11 November 2024
Tess Daly makes a big effort to keep her children "safe" online.
Tess Daly has given her children guidelines to keep them safe online
The 55-year-old presenter has Pheobe, 20, and 15-year-old Amber with Vernon Kay, 50, and explained that while social media usage is almost "second nature" to the younger generations now, she and her husband have always instilled guidelines as a top priority.
She told HELLO! Magazine: "I think kids are a lot more pragmatic about social media than we ever were it's sort of second nature - but that doesn't mean they don't need guidelines.
"We've always been big on: 'You will never communicate with somebody you haven't physically met or who isn't a friend of yours." "As a parent, it's about keeping your child safe and that is my number one priority for my kids."
The 'Strictly Come Dancing' host explained that her children were never allowed phones in their own bedrooms until they reached a certain age, and believes that children should at least reach the stage of "young adulthood" before they can make an any sort of social media account.
She said: "They were never allowed phones in their bedrooms until they were 15, and we have a cut-off time for the youngest, Amber, at 10pm because she's got school the next day. We're vigilant about that. And, like most parents I know, there are no phones at meal times.
"We've always limited screen time, but it becomes increasingly challenging when your child socialises online a lot.
"My daughter wasn't allowed Snapchat until she was 13; if she didn't have it, she literally would not be able to communicate with
her peers because that's how they arrange their social plans.
"Phoebe, our eldest, was private on Instagram until she was 17 or 18.
We believe children should be young adults before they become public on social media, because before that, they're still kids."
English (US) ·