How can parents guide a child online when the child genuinely knows more about the platform than they do? 

Parenting Perspective 

It is a common reality in modern families that children know far more about digital platforms than their parents do. This knowledge gap can leave parents feeling insecure or powerless to offer guidance. However, parental authority is not based on mastering every feature of an app; it is about providing the wisdom, values, and boundaries that technology itself cannot. Parents can and should maintain their role as guides, even when their child possesses greater technical skill. 

Shift the Focus From Technical to Moral Guidance 

Clearly state to your child: ‘You may be the expert on how this app works, but my role as your parent is to guide you on what is good for your character and what is not.’ This approach separates technical skill from life wisdom, reminding your child that your authority comes from your role as their moral and spiritual guide, not from your tech skills. 

Encourage Teaching and Responsibility 

Invite your child to be the teacher by asking them to explain the platform to you. This simple act not only validates their knowledge but also makes them feel respected and trusted. At the same time, you can frame this expertise as a responsibility: ‘If you know more about this than we do, then you also carry the responsibility to use it wisely and safely.’ 

Stay Involved Through Principles, Not Control 

You do not need to know how to use every filter or feature to effectively guide your child. Instead, stay involved by asking reflective, principle-based questions: ‘How does using this app make you feel afterwards? Does the content you are watching align with our family’s values?’ Such questions encourage them to remain conscious of their choices, which is more effective than trying to control every click. 

Keep Learning Without Fear 

Even if you feel you are slower to learn, it is important to show a willingness to engage with their digital world. Children respect parents who can admit they do not know everything but are still trying. This demonstrates humility, while reinforcing the fact that you are still the primary guide in the bigger matters of life and faith. 

By combining humility with a clear focus on value-based authority, parents can guide their children confidently, even when the child knows more about the specific platform itself. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam reminds us that true knowledge (ilm) is not merely about technical skill, but is deeply connected to wisdom (hikmah), responsibility, and accountability. A child may know more about the functions of a platform, but parents are the ones who carry the sacred trust (amanah) of shaping their child’s character and values. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Yusuf (12), Verses 22: 

‘And when he (Prophet Yusuf (AS)) reached the full strength (of his maturity), We (Allah Almighty) bestowed upon him deep wisdom and (existential) knowledge; and this is how We (Allah Almighty) reward the benevolent people.‘ 

This verse reminds us that true, beneficial knowledge is something that is paired with sound judgment and righteousness, not just with technical ability. 

It is recorded in Sunan Nisai, Hadith 3651, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, or a righteous child who prays for him.’ 

This teaching clarifies that the highest and most valuable form of knowledge is that which benefits others. This includes the wisdom used to guide a family, which is a far greater skill than simply knowing how to use an app. 

By grounding their guidance in these principles, parents can show their children that while they may be the experts on the apps, their parents are there to offer the wisdom to use that knowledge responsibly. Over time, this helps a child to learn that technical mastery without a moral compass is incomplete, and that true guidance is a family trust that is deeply tied to faith.