03/08/2026
l📖 Parents and Carers: if you somehow manage to find a spare moment this summer, take a look at our updated Essential Digital Parenting Guide!
Created as part of CyberSafeKids' Same Rules Apply campaign, it offers practical tips, trusted resources, and a commonsense approach to keeping children safe online.
From healthy digital habits and parental controls to cyberbullying, grooming, privacy, generative AI, and online laws, the guide provides the knowledge you need to empower you as parents in supporting your child’s online life.
➡️ One of the most important ways to keep your child safe is to build a strong, trusting relationship with them. Make time to really listen, stay curious about their online world, and keep conversations open, regular, and judgement-free. When children feel heard and supported, they are far more likely to come to you with concerns.
➡️ Above all, never allow your child or teenager to have any smart device in their bedroom overnight. Keeping devices out of bedrooms reduces sleep problems and avoids late-night scrolling, secret messaging, and arguments. Unsupervised night time access can expose children to cyberbullying, grooming, and exploitation. Teens may be more likely to engage in risky behaviour online late at night (e.g., accessing adult content, sexting, talking to strangers). Algorithms may push disturbing or extreme content during extended solo use.
Older kids will also benefit from charging their devices in a communal family space downstairs. It’s not punishment – it’s about establishing healthy digital habits for the whole household.
To read or download this guide, please go to www.cybersafekids.ie/samerulesapply
The campaign is kindly supported by the HSE Ireland and Accenture.
