Three main rules to keep in mind when talking to your child about staying safe online
1) Listening is as important as talking. Many adults believe that communication involves telling the child something, or seeking information. However, it should be a two-way street. If you let your child know that you really want to hear what they have to say, you’ll be surprised by how much they will tell you.
2) Actions can speak louder than words This has to do with wider aspects of communication, not just words. The better the example you set and the more you let your child know that you value them and will support them, the better communication will be.
3) Communication should be about positive things, not just about the things that have gone wrong Focus as much on the good things that are happening as on nagging about the bad. It will make it easier to keep in touch with what’s really happening to your child when they go online.
taken from Parents and Digital Technology: How to Raise The Connected Generation by Suzie Hayman and John Coleman