When my two were little, I thought I was doing alright on the whole parenting thing. I remembered the packed lunches most days, no one lost a limb, and we made it through the teenage years more or less intact. But now they’re in their twenties (and thirties, *cough*) and I’m looking back at all the stuff I didn’t have a clue about, and honestly, the internet tops the list.
Back then, online games felt harmless enough. I’d see them glued to screens and tell myself at least they weren’t out doing anything dangerous. Turns out I might have been a bit naive. I’ve just read this piece from MoneyPlus about Parenting in the online age and keeping children safe from gambling and I wish I’d known half of it when mine were younger.
Apparently more than a quarter of 11 to 17 year olds in Great Britain have spent their own money on gambling-style games. Not betting shops or slot machines, but the kind of sneaky in-game extras that make you think it’s all just fun. Those loot boxes, ‘surprise’ packs and virtual coins that promise a better sword or cooler outfit? They use the same tricks as gambling to get you hooked.
I had no idea. I thought I was on top of things because I knew their passwords and occasionally shouted ‘time’s up!’ from the next room. Meanwhile they were clicking BUY NOW faster than I could microwave dinner. It’s one of those things you only realise with hindsight, that quiet kids aren’t always a sign of peace and harmony. Sometimes they’re just too busy spending your money to argue.
If you’ve still got kids at home, MoneyPlus has some proper sensible advice on how to keep an eye on spending, set controls and talk to your children before it becomes a problem. It’s all about early conversations, open chats and knowing what’s really happening behind those cheerful little avatars.
And if you’re already seeing the fallout, whether that’s surprise charges or debts piling up, they can help with that too. Their site explains how to get debt support, including options like debt management plans if things have gone a bit pear-shaped.
I can’t go back and redo the parenting years, but I can at least pass on the warning. If I could tell my younger self one thing it would be this: just because they’re sitting quietly with an iPad doesn’t mean it’s innocent. Sometimes silence really is suspicious.
This post is written in collaboration with MoneyPlus. Image source – Unsplash