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Talking with children about pornography at 9-11 years: parenting tips

A guide to help parents and carers talk with children aged 9-11 about pornography, including how to respond to exposure and promote respect and safety online.

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Hosted on https://raisingchildren.net.au/ • Opens in a new tab

By Raising Children Network

Published on 2025

How this resource can help

Use this resource to

  • Understand the potential impacts of pornography on pre-teens

  • Share practical guidance with parents and carers on talking with children aged 9-11 about pornography

  • Support conversations with parents and carers who are unsure how to respond when a pre-teen has seen sexual content online

  • Help promote healthy messages about bodies, consent, sex and online safety

This resource covers

  • How pornography can affect pre-teens

  • Why it's important to talk about pornography with pre-teens

  • When and how to talk with pre-teens about pornography, and what to say

  • Advice for safe technology use, especially as young people spend more time independently outside the home

  • Ways to respond if a pre-teen sees pornography, either deliberately or accidentally

Open this resource

Hosted on https://raisingchildren.net.au/ • Opens in a new tab

If you are a parent or carer

You’re in the right place! This is a guide written for you – it explains how and when you can talk to your pre-teen about pornography, and what to say. If you’re worried about something specific, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Last reviewed by Together We Can: 26 October 2026

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