If your kids are about to get their first gaming console this Christmas, it’s only natural to be nervous about the big, wide world of online gaming.

But as with anything parenting-related, knowledge is power. So we’ve enlisted the help of gaming powerhouse Xbox to share some important information about online gaming, and how you can help keep your kids safe.

Xbox has creating a Gaming Safety Toolkit, to help lift the veil on the world of online gaming, and help parents feel empowered. The Toolkit provides detailed information on supporting kids to game safely and responsibly. It also has age-specific advice and recommendations to help parents learn about common safety risks.

The Toolkit was created with the advice and support of the eSafety Commissioner and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, as well as other trusted bodies, and includes sections on Parental Controls, Bullying, In-game Purchases and Grooming.

To get you started on your parental online gaming education journey, here’s an overview of how you can help keep your kids safe while gaming online.

Be involved

When it comes to keeping kids safe while they’re having fun online, one of the most important things we can do as parents, is to be involved. This doesn’t necessarily mean having to learn how to play Fortnite or Roblox, but showing some interest will help kids open up about what they’re doing.

It’s like any other part of your kids’ lives – their sport, schoolwork, dance, art – it’s about showing that you’re involved. And once you’ve become involved, work on co-creating boundaries and rules with your kids, so they feel part of the process.

Promote privacy and good cyber habits

Help your kids realise the importance of online privacy and good cyber hygiene by modelling it yourself. Chat about using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, as well as thinking carefully about what we share online. A great way to start this conversation is by always asking your kids’ permission before you post anything about them online. The experts at Xbox recommend having a look at Minecraft’s Home Sweet Hmm and Privacy Prodigy games for fun ways to learn about privacy and safety.

Talk about respect

Respect works whether you’re in person or online. Sometimes this is a difficult concept for kids to grasp, when they’re not face to face with the person they’re playing with. But it’s essential to explain that if you wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, you shouldn’t say it online.

Stay calm

It can be easy to loose your cool, but reserve your judgement so that your kids will always feel comfortable talking to you if they need support. Get them to regularly open up to you about when they’re doing online and get involved in their gaming, so they know the lines of communication are always open.

To get your family online gaming safety journey started, download the Xbox Gaming Safety Toolkit.

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