Navigating Screens and Digital Life: A Guide to Managing Kids' Online Safety, by mobster Janette, founder of Be Smart Cookie.

hi mobsters,

my name is janette, it’s great to meet you all!

i am so delighted to be on this building journey with you inspiring mobsters. below is my story and the what, why and how behind my business, be smart cookie - i hope you enjoy it, please feel free to add a note in the comments with your details so we can connect!

how my journey with the mob started

When I met Georgie, co-founder of the mob, for the first time, I knew right away I wanted to connect with her. I met her at the entrance of a Wanstead Works networking event. She gave me this huge smile, said, “hi” and that was it. We both fired out questions wanting to learn more about the other, and discovered we had both turned our passion into a business. Now a MOB member, I find the community a deliciously balanced cocktail of support, resource, no demands, always there if you need it. My conversation with Georgie that evening inspired me to share my story with you all. So here goes…

Where It All Started: From BBC Journalist to mum owning her own business

Children of the 21st century move on from their wild jungle picture book to the wild jungle digital world in the blink of an eye. I knew this before I had kids, right? Except that I didn’t.

When I became a mum, I felt bombarded with parenting advice from all directions… how to potty train, wean, sleep through the night. Tips were offered on every aspect of my child’s life, but no one told me what to do about screens.

OK, so let’s go back to the day I had my three children. Yes, I say ‘the day’ because for me it was just one day, when I had triplets. Three bundles of joy. Girls. And they are fab.

Until that day I was a journalist and programme maker at the BBC for 15 years. More than that, I was also a friend, a daughter, a partner, a sister and all the many things that make us who we are. Now, first and foremost, I was also a mum. We had lots of help but overwhelmingly the nights were me on my own. And feeding a baby in the small hours of the night is a lonely, tearful place.

So, I turned to social media for the first time — this was 2015, indeed a little late to the party. Nonetheless, I devoured Instagram and Facebook. I looked up friends, yes including old boyfriends – who doesn’t? – but I also found communities of other mums who were awake with me, finding it hard just like me, and it was great because I didn’t feel so alone anymore.

When I went back to work after a two-year maternity break, I was asked to head up the BBC’s media literacy outreach programme. It was 2017, Trump had just won his first Presidential race, against Hillary Clinton, and the phrase ‘fake news’ was everywhere.

The Digital Challenge: No One Told Me What to Do About Screens

The projects I set up helped thousands of children in the UK and around the world to navigate their digital lives. I spoke to hundreds of young teenagers about their social media use, influencers, how they found reliable information and how much time they spent online. I discovered that it wasn’t all good stuff — like my supportive mums’ community — and that for teenagers, the digital space was overflowing with unchecked, distorting, often boring but addictive, content. The algorithm, clickbait, scams… it was information overload.

I absolutely loved that job, but at the time I also noticed that there was little support for parents and carers to help them navigate their child’s digital journey. So, in 2020 I left the BBC to start Be Smart Cookie Ltd, helping families get smart and stay safe online. That’s the moment my professional and my personal journey collided.

Introducing Be Smart Cookie: Empowering Families to Stay smart and Safe Online

I provide training in charities, companies, primary and secondary schools, and I also have an offer direct for parents and carers to help them find the right digital path for their children. Believe me, I don’t underestimate how hard it is. My girls are now nine, and it’s a huge challenge to keep them away from the flashy distractions — and hidden dangers — that can be found through a screen. Especially when they can unlock all the parental controls far quicker than I put them on!

Top Tip for Mums: Make Screen Time a Family Activity

One of my top tips for mums of younger children is: start with the ‘smart’ early. What do I mean by that? No, I don’t mean give a baby your phone; when you introduce digital to your child is your decision. But when you do introduce the screen, make it a family activity, something you do together. And if your children are already on screens, start this now.

I totally get it; I know how tempting it is to hand over a screen in exchange for a few precious minutes of ‘you’ time. But the risk is you eventually end up watching a digital circus from the sidelines — or even through a closed bedroom door — with no real knowledge of what your child is up to.

Just as you paint with them, draw with them, read with them, play with them… screentime with them. Doing it together means that the values and behaviours you are already teaching and demonstrating to them in the real world will continue online.

Real-Life Lessons: Teaching Kids Financial Literacy through Digital Experiences

The idea of doing things together as a family can help children learn lots of concepts, including financial security — a topic close to all our hearts at the MOB. One idea is to take your child out with only cash in your wallet — no cards — and talk them through each purchase, and the amount left over. This can help them see that the money is finite. I’ve started to show my girls the money disappearing from the bank balance immediately after we have bought something. This is the reality — and you are showing them how to manage it.

My Unique Approach: Fun, Interactive, and Effective Resources for Parents

I’m pleased to say that there are more resources available now, from media companies and charities. But I’ve developed a specific USP which chimes with parents and carers. My resources are fun, short, and interactive with a simple message connecting real-world lives to digital lives, helping to build knowledge and confidence.

Take strangers — we teach our children to tell an adult they trust if someone makes them feel uncomfortable. It’s the same online; teach your child that if something online makes them feel uncomfortable, they should speak to an adult they trust.

Good News: How We Can Make Screen Time a Positive Experience for Our Kids

Returning to the screens, there’s good news; I am convinced there are many things we can do to make screen time a positive experience. The challenge of our kids’ digital lives is surely not beyond us… this is our moment, mighty parents and carers, to step up our game!

My next MOB blog will be about gaming, but if you have a topic you’d like me to address, please let the MOB know and I’ll see what I can do.

Helping Families Thrive in the Digital Age

If you want help with your child’s digital life, you can find resources on my website; www.besmartcookie.co.uk and use the code BESMART at point of payment, although many resources are already free. And please follow me on IG - @besmartcookie where you will get regular updates.