Zeeko Advice Hub

In a world where we are all surrounded by technology how can you help your kids to have a better balance in their use of technology and spend  time unplugged? The reality is that in this digital age screens are everywhere. Children could potentially be spending time looking at a screen from the time they…

  You have probably seen articles in the press recently about digital assistants like Alexa allegedly, listening to conversations. This is obviously a concern for adults but also teens and children who may use what are termed digital assistants. Digital assistants are a growing part of everyday life. These are better known by their titles,…

  When we visit schools throughout the country to deliver our message about staying safe online, one of the topics kids struggle to grasp is that they are creating and leaving a digital footprint when they are online. Most kids, understandably, don’t think of the long-term implications of what they are sharing today i.e. that…

  As the Easter holidays are just around the corner our blog this week offers some tips for getting your kids started on a digital detox. In a world surrounded by technology it is always a good idea to build in a regular digital detox and that’s not just for the younger members of the…

  At Zeeko we are very lucky to have great interns who help us get our message about staying safe online out there! Our guest blogger this week is Benjamin Applegate a 3rd Year university student from Pennsylvania studying abroad in Dublin this spring. He is a media and communications and business double major who specializes…

  As members of the secondary teacher’s union ASTI raise concerns about the impact of gaming on children, we offer advice on helping keep children safe. Assistant general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) Moira Leydon has said teachers have being “expressing concern about the overuse and amount of time children are…

One of the biggest challenges of parenting in a digital age is helping teenagers to strike a healthy balance in their use of technology as a means of communication.  Communicating using social media is a relatively new phenomenon and is certainly something that many parents do not have direct personal experience of from their own…

Just last week the Garda Siochana released a video offering advice on how to deal with cyberbullying. Unfortunately, the cyber element to bullying is a growing concern for parents and schools. There was a time when bullying was confined to face to face interaction. With the growing use of digital communication, the cyber element to…

In the wake of the Momo Challenge there has been lots of coverage about being able to identify what is a hoax online from what is real.  Developing the ability to decipher what is real from what is fake when it comes to online content is certainly a crucial skill, not only for children but…

  One of the core principals of our work at Zeeko is to help kids to become good digital citizens, in other words to develop the skills to make smart choices when they are online and to know how to be savvy when they are operating in the digital world. These skills can also be…

  It’s highly likely that you have heard of an online challenge known as Momo over the last few days. So serious are the concerns about this that the Gardai have issued advice to parents in relation to it. The Laois Offaly Division of the Garda Siochana issued the following statement via Twitter in relation…

  Does your child enjoy spending time using apps that have a ‘live’ element to them? This live element is known as streaming. It usually involves creating short videos and sharing them with friends via an app. It can also refer to communicating via video with other users of the app. These are not always…

  We have all received emails with content that shocks us, be that it contains pornographic material or uses provocative images and language. As adults we have the maturity to be able to know when content is inappropriate or indeed sinister. Absolutely understandably children are still developing the skills to be able to differentiate between…

In case you missed the memo today marks Safer Internet Day 2019! The theme this year is Together for A Better Internet, it’s essentially a call to action to all stakeholders to come together and play their part in creating a better internet for everyone! Needless to say, we are fully behind this initiative! Anything…

It may sound very formal, but have you considered creating a digital contract with your child to help manage things like the use of technology, screentime and time spent communicating with their peers using apps? A digital contract can be a great way for all the family to feel part of the decisions that are…

Are you finding it a challenge to start having a conversation with your child about the importance of staying safe online? Have a read of our simple tips to help you get started! Open Communication is the key: The most effective tool you have as a parent is communication! By having an open communication style with…

  Are you constantly hearing reference to Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram and lots of other social networks from your child and their friends? It’s likely the answer is yes! If your child is active on any of these platforms, then they are engaged in what is termed social networking. Today’s kids embrace social media and technology,…

    It’s likely you have seen coverage in the media in the last few days about a new angle on the management of screentime. It’s certainly one of the biggest challenges facing parents, how to manage their kids use of screens. It’s a question we are asked regularly when we meet parents at our…

  Make staying safe online an all year round resolution by following these simple tips! Start and keep the conversation going: Talk to your child as much as possible about how important it is to stay safe when they are online. It is never too early to start this conversation. The internet is undoubtedly a…

Did a smartphone enter your house this Christmas? Read on for some advice on helping your child manage the use of their phone! Smartphones are now seen as an almost essential component in the way we communicate with each other and the world around us, and that’s just for the adults! An increasing number of…

  Does it feel like your teenager is constantly attached to a device and seems more engaged with social media than with you? Here are some tips to help your child to stay safe on social media!   -Take every opportunity possible to remind teenagers that what they see when they are using social media is only a snippet of people’s lives…

  It’s likely that your teen will experiment with live streaming on any new technology they may have received this Christmas. Read on for some advice on how to ensure that they stay safe. Live streaming apps like Facebook Live and Periscope are becoming increasingly popular among teenagers. Apps like these offer an opportunity to…

  There’s no doubt there are some great bargains to be had in the January sales! Technology is a particular arena where there are often big reductions! If you are considering purchasing a new digital device, it’s a good idea to bear the following tips in mind. Take into account what age the child you…

  The festive season can be a demanding time and one where families can be literally snowed under by the amount of technology that suddenly surrounds them! It really is important to spend some time unplugged over the festive season! Here are some tips to help you create a balance and spend some time unplugged…

  Over the Christmas holidays it is likely that your family will be spending more time than usual on screens particularly if digital devises have been given as gifts! It’s a good idea to bear the following advice in mind, from The American Academy of Paediatrics, who in late 2016 released updated guidelines on screentime.…

Is Santa due to deliver a games console to your house?  If so, what can you do to help ensure that your child stays safe while playing on a console? The first thing to do is to check out what parental controls are available with the console and to activate these. Parental controls are of…

  As the Christmas season is now in full swing it’s a good time to remind your children whether they are young or a little older about the importance of staying safe online over the next few weeks. It is highly likely that Santa is going to deliver smartphones and/or digital devices in all their…

  Another day, another app to try and wrap your head around! TikTok is the latest addition to the ever growing stream of social media apps that are worth knowing about. If you have a young person in your life that is smartphone-savvy, there’s a good chance that they are using this app already. We…

  Do you find it challenging to keep up with what children are doing when they are online? This concern is totally understandable as parents lead increasingly busy and demanding lives. It can undoubtedly be a juggling act to keep on top of routine daily tasks in addition to keeping a watchful and informed eye…

  As you have probably seen in the media recently, our team at Zeeko released results of research we conducted that found that 1 in 3 boys aged 8 are playing over 18’s online games. It’s certainly a scary statistic. In light of these findings here is some useful information on age ratings on games.…