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The conversation I have had with each of my kids: "if you *ever* run into a problem online and you think you're in trouble, you can *always* come talk to me about it, and if you think I will be upset about a choice you made just start out by saying 'I may need some help.'" And I will take that...

rahaeli@rahaeli.bsky.social

And it's why the biggest internet safety advice I give parents of teenagers is to make crystal clear that they will never blame their kid for being the victim, because that is the ONLY way they will ever know there's a problem. bsky.app/profile/raha...

... as a signal that you clearly need help, not having someone judging your actions. It also probably helps that I try not to be particularly judgmental about their choices, but to be a supportive Dad. But I have told them, specifically, how other kids have gotten in trouble online, and...

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... how the biggest mistake is almost always feeling they have no one they can talk to about it and few choices on how to get out of whatever situation they've gotten into.

I'd like to think your kids will remember this fondly as they grow up. I vividly remember my parents unconditional offers of support, no matter what. "While you're not supposed to have access to alcohol, at a party, drunk and need help ? Please call us, we'd rather help you than the alternatives."

I very explicitly did *not* have that, growing up (but managed to stay out of online trouble!)&, in high school, the mom of a friend stopped her car while driving me home a block from my house to tell me that I could always come to her because she knew I couldn't go to them.

Mainly the stories of young kids getting tricked into sending photos of themselves unclothed to scammers pretending to be young people of the appropriate sex being interested in them... and having it turn into a high pressure extortion racket.

So much of this is uncharted territory, both for the kids and for Millennial/Gen X parents who didn’t deal with any of this when we were their age. Open communication, discussing relevant news at family meals, and non judgement are all excellent parenting that can help to navigate unfamiliar waters.

We talk about desired outcomes (helping them develop the judgment and skills they will need to direct their own independent, fulfilling adult lives) rather than prescribing exactly how to behave as pre-teens and teens.