808 (gov.ie).

For your child (UK): Childline on 0800 1111, free and confidential for under-18s. Its Calm Zone has activities for when children feel anxious, scared or sad (NSPCC).

For you (UK): the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000, 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, can help with difficult conversations (NSPCC).

If your child stays very anxious, isn’t sleeping, or mentions self-harm, talk to your GP. Internet Matters advises taking any self-harm or suicidal thoughts seriously and speaking to your GP or the school’s designated person (Internet Matters). In Ireland, Webwise lists Pieta on 01 6010000 for self-harm or suicide concerns (Webwise).

What to do next

Agree the “tell me” rule this week, even if nothing has happened yet: if anything online feels weird or scary, they come to you and they won’t lose their device for it. Internet Matters suggests agreeing this before a child gets a device (Internet Matters).
Find the report button together on the two apps your child uses most, so they know where it is before they need it.
Save the numbers: put Childline and, if you’re in Ireland, Hotline.ie in your phone, and show older children how to reach Childline themselves.
Check in again in a few days. A quick “how are you feeling about that thing you saw?” tells them the door is still open.

Every child reacts differently, and there’s no perfect script. Staying calm, listening and helping them feel safe to come back to you is what makes the biggest difference.

How do I make a family screen time agreement that actually sticks?

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

A family screen time agreement is a short set of rules about screens that you make together with your children, write down, and everyone signs, adults included. The ones that stick are agreed rather than handed down, cover when and where as well as how long, and get reviewed as children grow. Webwise, CyberSafeKids, Internet Matters and Common Sense Media all recommend this approach (Webwise, CyberSafeKids, Internet Matters, Common Sense Media).

There’s no single right version. What works for a family with a five-year-old and a teenager will look different from a house with two eight-year-olds, and that’s fine.

Why an agreement works better than rules on the fly

Rules made up in the moment (“five more minutes… OK, ten”) are hard to keep consistent, and children notice. Webwise advises agreeing clear screen rules with your child and sticking to them so children aren’t confused (Webwise). Common Sense Media notes that children benefit from structure and often feel relieved by clear limits (Common Sense Media).

Making it together matters too. CyberSafeKids puts it bluntly: imposing restrictions “from on high” is much less effective than building mutual respect and trust (CyberSafeKids). Common Sense Media says younger children especially respond to being included in decisions about screen rules (Common Sense Media).

How long should screen time be?

You may be hoping for a number. Webwise says there’s no magic number: think about your child’s age and maturity, what they’re actually doing, their learning needs and your family routine (Webwise). A useful question is whether the time is active (homework, making something, a video call with Granny) or passive (endless scrolling). CyberSafeKids also suggests focusing on the quality of what they do, not just the total time (CyberSafeKids).

That’s why the when and where rules below often do more than a strict minute count.

How to make your agreement, step by step

Find out where you’re starting from. CyberSafeKids suggests tracking online time for a while first, using a tool like Screen Time on an iPhone or iPad, and sharing the results as a family (CyberSafeKids). Include your own phone. It makes the chat fairer.
Pick a calm moment to sit down together, not straight after a row about the tablet.
Ask before you tell. What do they love doing online? What do they think is a fair amount? Internet Matters suggests asking how time online makes them feel (Internet Matters). For tweens and teens, Common Sense Media suggests sharing your concerns honestly first so the rules feel reasonable rather than random (Common Sense Media).
Agree a few rules, not twenty. Use the checklist in the next section and pick what matters most in your house.
Write it down. Internet Matters has a free Digital Family Agreement template you can download (Internet Matters), or just use a sheet of paper.
Everyone signs, and put it somewhere visible. CyberSafeKids recommends displaying it prominently and having parents sign too, noting some rules may differ by age (CyberSafeKids).
Get the whole household on board. Internet Matters stresses including older siblings and anyone else who lives with you (Internet Matters).
Set a date to review it. Common Sense Media points out that what works today may not work tomorrow (Common Sense Media).

What to put in it: a checklist

Choose the ones that fit your family:

Screen-free times. Webwise suggests dinner, homework and bedtime (Webwise). CyberSafeKids gives the example of no phones between 8pm and 8am (CyberSafeKids).
Screen-free places. All the bodies above suggest keeping devices out of bedrooms, especially overnight, and using them in shared spaces like the kitchen or living room (Internet Matters, CyberSafeKids).
Where phones charge overnight. The kitchen, or your room. Webwise suggests buying an alarm clock so the phone isn’t needed in the bedroom (Webwise).
One screen at a time. No scrolling the phone while the TV is on (CyberSafeKids).
Which games and apps are OK, who they can talk to online and what’s safe to share (CyberSafeKids).
The “if something upsets me” plan: they come to you, and they won’t be punished for telling. CyberSafeKids says when a child reports a problem it’s not about punishing them or taking the device away (CyberSafeKids).
A shared screen night. Webwise suggests one evening a week for a family movie or games night (Webwise).

Making it stick

Keep the rules yourself. Webwise and CyberSafeKids both call modelling the most powerful way to influence children’s behaviour (Webwise, CyberSafeKids). If phones are banned at dinner, that includes yours. Nobody gets this right every day, and children usually respond well when a parent says “you’re right, I’ll put it away”.

Let settings back it up, not replace it. Parental controls can support what you’ve agreed, but Internet Matters notes they can’t replace regular conversations (Internet Matters).

Talk about it often. Internet Matters suggests revisiting the agreement in your regular chats to see what is and isn’t working (Internet Matters). Expect to loosen some rules as children show they can handle more.

What to do next

This week: look at your family’s screen time reports on your devices (yours too) and pick a calm evening to talk.
Start with two rules, such as no screens at dinner and phones charged in the kitchen overnight, and add more once those feel normal.
Download or sketch out an agreement together, have everyone sign it and stick it on the fridge.
Put a review date in your calendar, a month or so away, and ask the children what they’d change.

Every family is different, and the best agreement is the one your family will actually keep. Small, shared rules beat a perfect plan that nobody follows.

Is Roblox safe for a 7-year-old?

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

For most 7-year-olds, Roblox can be a reasonable choice if you set it up together and keep an eye on it, rather than a game to hand over and forget about. The biggest reason it’s more manageable than it used to be: since June 2026, Roblox puts children aged 5 to 8 into a Roblox Kids account, with chat switched off by default and a narrower set of games (Roblox).

That’s a big step, but it doesn’t cover everything. Spending, screen time and which games your child plays are still worth ten minutes of your time. Here’s what’s changed and what to do.

What Roblox is, in one paragraph

Roblox isn’t one game. It’s a platform of games (“experiences”) made by other people, from racing and building to pet-raising and obstacle courses. Internet Matters gives it a minimum age rating of 5+ (Internet Matters). Because anyone can make a game, what your child sees depends a lot on the settings around them.

What’s different for under-9s now

Roblox now sorts players into account types by age (Roblox):

Roblox Kids (ages 5 to 8): the strictest settings. Chat is off, though a parent can switch on text-only chat.
Roblox Select (ages 9 to 15): a little more content, with chat opening up gradually.
Standard Roblox (16 and over), which needs an age check.

A few other details matter for a 7-year-old:

Before an age check (by ID or a face-based age estimate), Roblox goes on the age your child entered. Anyone who hasn’t done an age check can’t chat at all, whatever their age.
Where chat is on, children can only talk to players in their own or a similar age group, or to “Trusted Friends”.
Games open to under-16s get extra review, and Roblox doesn’t allow games built around social hangouts or free-form drawing for these accounts.
Games rated “Content May Vary” aren’t available at all to under-9s (Roblox).

Roblox says ages and default settings can vary by country. Independent coverage has noted that the change follows pressure from regulators and child safety campaigners (Gulf News), so it’s a welcome improvement rather than a guarantee.

What’s still worth keeping an eye on

Internet Matters lists the risks parents most often run into, and they’re good to know about calmly rather than fear (Internet Matters):

Spending. Robux (Roblox’s in-game money) can add up quickly.
Switching off. Many children find it hard to stop mid-game.
Scary or intense content in some games, such as violence or frightening themes.
Persuasion. Other players who can see what a child owns may try to talk them into handing over items or account details.

How to set it up: link your account

Most of the useful controls need you to link your own Roblox account to your child’s (Roblox):

Create your own Roblox account (you’ll be asked for your date of birth and to confirm you’re an adult).
Link it to your child’s account, following Roblox’s on-screen steps.
Go to Settings > Parental Controls and choose your child.

If you’d rather not have an account, Roblox is gradually rolling out a parent mode: your child taps Ask in Person, hands you the device, and you approve the request and set a 6-digit PIN. It can’t send you spending alerts, though, so a linked account gives you more.

The settings to switch on first

Once linked, these are the ones that matter most for a 7-year-old (Roblox, Internet Matters):

Monthly spending limit, plus spend notifications so you get an email when Robux are spent.
Daily screen time limit. Internet Matters recommends an hour at most to keep a balance with other activities.
Chat: leave it off for now. If you do switch it on later, it’s text-only and limited to similar-age players and Trusted Friends.
Content maturity: keep it at the lowest level for younger children. Under Content restrictions, you can also allow or block specific games, whatever their rating (Roblox).
Friends list: until 13, you can see your child’s friends, block or report anyone, and approve or decline Trusted Friend requests.
2-Step Verification on the account, so nobody else can get into it.

What to do next

This week: link your account and set a spending limit and a daily time limit. Those two prevent the most common upsets.
Play together first. Sit with your child for their first few sessions, let them show you their favourite games, and use what you see to decide on blocks or allowed games.
Agree a simple rule for “if anything feels weird, come and tell me, and you won’t be in trouble”. Knowing they won’t lose the game for speaking up makes it much easier for them to do it.
Check in now and then on the friends list and recent games. Settings change as your child gets older, so it’s worth a look every few months.

Every child is different, and plenty of families decide Roblox can wait. If you do say yes, a short set-up and a bit of curiosity about what they’re playing go a long way.

How do I set up Screen Time on my child's iPhone?

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

You set up Screen Time for your child from your own iPhone, through Apple’s Family Sharing: open Settings, tap Family, tap your child’s name, then tap Screen Time and follow the steps. Once it’s done, you can change everything later from your phone, without having to take theirs off them.

Below is what to have ready, the settings worth doing first, and what Apple already switches on for you. Apple sometimes moves menus between software versions, so if something looks slightly different on your phone, Apple’s own guide has the current wording.

Before you start

Apple asks for three things first (Apple):

Family Sharing set up, with you as the organiser or a parent or guardian in the group.
Your child’s own Apple Account (a Child Account) in that family group. Apple warns against sharing your account with your child.
Up-to-date software. The newest version of Screen Time arrives with iOS 27 (and iPadOS 27, macOS 27 and so on), and every device in the family group needs to be updated to use it. If one device can’t be updated, you can keep using the previous version of Screen Time or change settings on your child’s device directly.

One small extra step that saves a lot of hassle: add yourself (and any other parent) to your child’s contacts, so their requests for more time or a new app actually reach you (Apple).

Step 1: Turn on Screen Time and set the passcode

On your iPhone, open Settings and tap Family.
Tap your child’s name, then Screen Time.
Follow the on-screen steps.

If Family Sharing manages your child’s account, you set their Screen Time passcode on your own device, not on theirs (Apple). Pick one your child won’t guess and that’s different from your phone’s unlock code.

Step 2: Decide when, and for how long

Apple now offers two main time tools (Apple):

Time Allowances set limits by type of app, for example games or social apps.
Screen Time Schedules control which apps are available at different times of day, such as overnight or during school hours.

Older versions of Screen Time, and many guides online, call these Downtime and App Limits, so don’t worry if you see those names.

Internet Matters, the UK online safety charity, suggests starting with generous limits and reducing them gradually, and keeping learning apps separate from games and social media so homework doesn’t eat into fun time (Internet Matters). On iOS 26 and later, your child can also send you a request for extra time, which you can approve or decline (Apple).

Step 3: Approve purchases and downloads

This is the setting that prevents surprise bills.

Settings > Family > your child’s name.
Tap Apps & Websites and enter your Screen Time passcode if asked.
Tap Restrictions, then Ask to Buy, and turn on Require Purchase Approval.

When your child wants an app or in-app purchase, they tap Ask and the request comes to you, or you can approve it in person if you’re beside them (Apple). You can also block a particular app from the same Apps & Websites screen. Blocked apps aren’t deleted; they’re just dimmed on the Home Screen (Apple).

Step 4: Set content ratings and website filters

Films, music, books and apps:

Settings > Family > your child’s name.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.
Under Content Restrictions, pick a type (such as films) and choose an age rating, “Don’t Allow” or “Allow All”.

Websites:

Settings > Family > your child’s name > Apps & Websites.
Tap Restrictions, then Filtering under Websites.
Choose Limit Adult Websites, or for younger children, Ask to Browse with Approved Websites Only.

(Steps from Apple.)

Step 5: Choose who they can talk to

Allowed Contacts and Always Allowed controls who your child can message, FaceTime and call (Apple). Internet Matters recommends keeping it to contacts only until around 16 or 17, and choosing a few specific people, such as parents and siblings, for overnight hours (Internet Matters). Apple is clear that this lets you choose who your child talks to, but you can’t read their messages or listen to their calls (Apple).

What Apple already switches on

Depending on your child’s age and where you live, some protections are on from the start (Apple, Apple):

Under 13: Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse are on by default.
Under 18: Limit Adult Websites and Communication Safety (which gives a pause and offers help if a photo or video with nudity or violence is detected) are switched on for new accounts or after updating.
In some countries, some of these can’t be turned off at all.

So if you’ve only got ten minutes tonight, you’re not starting from zero.

What to do next

Tonight: check Family Sharing is set up and your child has their own account, then turn on Screen Time and set the passcode from your phone.
This week: switch on Ask to Buy, then sit down with your child and agree a schedule together. Internet Matters notes that explaining the reasons, and letting older children have a say, means less pushback.
In a month: look at the Screen Time report together and adjust. Settings work best alongside regular, relaxed chats about what they’re doing online, not instead of them.

Every family’s rules will look a bit different, and that’s fine. The aim isn’t a perfect set-up; it’s one that works for your house.

Screen Safe Parents

Should I check my child's phone?

Is it OK to look at my child’s phone?

Why being open works better than snooping

How should checking change as they get older?

What about monitoring apps and location tracking?

What if I find something worrying?

What to do next

Should I post photos of my kids online?

What is “sharenting”, and why is it in the news?

What are the risks?

How to share more safely

Should I ask my child first?

What to do next

Is Discord safe for my child?

What is Discord?

What are the risks?

Age checks in the UK

How Discord’s Family Center works

Settings to go through together

What to do next

How do I set up parental controls on Netflix?

Step 1: Give your child their own profile

Step 2: Set the profile’s age rating

Step 3: Lock your own profile with a PIN

Step 4: Stop them adding a new profile

Step 5: Block particular titles (optional)

Step 6: Turn off autoplay and check viewing history

What to do next

Where can we go for a free family day out in Ireland?

Forests and forest parks

National museums

Castles and gardens on the first Wednesday

Your local library

Making it work with kids (and phones)

What to do next

How much screen time should my teenager have?

What the official advice says

The five questions worth asking instead

Sleep is the big one

Agreeing limits with a teenager, not for them

When to look for more help

What to do next

How do I help my child spot an online scam?

What scams aimed at children actually look like

The warning signs to teach

How to have the conversation

Simple settings that help

If your child does get caught out

What to do next

Should my child's phone stay out of the bedroom at night?

Why the bedroom is the place to start

You’re far from the only family dealing with this

How to agree the rule without a battle

“But I need it for my alarm” (and other good questions)

The settings that back the rule up

iPhone and iPad (Screen Time Schedule)

Android phones (Downtime in Family Link)

What to do next

Is WhatsApp safe for my child, and what age is it for?

Why kids want it

What age is WhatsApp for?

The new option for under-13s: parent-managed accounts

Settings worth changing on a 13+ account

The things to talk about

What to do next

How do I set up parental controls on an Xbox?

Before you start: the family group

Step 1: Set age limits on games and apps

Step 2: Set screen time

Step 3: Choose who they can chat and play with

Step 4: Sort out spending

Step 5: Lock the settings with a PIN

What to do next

How can I help my teenager find a hobby that isn't on a screen?

Why it’s worth the effort

Start with what they already like

Clubs and programmes made for their age

How Gaisce works

Make trying things low-stakes