Last Updated on February 1, 2024 by alli
Let’s talk about some simple, but important internet wellbeing tips for preteen girls (ages 9-12 years). My daughter, who’s 11, loves spending time online which I’m sure is no surprise to you! She doesn’t have her own iPhone yet, but she has an iPad. She has no social media accounts, but she spends time googling and watching YouTube videos and Netflix. Something else she does a lot of is FaceTiming and having group chats with friends.
When you have a preteen daughter that’s online regularly, it can be quite concerning because you know she’s vulnerable to predators and cyberbullying. Being proactive in ensuring her safety is very important.
Parental Safety Measures
My partner and I try to protect our daughter by regularly checking her iPad to see what she’s been watching, texting, and sharing with her friends. This is all done with her knowledge. She knows we check, and to be honest, I’m glad we do! We’ve found messages (to and from her friends) that we’ve not been happy with, and at times we’ve questioned her viewing choices.
On top of regularly monitoring her online activity, here are some other safety measures we’ve put in place –
- There is a restriction on what she can and can’t access. (We set this up through Settings / Screen Time on her iPad.) For example, we allow access to music, but nothing that includes explicit content. We also allow G and PG movies, but for anything else, she needs to ask for permission.
- Her screen time is limited and access to her iPad automatically turns off at a set time each evening.
- We have a rule in place that allows her to chat with friends after her homework is done, and leading up to dinner, but no chats or texting are allowed after dinner.
Every family with a young child that has access to the internet should have their own rules and restrictions in place.
In addition to the safety measures parents set up at home, it’s also vital that young girls understand some basic but important facts when they are online.
6 Internet Wellbeing Tips to Share with Your Daughter.
Don’t believe everything you see online
There’s a big difference between appearance and reality online. A lot of what you see on social media or anywhere on the internet is not the truth. It’s important to never fall for appearances. The worst thing you can do is compare yourself, and your life, to that of someone you see online that you don’t personally know!
Think before you post or share anything
Sharing things online is easy. But it’s important to remember to stop and think carefully before posting anything. Once it’s out there, you have no control over who will see or share it! Always make sure that the information you’re sharing is appropriate, and will not be hurtful to anyone (including yourself) before you hit post or share.
Don’t chase unrealistic beauty standards
Beauty comes in different shapes, sizes and colours. It’s important to focus on what makes you unique and be proud of your individuality because that is your superpower. There is only one you! You’ll see people on the internet who have edited or filtered themselves to tempt you to buy a product. They want you to believe that their product is the answer to all your beauty problems.
Don’t fall for peer pressure!
When you’re online with friends, it’s important to stay true to yourself. Stand up for your beliefs and always make smart decisions. Sometimes the feeling of wanting to be accepted and liked is so strong that you may feel pressured into doing things you don’t want to do. If you know it’s wrong or hurtful to someone else, say no and feel proud of yourself for making the right decision. Good friends will always support you.
Never participate in online bullying
All your online actions have consequences, so be kind and positive when you’re online. Always remember that cyberbullying can affect someone forever. What you post or share about them online is there for anyone to see. You should also always report bullying as soon as you see it.
Only connect with people you know
For your safety, you should only ever connect with people that you know in real life. It’s important to always be careful before accepting any friend requests because connecting with a stranger can be dangerous. You don’t know what the stranger is capable of and it could lead to cyberbullying, harassment or worse.
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