If you’ve ever tried explaining phishing scams to a 9-year-old while they’re mid-game on Roblox, you’ll understand exactly why digital safety education has to be both real and relatable.
I’ve been working in tech security for over a decade, but nothing has challenged me more than translating cybersecurity into something my kids can not only understand but actually use. And along the way, something funny happened: I started realizing how many adults—smart, accomplished, fully functioning adults—don’t follow the same common-sense safety habits I now drill into my kids.
These are the five habits I teach my kids early, consistently, and without fear. They’re practical, protective, and easy to adopt, no matter your age—or your tech background.
1. Don’t Trust a Screen Just Because It’s Familiar
One of the first lessons I drilled into my kids was this: just because something looks familiar—like a game logo, a website layout, or a YouTube thumbnail—doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Kids love patterns. And so do adults, to be honest. We get comfortable with interfaces we recognize. But cybercriminals use this to their advantage. From lookalike apps to spoofed websites, visual familiarity is one of the easiest ways to trick users into letting their guard down.
So now, anytime my kids see a login screen—even if it’s on a site they use every day—I ask them to pause and double-check:
- Does the URL look right? (No weird letters or misspellings)
- Did you land on this page naturally, or through a sketchy pop-up or link?
- Are there any odd design elements or missing logos?
This habit alone has stopped my daughter from accidentally logging into a fake version of her school platform and saved me from clicking a convincing Amazon phishing email.
A 2023 report by Check Point Research found that Amazon, LinkedIn, and Microsoft were among the top brands impersonated in phishing attacks—proof that familiarity breeds clickability, not safety.
2. Assume Someone's Always Watching—Because They Might Be
I know, it sounds a bit dramatic. But hear me out.
When my son wanted to record videos for YouTube, we had a long talk—not just about stranger danger in the comments, but about how what you say, share, or even show in the background of your room can be seen, saved, and reshared by anyone. Forever.
The same goes for adults who hop on Zoom from their bedroom, post casually to public social media, or leave their Alexa-enabled devices on 24/7. That level of casualness can open the door to unintended exposure—of location, habits, or even sensitive info.
The lesson I give my kids (and remind myself of constantly): before you post, speak, or record, think about the audience beyond the screen.
Practical tips we use at home:
- Keep home assistants muted when not in use
- Use privacy filters or blurred backgrounds on video calls
- Don’t post pictures of tickets, school logos, house numbers, or schedules
Not out of fear—but out of awareness. Because once it’s out there, you don’t get to control who sees it next.
3. Strong Passwords Aren’t Optional (And Neither is 2FA)
If you’re still using your dog’s name and a couple of lucky numbers as your password, it’s not a password—it’s a waiting room for hackers.
In our house, we treat passwords like toothbrushes: personal, unique, and changed regularly.
Here’s how I taught my kids (and a few extended family members) to think differently:
- Use a passphrase, not just a password. Something like “GiraffesDanceOnMars!” is more secure and way easier to remember.
- Don’t reuse passwords. If one account gets compromised, everything else becomes vulnerable.
- Always—always—enable two-factor authentication (2FA). It's like locking your door and setting the alarm.
We use a password manager that stores everything in one secure vault. The kids don’t see the full vault yet, but they know how to use it with my guidance. Adults, though? No excuse.
According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, over 83% of breaches involve weak or stolen passwords—yet fewer than 40% of adults use a password manager.
Security isn't about being unhackable. It’s about making yourself a harder target than the next person.
4. Ask Questions About the Internet—Out Loud
This one may sound soft, but it’s a powerhouse: normalize talking about online experiences.
My kids are allowed to ask any digital question, no judgment. “What is this pop-up?” “Is this game stealing my data?” “Why does this ad know what I just said out loud?”
That kind of open dialogue does two things:
- It builds critical thinking, which is more powerful than any firewall.
- It destigmatizes confusion, making it easier to flag risks before they become problems.
And it works for adults too. Ask your friends if that shopping app they use actually respects privacy. Mention a scam you got texted about. Share when a website asked for access to your camera out of nowhere.
The more we talk about these moments—even casually—the more we crowdsource knowledge. Silence is what scams rely on.
5. Pause Before You Click, Swipe, or Share
This one’s deceptively simple. We call it the “thumb pause” in our house.
Before you click a link, tap a notification, or swipe through a permission screen, you give it a two-second pause. Just enough time to ask:
- “Do I trust this source?”
- “Am I okay with what happens next?”
- “Is this asking for too much access?”
Kids love it because it feels like a superpower—press pause and stay in control. And honestly? Adults need this more than kids do.
It’s how you avoid rushing into shady downloads, oversharing in a heated Facebook comment, or accepting app permissions that turn your phone into a surveillance tool.
This digital reflex—tiny but mighty—has saved us from so many would-be mistakes.
Web Wisdom
1. Set Your Devices to Forget Wi-Fi Networks You Don’t Use This prevents your phone from auto-connecting to insecure networks without your knowledge—a small fix with major privacy impact.
2. Rotate Which Browser You Use for Different Tasks Use one for banking, another for shopping, a third for social. This creates natural separation in your data trail.
3. Ask Your Kids to Teach You Something About Tech Not only does this reverse the usual power dynamic—it helps you spot trends, risks, and tools before they become mainstream.
4. Make "Location Off" Your Default, Not the Other Way Around Apps shouldn’t get your GPS access unless they genuinely need it. Change permissions in your phone settings accordingly.
5. Follow the Money Trail of Free Apps If something’s free, ask yourself: How are they making money? The answer often lies in your data. Understanding the business model sharpens your digital instincts.
Not Just for Kids—Because Safety Isn’t Childish
Teaching these habits to my kids has made me a better, more conscious digital adult. And it’s made me realize something important: most of what we call “online safety for kids” is just smart, modern behavior—for everyone.
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to live off-grid or know how to code. But you do need to show up—just enough to be aware of what’s happening when your data moves, when your screen lights up, or when a decision is one tap away.
Let these habits live in your pocket, your scroll, your inbox. Make them second nature, like locking the door when you leave home.
Because the internet isn’t a playground or a war zone—it’s just life now. And knowing how to navigate it with confidence? That’s not just safety.
That’s digital maturity.
