One thing that surprises and amazes foreigners in the Nordics is how freely little ones move among us adults. It is normal for us that children, backpacks on their shoulders, commute to school and hobbies on their own. We trust each other and our kids’ ability to cope. In the land of the happy, trust creates safety, and the feeling of safety creates happiness.
But when a child opens a phone or a computer, many parents' trust wavers.
The Internet is Not a Nordic Idyl
Although we trust our neighbors and traffic rules in the physical world, it is healthy to admit a fact in the online world: it is the Wild West. It is completely understandable that as a parent you feel uncertain in the jungle of new apps and terms. Your concern is valid, as not everyone online is worthy of trust.
According to School of Gaming's customer research, parents are worried about the following:
- Who the child plays with: unknown adults, toxic players, grooming, scams, and manipulation.
- Language and tone: insults, hate speech, sexual talk, and cyberbullying.
- Money: purchases and scams.
- Conflicts at home: stopping, "gaming high", rage (rageting), emotional outbursts, and difficulties with self-control and concentration.
- Social pressure: peer requirements, FOMO (fear of missing out), and the feeling of being left out.
- Social media trends: appearance pressure and dangerous social media challenges.
- Content: scary or otherwise inappropriate content and accidental exposure.
- Negative screen time: how screen time could be used more productively.
The list is long. It is very difficult for a parent to keep up with the various threats, trends, and apps of the digital world. Many may feel that by shutting down all devices until the child is of age, they are safest. But would that be a sustainable solution?
Total Bans Rarely Work – They Just Drive Problems Out of Sight
Instead of guarding every digital channel like a Doberman, I recommend another approach: Build a circle of trust around yourself and your child.
- Be curious, not judgmental. If a child feels you can discuss the gaming world positively, they will also tell you about the difficult things.
- Fear of punishment closes mouths. If a child fears screen time limits or confiscation of devices when an error occurs, they will likely keep unpleasant encounters to themselves.
- Understand the basics. You don't need to be a Minecraft guru or an esports professional; showing interest is enough.
For example: “If someone in a game says ‘come to Discord’, the child needs to know that they can tell you about it without punishment. Then you can calmly ask: ‘Who asked? What was promised? Shall we look at it together? What do you think about this yourself?’”
Four Practices That Work in Busy Daily Life
The Finnish Parents League and School of Gaming have started a collaboration in autumn 2025 that brings concrete tools directly to your kitchen table. Here are four effective practices to help daily life run a bit smoother:
- The two-minute rule: Ask every day: ”What was the best moment of the gaming day?” Be genuinely interested in their successes.
- Agree on a ”red flag”: Teach the child that if someone asks for private information or to move to another chat, they must always tell an adult. This should be done without fear of punishment.
- Cool-down ritual: Give the child 5 minutes to ”land” from the gaming world before dinner. Detaching from a gaming situation takes a moment for the brain.
- Predictability: Do not cut the power on the fly. Warn 10 minutes and 5 minutes before, so the child has time to save or finish in a controlled manner, respecting their fellow players.
We Won’t Leave You Alone in the Digital Jungle
Do you want more concrete ways to manage digital parenting? Come to our free webinar! You can participate easily while attending to other chores.
See our upcoming webinars: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/tutustu-school-of-gamingiin-4243573
In the webinar, you will get:
- Game-specific tips
- Ready-made conversation starters
- Operating models for various situations
- A plain-language list of what to do and what not to do
If you can't make it, we will publish the recording on our social media channels: https://www.instagram.com/sogverse
You can also download our popular guide, which covers the basics in a concise format: My Child is a Gamer, Part 1.