The Switched On Parent

Laura Knight
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Parenting

None of us grew up in the digital world our children are navigating today. I’m Laura Knight, and after two decades working as a teacher and digital leader in schools, I’m now asking many of the same questions as a parent around my own kitchen table. The Switched On Parent is here to help you understand what is shaping children online, decide what genuinely deserves your attention and respond when things go wrong. There will be no lectures or jargon, just thoughtful conversations, reliable information and practical support to help your family make confident choices with more wisdom and less panic.

  1. 3h ago

    The First Phone: Is Your Child Really Ready?

    When is the right time to give your child their first phone? It's a question that can lead to years of negotiation, a fair bit of nagging and, eventually, a decision that involves rather more than simply being able to call home. Suddenly we're talking group chats, unlimited data, location tracking and a whole digital world arriving in their pocket. In this episode, I'm looking beyond birthdays and age limits to explore what readiness actually means. We'll consider what the research tells us, whether tracking our children helps their independence or simply reassures us, and four practical questions to guide your family's decisions. Because getting a phone isn't just a milestone. It's the beginning of an ongoing conversation. Highlights: (04:40) - One little rectangle, lots of decisions. What does your child actually need? (09:25) - Unlimited data sounds great, but what are we really signing up for? (14:02) - Is there a scientifically approved age for a first phone? Not quite (18:33) - Location tracking: Helping our children grow or keeping ourselves reassured? (23:06) - From climbing frames to group chats, how do we teach children to judge risks? (27:27) - Already bought the phone? Four things worth reviewing together Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  2. Oct 28

    The Social Media Ban: What It Can and Can't Fix

    A social media ban for under-16s sounds like a welcome relief for parents. But will it actually make our children safer? In this episode, I'm looking at what Australia's experience can teach us, from teenagers finding surprisingly creative ways around age checks to the unintended consequences of pushing children into less visible corners of the internet. I'm asking whether we're focusing too much on keeping children off certain apps and not enough on what makes those apps risky in the first place. And, importantly, I'm sharing four practical ways we can protect our children, whatever the law says. Highlights: (01:29) - Why I'm not quite celebrating the social media ban (04:38) - The strongest argument for a ban, and why it matters (07:20) - What Australia's teenagers are actually doing online (10:00) - The hidden costs of the cat-and-mouse game (15:14) - The worrying gap between what children do and what parents know (17:29) - Four things we can do that no law can do for us Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  3. Oct 20

    Your Child Is More Than Their Worst Online Moment

    We spend so much time talking about preventing things from going wrong online, but eventually something probably will. Your child might get hurt, hurt someone else, or find themselves somewhere in the messy middle. And when our hearts sink, it’s incredibly easy to react before we’ve understood the whole story. In this episode, I’m exploring what happens next. We’ll look at listening before judging, asking better questions, accountability without shame, meaningful consequences and why simply confiscating the phone can backfire. Most importantly, we’ll think about repair, because one difficult moment doesn’t define your child, and moving forwards together can strengthen the relationship rather than break it. Highlights: (04:35) - Before you react to the tip of the iceberg, make sure you understand what’s underneath it (09:02) - Don’t let one screenshot, group chat or mistake become your whole picture of your child (13:39) - Two little words that can completely change the conversation: “What else?” (17:49) - Understanding isn’t letting them off the hook, accountability and empathy can coexist (22:09) - Taking the phone away might feel like a consequence, but what is your child actually learning? (30:44) - When something goes wrong online, blaming the technology is only part of the story Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  4. Oct 13

    Group Chats: Friendship, Fallout and FOMO

    Group chats can be brilliant places for friendship, jokes and belonging. But they can also make exclusion painfully visible. A message left unanswered, a child repeatedly removed from a group, a screenshot shared elsewhere or simply discovering there’s another chat you weren’t invited to can suddenly feel enormous when you’re young. In this episode, I’m looking at the evidence around group chats, cyberbullying and FOMO, alongside the practical things we can do as parents. We’ll explore subtle online unkindness, why children find it so difficult to switch off, what bystanders can actually do, and how to decide whether your child is ready to join a group chat in the first place. Highlights: (04:46) - The good side of group chats, because they really can help children belong (09:42) - When “it’s just a joke” becomes exclusion, harassment or bullying (14:21) - Why an unhappy child might still feel unable to leave the group (18:47) - Parents’ WhatsApp groups... perhaps we need to look at our own behaviour too (23:28) - When staying silent in a group chat can feel like agreement (28:02) - Before you say yes to group chats, rehearse what could go wrong Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  5. Oct 6

    Deepfakes: What Every Parent Needs to Know

    Deepfakes have come a long way from paper fairies and hat pins. Today, a convincing fake can be created from an ordinary photo or a few seconds of someone’s voice, which means our children need more than a lesson in spotting dodgy hands and extra fingers. Those clues simply aren’t reliable anymore. In this episode, I’m looking at what deepfakes mean for children, from misinformation and voice scams to consent, bullying and sexual image abuse. I’ll also share my five Ps for navigating questionable content, plus practical ways to help children think critically, protect each other and, importantly, know they can always come to you when something goes wrong. Highlights: (05:10) - Forget counting fingers, why spotting a deepfake isn’t that simple anymore (10:04) - Plot twist: the fanciest fake isn’t necessarily the most convincing (15:11) - Why telling girls to disappear from online spaces is not a safety strategy (20:30) - Meet the five Ps: pause, place, proof, permission and protect (25:10) - That terrifying phone call might not be who you think it is (29:44) - Deepfake disaster? Here’s what to do without making things worse Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  6. Sep 29

    Parenting And The Uncomfortable Conversations We Can’t Avoid

    Pornography is one of those parenting topics that can feel incredibly awkward to talk about, but staying silent doesn’t make it disappear. In this episode, I’m looking beyond the panic to explore what the evidence actually tells us about young people, pornography and the messages they may absorb from what they see online. We’ll talk about accidental exposure, consent, body image, healthy relationships and why curiosity isn’t something to shame. I’ll also share how these conversations can change as children grow, why filters alone aren’t enough, and how staying calm can help us become the trusted adults our children need. Highlights: (04:50) - Why one accidental image doesn’t define a child’s future (07:18) - The important difference between seeing porn, watching it and struggling with it (10:40) - The hidden relationship scripts pornography can teach (16:48) - What healthy intimacy and consent actually look like (19:38) - How the conversation needs to change as our children grow (25:42) - Why staying calm matters when your child has seen something Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  7. Sep 22

    When Your Child Sees Something Disturbing Online

    In this episode, I’m talking about what to do when your child comes across sexual, violent, hateful or otherwise disturbing content online. The instinct can be to ask what they searched for or why they kept watching, but today’s digital world is shaped by recommendation systems, autoplay, group chats and peer pressure too. We’ll look at how to separate intention from influence, respond without rushing into blame, and decide what boundaries need to change. I also share how your approach can evolve as children get older, while keeping safety, honesty and trust at the centre of the conversation. Highlights: (03:32) - Why it’s too simplistic to say a child simply “chose” harmful content (05:02) - The better questions to ask before jumping to blame (10:10) - Why today’s children can encounter inappropriate content without actively searching for it (15:00) - How your response should change as your child gets older (19:44) - The questions that help you understand what actually happened (24:36) - How to reset boundaries, repair trust and make things safer without shame Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

  8. Sep 15

    The Digital Babysitter: When Screens Help and When Habits Creep In

    In this episode, I’m talking about the digital babysitter, that moment when handing over a screen feels less like a parenting choice and more like an emergency service. Screens can genuinely help us through busy, exhausting or downright chaotic moments, and I want to take some of the shame out of that. But I’m also looking at what happens when helpful screen use quietly becomes the automatic answer. We explore what our children actually need, what screens might be replacing, why stopping can cause such huge reactions, and how our own phone habits fit into the picture too. Highlights: (03:35) - What job are we actually asking the screen to do? (05:21) - Three ways to spot helpful use, necessary relief and default habits (09:51) - Why screen time alone doesn’t tell us the whole story (12:07) - What children miss when screens become the only way to calm down (15:05) - Why difficult transitions don’t automatically mean addiction (24:45) - A simple way to notice what’s really happening before the screen comes out Connect with Laura: Book a Discovery Call Linkedin Website This podcast was lovingly produced by the humans at WAVEMAKERS AUDIO

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About

None of us grew up in the digital world our children are navigating today. I’m Laura Knight, and after two decades working as a teacher and digital leader in schools, I’m now asking many of the same questions as a parent around my own kitchen table. The Switched On Parent is here to help you understand what is shaping children online, decide what genuinely deserves your attention and respond when things go wrong. There will be no lectures or jargon, just thoughtful conversations, reliable information and practical support to help your family make confident choices with more wisdom and less panic.

Information

  • Creator
    Laura Knight
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Laura Knight
  • Show Website
    The Switched On Parent

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