What do children need most on the other side of the screen?

I remember once, a friend confided in me about her son in grade 5. The boy was passionate about playing online games and sometimes he would be quiet in his own world when holding his phone. The friend said that he wanted to keep his son away from bad things on the internet, but also feared becoming the “forbidding” person who would separate him. I think that story is not just about anyone - it is a miniature picture of a reality that happens every day in every Vietnamese family today.

Social media and digital technology are opening a wide door for children, full of promise and opportunity. But that door also leads to a complex world, sometimes full of things that are not easy to see, not easy to understand, and even more difficult to control. If in the real world, parents can see the wounds on the skin, can hold their children's hands to comfort them; then in the virtual world, the injuries are often invisible, silently creeping into children's souls through deceptive messages, offensive images, fake friend requests, or loneliness when being bullied online.

Protecting children is therefore not simply about setting rules, not about strictly monitoring every minute your child spends online. It is a journey of understanding, of true companionship. Children need to be listened to, not only the question “What are you doing?”, but also the feelings that they have not expressed. Because in the online world, hesitation and shyness can be the biggest barrier that prevents children from coming to their parents when in danger.

We used to tell children “don’t talk to strangers”, but in the digital world, who is a stranger and who is a friend? We used to teach our children “don’t trust strangers”, but when all information can be faked, how can children differentiate? Each of these questions is not only a question for children, but also a challenge for parents, schools, and society. We must equip children not only with knowledge but also with alertness, confidence, and critical thinking skills to deal with information online.

I believe that to protect children in a sustainable way, we need to do more than just control. Parents, teachers, and adults in society must become companions and subtle guides, helping children build a "wall" to protect their souls from within. A child who understands privacy, knows when to say "no", and knows how to refuse unsafe invitations will be a more resilient child in a digital life full of traps.

Along with the support of families, the online community also needs clearer regulations and protection mechanisms for children. Social networking platforms and game applications cannot continue to be a "wildland" with toxic content, with bad guys taking advantage of children's innocence. The State, social organizations and technology companies must work together to build a healthy, safe digital environment with smart filters and effective feedback systems. Only then will protecting children no longer be the sole responsibility of the family but the joint efforts of the whole society.

There is one thing I always ponder: Protecting children is protecting the future. But that future is not empty promises or empty slogans. It starts every day, every hour, from concrete actions, patience and empathy. A gentle conversation with your child, a sincere question, a companion who does not abandon them when they enter the digital world... Those seemingly small things have magical power, building a bridge between the real world and the virtual world, between adults and children.

We love our children, not only by organizing games, small parties, buying lots of expensive gadgets... but also by constantly asking ourselves what we have done to keep our children safe and happy. Do we have enough patience to listen to our children? Do we have enough knowledge to accompany our children? Do we dare to face the truth that the online world is not just a place for fun, but also contains complex challenges that our children must know how to overcome?

Protecting children online is not a solo job, nor is it the work of just one person. It is a long-term journey of the family, school, community and society. Each of us holds the key to the safety and healthy growth of future children. Don't let protection be just a nice saying, but turn it into real actions - from teaching children how to set limits, to promoting laws to protect children in the digital environment, and most of all, creating a loving, understanding environment, leaving no child behind.

In this complex world, children do not need us to build a wall to separate them, but need a strong hand to hold, a heart big enough to accompany them and a wise mind to guide them.