How Ugandan parents are learning to raise children online

________________

On a Saturday afternoon in a Kampala home, a mother scrolls through her phone while her teenage son laughs quietly at something on his screen. She wonders, briefly, uneasily, what exactly he is watching. Then she hesitates. Asking too many questions might push him away. Saying nothing feels like neglect.

This quiet tension plays out in households across Uganda, where smartphones have become as common as schoolbooks, and far more difficult to supervise.

Moses Mwesige, an IT expert, says the anxiety parents feel is understandable but misplaced. The internet, he argues, cannot be fully controlled. Children will encounter things their parents would rather shield them from. What matters more is whether they are prepared to handle those encounters safely.

“You can’t control everything your child sees online,” Mwesige says. “But you can equip them to respond safely. Trust, communication, and education work better than fear or constant surveillance.”

The risks are real. Ugandan children, like their peers globally, are exposed to violent content, pornography, hate speech, online predators, cyberbullying, scams, and extremist or self-harm communities. With cheaper data bundles and earlier access to smartphones, exposure often comes before maturity.

Many parents respond by monitoring devices aggressively, checking messages, banning apps, or threatening confiscation. But Mwesige warns that fear-based parenting often backfires.

“When children feel judged or punished, they hide,” he explains. “And when they hide, parents lose visibility when it matters most.”

Instead, he urges parents to keep conversations open and judgment-free. Asking children what apps they use, who they talk to, and what they enjoy online should be routine, not an interrogation. When mistakes happen as they inevitably do, the focus should be on learning, not punishment.

Clear rules still matter. Families should agree on screen-time limits, device-free moments such as meals or bedtime, and boundaries around sharing personal information. Children should understand why rules exist—not as control, but as protection.

Equally important is teaching digital literacy. Mwesige encourages parents to go beyond filters and teach children how to think critically: how to spot misinformation, understand how influencers and algorithms manipulate attention, and pause before clicking links or responding to strangers.

Warning signs should never be ignored. Sudden secrecy, mood changes, withdrawal, fear of being online, or refusal to disconnect can signal deeper problems. When those signs appear, calm conversation is the first step, followed by professional help if needed.

Perhaps the hardest lesson, Mwesige says, is for parents themselves.

“Children copy what they see,” he says. “If you’re glued to your phone, arguing online, or never taking breaks, they learn that too.”

In a country where digital life has arrived faster than guidance around it, parenting has become less about policing screens—and more about raising children who can survive them.