Monitoring without conversation feels like surveillance. Conversation without monitoring can feel naïve. The balance comes from transparency.
Let your child know what you check, why you check it, and that it’s about safety, not control. When kids understand that monitoring is predictable and protective, not random or punitive, they are less likely to hide and more likely to ask for help when something goes wrong.
You can say, “Part of my job is keeping you safe online. As you get older and show good judgment, we’ll adjust together.”