As fathers, we all want the best for our children: a world where they are safe, respected, and able to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and kindness. But with the increasing exposure young people have to harmful influences online—whether through social media influencers or inappropriate content—it’s more important than ever for us, as dads, to play an active role in shaping the values that will guide our children’s lives. Helping them have healthy and respectful relationships.
Recently, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan launched an exciting new initiative aimed at tackling these very issues. The new £1 million toolkit, now available online for primary schools across London, aims to educate pupils aged 9-11 on healthy, respectful relationships. It’s a proactive response to the rise in misogyny and harmful online influences, including the likes of Andrew Tate, whose toxic views have garnered a troubling following among young males. For dads, this initiative is an opportunity to step up and support a vital cause: teaching our kids what respect and equality really mean.
Why This Matters to Dads
Research has shown that one in three young boys has a positive view of influencers like Tate, and one in ten children have encountered pornography by the time they’re nine years old. These influences can skew our children’s perceptions of relationships, making them more likely to adopt harmful attitudes toward women. The new toolkit, developed by educational experts at Tender, helps schools counter these toxic narratives by educating kids about equality and respect from an early age.
As fathers, we play a huge role in how our children perceive relationships. While schools provide the formal education, it’s in the home where these values are reinforced, questioned, or challenged. Here’s how we can play an active role in supporting this initiative:
1. Be Role Models for Respectful Relationships
Our children learn by example. The way we speak to our partners, friends, and others in our lives teaches them what respectful communication looks like. Demonstrate kindness, empathy, and fairness in your everyday interactions. Whether it’s combating gender stereotypes or helping someone in need. When your child sees you treat others with respect, they will internalise those behaviours and carry them into their own relationships.
2. Have Open Conversations About Online Influences
It’s no secret that kids are spending more time online, and many are exposed to content that can harm their understanding of relationships. As dads, we can have candid conversations with our children about the things they see and hear online. Discuss the difference between positive role models and those who spread harmful messages. Explain why respect and equality matter, and help them understand why certain behaviors are unacceptable.
Ask your children questions like:
- Who do you follow online?
- What do you think about the messages they share?
- Do you think they promote respect?
By encouraging critical thinking, we can help them spot red flags on their own.
3. Get Involved with School Initiatives
The toolkit launched by the Mayor isn’t just for schools—dads can engage with this initiative too. Attend school workshops or information sessions to understand how your child is being taught about relationships and equality. Reach out to your child’s teacher to see how you can reinforce these lessons at home. Your involvement shows your child that this is a priority for you as a parent and that you fully support these values.
4. Create a Safe Space for Discussion
It’s important for dads to create an environment where their children feel comfortable talking about tough issues like sexism, bullying, and relationships. Let them know that no topic is off-limits. If your child comes to you with questions about what they’ve seen online, be patient and open. Use these moments as opportunities to guide them toward a better understanding of equality and respect.
5. Encourage Healthy Friendships and Boundaries
Help your child identify what healthy friendships look like. Encourage them to be kind and supportive of their peers, and teach them to respect boundaries. Discuss scenarios they might encounter at school or online and help them navigate tricky social situations with empathy and fairness.
Supporting the Mayor’s Initiative: A Dad’s Role
Sadiq Khan’s new toolkit comes at a crucial time, when the lines between reality and the harmful online world are increasingly blurred for young people. This initiative provides primary schools with the resources to tackle these issues head-on, but as dads, we need to support this work in our homes too. It’s never too early to teach our children about respect, kindness, and equality—and when they learn these lessons from both their school and their family, they’re more likely to grow up to be respectful and empathetic adults.
The Mayor’s investment in tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is part of a larger movement to make London a safer and more equal place. As dads, we have the power to contribute to this mission. By being active, engaged, and supportive of these educational efforts, we’re helping build a world where our daughters can feel safe and respected, and our sons can grow into the kind of men who champion equality.
Let’s show our kids—by both words and actions—what it means to build healthy, respectful relationships. After all, creating a better world for our children starts with us.
How can you get involved? Reach out to your child’s school to find out more about the toolkit and how it’s being implemented. Keep the conversation going at home, and stay engaged with what your child is learning about respect and equality. Together, we can make a difference.
