Fatherhood

Digital Parenting: A Librarian’s Guide to Teen Safety

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Parenting in the digital age is a unique challenge. Our teenagers live in a world where information, connection, entertainment, and risks all travel through the same screen. As an information professional, or as someone who has spent years curating trusted sources, filtering noise, and teaching users how to navigate information safely, I believe that many of the principles we apply in libraries are exactly what parents need at home today.

Why Digital Parenting Matters

The Internet is a double-edged sword. It offers endless learning, creativity, and connection and many other of good stuff… However, it also exposes our children to misinformation, cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and addictive platforms. As guardians of their growth, we must equip them not just with filters but with frameworks for thinking critically and acting responsibly.

Digital parenting is not about policing every click. It is about guiding, mentoring, and empowering teenagers to become responsible “Netizens”. Here are simple, practical ways families can borrow the principles of librarianship to keep teens safe online.

Act 1: Build a Safe Digital Environment

Saudara semua… This is the 1st line of defence. You will need to ensure that you protect the fort at all costs by:

Install parental control on all devices to monitor and control their activities. Tools like Microsoft Family Safety for Windows and Xbox, Google Family Link for Android devices and Apple Screen Time for iOS can set screen time, filter content and produce a report of their activities.

ToolBest Use CasePlatformKey Features
Microsoft Family SafetyMicrosoft EcoSystemWindows, Xbox and Android DevicesScreen time limits, content filters, location sharing
Google Family LinkAndroid Users below 17Android and ChromeOSApp approvals, screen time, bedtime schedules
Apple Screen TimeApple EcoSystemiOS, macOS and iPadOSApp limits, downtime, content restrictions

Then we can secure our home network with DNS filters like the ones below to block harmful sites or adult content at the router level

ServiceBest ForSetupFeatures
CleanBrowsingFamilies with young kids or teensRouter or device-levelBlocks adult content, phishing, and malware
OpenDNS Family ShieldQuick plug-and-play filteringRouter or device-levelPre-configured to block adult content
Cloudflare Family (1.1.1.3)Privacy-focused familiesRouter or device-levelBlocks malware and adult content, fast DNS speeds
Pro tip: Set the DNS filter at your home router to protect every device connected to your Wi-Fi – phones, tablets, laptops, even smart TVs.

Act 2: Teach Digital Literacy, Not Just Rules

This step is about telling them to question everything so as not to blatantly accept whatever is written on the net. As a librarian, I have seen how powerful it is when young people learn to question what they see online. I always tell my kids that not everything online is true. They should learn to pause before believing, sharing, or reacting. Imagine if everyone did this. Just tell them to:

  • Evaluate sources. Who wrote this? Why? Is this credible? Is this true?
  • Spot manipulation. Clickbait, ragebait. Teach them to recognise emotional triggers and purposeful misinformation tactics by idiots.
  • And lastly, you will be defined by your social post. Tell them about digital footprints. Whatever is posted on the net shall become their identity.
  • And yes, not to forget. Tell them about oversharing. Not everything is ok to be shared. Again, once posted it will be there forever.

Act 3: Model Good Digital Behaviour

Bapak borek anaknya rintik. They learn from us and they observe more than they listen. If we role-model ourselves by scrolling responsibly, fact-checking news, avoiding toxic comment sections, putting the phone down during meals, and staying away from explicit materials… they are more likely to follow.

I think that digital parenting starts with digital self-awareness.

And, I also firmly believe that totalitarianism does not promote growth and intellectuality. Apart from instilling control and limitations, there must be room for discussion. Rules without relationships breed rebellion. Instead of just saying “No!” say “Let’s discuss.”

Tell why some of the applications or games are off-limits. There must be reasons why Roblox is out but Minecraft is open. Why screen-time is off at 8.30 PM. Ini semua ada jawabnya wahai anak2ku.

Act 4: Self-Space Protection

We have protected our fort, but we must also make sure that they play their role as well. A castle is only as mighty as those who guard it. No point in having the strongest, the strictest firewall if the user is the weakest link. Help them learn to:

  • Use strong passwords
  • Enable 2FA
  • Understand phishing tricks
  • Keep personal info private
  • Report harmful behaviour

Digital resilience is a skill they will carry into adulthood.

Final Thoughts: From Control to Collaboration

Digital parenting is not about surveillance or control, but it is about stewardship. This is about guiding our teens through the digital wilderness with wisdom, empathy, and shared curiosity. As a librarian, I have always believed in access with responsibility. As father… or better as parent, I extend that belief into my home.

Let us raise a generation that’s not just tech-savvy, but ethically grounded, critically minded, and compassionately connected.

The Day Siri Almost Got Me in Trouble

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Morning school runs are usually routine, get the kids in the car, survive the traffic, sip Coffee from my trusty tumbler, and maybe sneak in a bit of podcast time.

But that day, I made the mistake of talking to Siri.

While driving, I said, “Hey Siri, call my wife.”

Siri, with the confidence of someone who has never been married, replied:

“Which one? Suzila Isteriku Munawar, Suzila Isteriku Tercantik Sedunia, or Suzila Munawar?”

Before I could defend myself, my 14-year-old son Adam, sitting at the back, sensing danger like a cat hearing a can opener and said loudly:

“Wow Abie!!! You have three wives?! Careful Abie… nanti kena tidur luar.”

At that point, my daughters were already laughing, and I was calculating the odds of Siri making it through the rest of the trip.

Just imagine if this happened in public and the WIFE was sitting right next to you. That’s not just “funny anecdote” territory! That’s a public trial without a jury.

Now your wife freezes mid-sip, the barista stops steaming the milk, and the uncle at the next table lowers his newspaper just to get a better look at the guy who apparently has three wives.

In that split second, you have to choose:

  • Laugh it off (risky).
  • Blame Siri (safe but suspicious).
  • Or fake a call and pretend Siri was asking which contact group to use (expert-level damage control).

Lesson learned: Siri may be smart, but she is not designed for marital harmony.

Also… do not test voice commands when your kids are in the car, they are too quick to turn small things into big dramas.

The Librarian Who Plays Games: What Lost in Random Taught Me About Life (and Filing Systems)

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People assume librarians are masters of the order of the Dewey Decimal, the wielding guardians of silent halls and sorted shelves. And sure, part of that is true. Some might even say, untungla jadi Librarian, boleh baca buku bagai… eh ko ni, kita tak ada masa la nak baca buku semua (sebab tu kita subscribe getAbsract, summarise je semua ni).

What people tak perasan is that the chaos we manage behind the scenes: missing books, metadata meltdowns, and users who still type “the whole questions” into search bars.

In that sense, I have never felt more seen than when I played Lost in Random: Eternal Die. It is not about randomness deciding your fate. It is about how you respond to the strange and often unfair tools life hands you.

Aleksandra is not a passive character waiting for a number to appear. She is a girl who was once a queen, now fighting her way through a broken world shaped by her own past decisions. The die in her hand is not about chance. It reflects what she has learned, what she carries, and how far she is willing to go.

That hit me. Sometimes it feels like we are trapped in our version of the Black Die. Life throws things at us that do not make sense. Loss. Mistakes. Silence. But we keep moving forward. We use whatever little voice or power we have. Like Aleksandra, we are not rolling the dice to see who we become. We are choosing what that roll means. We are equipping our pain, our joy, and our memory like weapons. Not because we want to win, but because we need to survive and make peace with the ruins.

Enter a dark new chapter set in the twisted world of Random. Play as Queen Aleksandra and roll alongside your living die, Fortune, as you face the corrupted designs of Mare the Knight in this roguelite fairytale adventure.

That is why this game stayed with me. It reminded me that control is not about avoiding chaos. It is about facing it with the right tools and a bit of courage.

Chaos Is a System: You Just Haven’t Indexed It Yet

In the game, the protagonist Even journeys through unpredictable lands with a sentient die named Fortune. Nothing goes as planned, but she adapts, survives, and finds clarity in confusion.

That is not unlike library work. You start the day thinking you will catalogue a few journal titles, but suddenly someone’s locked out of their account, a database isn’t syncing, and an exec wants a 5-year industry forecast by lunch.

The beauty is learning to roll with it, literally. Every unpredictable task becomes a chance to regroup, reprioritise, and figure things out on the fly.

Parenting Is Like Random Dice Rolls (and Sometimes You Roll a 1)

I have three kids, and no user manual came with them. One moment, they are peaceful angels reading under a blanket. The next moment, someone’s crying over unplayable Roblox (aku blocked la apa lagi). Tak pon gadoh pasal youtube Channel, sorang nak tengok MiawAug, sorang lagi nak tgk Minecraft Channel – entah apa la depa ni semua???

Much like the game, parenting is all about responding to the unexpected. No guaranteed formula that will work all the time. You make the best choice with the hand (or die roll) you’re given.

Sometimes, it’s not about getting everything right. It’s about being there, ready to adapt, listen, and love even in uncertainty.

Librarianship in the Dice Kingdom

We may work in air-conditioned rooms and databases, but let’s be honest — a modern library is no longer about just storing books.

We:

  • Fight for reading culture in an age of 10-second reels.
  • Train AI models on curated knowledge.
  • Run outreach events while updating MARC records.
  • Explain for the hundredth time that “Google is not a library.”

In Lost in Random, Even finds her power in embracing the randomness. That’s the librarian spirit, too. Order isn’t about controlling everything. It’s about navigating the mess with curiosity, compassion, and maybe a few backup drives.

What the Game (and Life) Really Says

Random is not the opposite of order. It is part of it.

Whether it is raising children, managing knowledge, or exploring strange fantasy worlds, we are all just trying to move through chaos with a bit of grace. Some days you roll a six. Some days, you step on a LEGO. Both are part of the journey.

So here is to the unexpected.
To the librarians.
To the parents.
To the gamers.
And yes, to Milo, to chaos, and to the quiet joy of a shelf that finally makes sense.

As she sees it… The Munawars.

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The Munawars

Last night, Sara showed me these 5 hearts with much excitement. I was too tired and just nodded and smiled. Then I felt no good. Apa punya apak!! Show some interest la next time.

Today she put these 5 hearts on the wall and told me that each of these hearts represent every one of us.

To honor her enthusiasm, I put this picture online. Just in case, I miss this moment again.

Moral : Always show interest to your daughter’s (actually all of your offsprings) piece of arts.

Adam’s 1st & 2nd Barber Haircut

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This was Adam’s 1st Haircut, taken 1 year ago. Nak marah ja. So Abie dia could not go anywhere. Kena duduk tepi dan assist the barber. Nasib baik dengar kata, kalau tidak. Pasti susah. Actually, kalau susah sangat, I did cakap sama barber… “Kasi Botak!”. Nasib baik tidak menjadi kenyataan. Pasti Cik Puan bising nanti.

Below was his second visit to barber’s. Yang ini happy sikit. Tiada marah dan suka hati. Mudah yang ini.

Adam dan Pewarna Makanan

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Suatu hari sedang sang isteri sibuk2 di dapur dan saya sibuk2 di depan TV, tiba2 kedengaran Cik Puan Isteri menjerit di dapur. Jeng jeng jeng…. Inilah sebabnya:

Rupa-rupanya si Adam telah menumpahkan pewarna makanan. Dan inilah rupanya:

Begitulah kisahnya sekiranya anda semua mempunyai anak2 kecil. Terutamanya yang lelaki. Cukup aktif dan sangat banyak akal. Hendaklah kita bersabar kerana berkelakuan seperti ini dan nakal adalah lebih baik daripada kanak-kanak yang mandom dan diam. Itu ada masalah namanya.

Ada benarnya… Keluarga itu yg utama

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Setelah selesai sibuk² di opis, akan datang pula sibuk² di rumah. Dan kesibukan di rumah itu adalah lebih elok diberi perhatian utama kerana disitulah bermulanya segala yang baik dan buruk. Kalau buruk mulanya dari rumah maka buruklah segalanya serba dan serbi dan begitulah sebaliknya. Pendek kata… di rumahlah segala kebaikan bermula. Oleh itu, haruslah kita memberi perhatian yang lebih dirumah.

“…a man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” — Don Vito Corleone

Ada benarnya bukan? Tidak lengkaplah kelakian seseorang itu sekiranya membiarkan keluarganya terabai. Kerjalah sesibuk manapun, kerjalah serajin manapun. Abaikan keluarga… maka porak lah poranda kehidupan anda. Keluarga dan anak-anak serta isteri atau isteri² adalah yang utama. Don Vito Corleone membenarkan apa yang disabdakan oleh junjungan kita:

Neglecting one’s own dependents is a reason enough for a man to commit a sin — Abu Dawud [Book 1, Hadith 294] atau
Melayunya: Cukup berdosa orang yang menyia-nyiakan tanggungjawab keluarga.

Maka ada benarnya bukan kata² junjungan kita? Maka sila lah utamakan keluarga daripada Kerja. Duduk rumah main game lebih elok dari sibuk2 kerja melainkan kerana terpaksa, itu pun sekali sekala sahaja ok.