Helping Kids Make Sense of What They See: Teaching Media Literacy
It’s not always obvious, but kids are taking in more than we realize. Screens are everywhere, games, videos, social media feeds, ads, memes, livestreams, and for many children, all of that begins before they’re fully equipped to sort through what it means or how it makes them feel. And while we can’t filter every image, message, or storyline that comes their way, we can help them learn how to approach media with curiosity, reflection, and self-trust.
That skillset is called media literacy. And at its heart, it’s not about monitoring—it’s about mentoring.
Media literacy isn’t just the ability to understand what your child is watching, reading, or playing. It’s about helping them think about what’s underneath it. Who made it. Why it was made. Whether it’s meant to inform, entertain, persuade, or provoke. And perhaps most importantly, whether it feels aligned with their own values and sense of self.
These are big questions. But the way in is small: connection and conversation.
Begin Early, and Keep It Simple
The sooner you begin having open, reflective conversations about what your child sees and hears, the more natural those dialogues will feel as they grow. It doesn’t have to be formal. You don’t have to turn every cartoon or YouTube video into a teachable moment. But inviting your child to think out loud, especially about the things they enjoy, lays the foundation for trust.
You might ask:
“What stood out to you in that video?”
“How did that game make you feel?”
“Did anything about that episode feel off or confusing?”
Kids don’t always have the language yet to say, That made me feel uncomfortable, or That kind of made me feel like I wasn’t enough. But if they know you’re paying attention, and not there to shame or shut them down, they’ll be more likely to explore those feelings with you over time.
Meet Them Inside Their World
You may not love the loud videos, the looping songs, the characters with exaggerated voices, or the endless Minecraft commentary. That’s okay. You don’t have to pretend to enjoy it all. But choosing to enter into your child’s media world, even briefly, sends a message that their interests matter to you.
And in doing so, you gain something, too.
When you co-watch or co-play, you learn what your child is drawn to and how it affects their mood. You get to see what kinds of messages they’re absorbing—not just the content, but the emotional tone. You also create a safer attachment, which makes it more likely they’ll come to you later on, when something doesn’t feel right.
You don’t need to control every piece of content. You just need to be present, curious, and open to noticing.
Teach Reflection Without Shame
It’s inevitable; your child will encounter something misleading, harmful, or unrealistic. Algorithms don’t prioritize values or context. They prioritize engagement. So instead of trying to shield your child from every “bad message,” try equipping them with questions that help them make sense of what they’re seeing.
Questions like:
Who created this, and what might they want me to believe or buy?
Is this showing real life, or a version of it?
Does this feel true to me?
How do I feel when I see this, and is that feeling helpful?
You don’t need to dissect everything. But by modeling thoughtful inquiry, you help your child move from passive absorption to active awareness. The goal isn’t to criticize what they like; it’s to teach them how to engage with media in a way that preserves their agency and well-being.
Why This Matters for Mental Health
We often talk about media in terms of screen time or content filters, but we don’t always acknowledge the deeper psychological impacts, especially for older children and teens. They are constantly taking in messages about who they should be, what bodies are acceptable, what emotions are allowed, and what it takes to be liked or seen.
Media literacy doesn’t erase those messages. But it does give kids the chance to pause, question, and resist them.
It helps them:
Recognize when perfection is curated and performative
Understand how advertising works, especially when it’s disguised as content
Name unrealistic beauty standards and emotional manipulation
Feel less alone in their confusion, frustration, or self-doubt
And over time, they begin to see that they have choices. That they can filter, too; not just their feeds, but the meaning they assign to what they encounter.
Let Them See You Think, Too
You don’t have to be an expert. In fact, it’s probably better if you’re not trying to be. One of the most powerful things you can do is model your own media awareness in small, candid moments.
Say out loud when something feels off to you. Pause the show to question a stereotype. Name how you feel after scrolling through a feed. These aren’t lectures, they’re living examples. They show your child that critical thinking isn’t a skill reserved for adulthood, and it isn’t about being cynical. It’s about being awake to the stories we’re told, and choosing what we carry forward.
You don’t need a script. You just need a willingness to stay in conversation. Because what kids want, more than anything, is to feel that they’re not navigating this alone. When you meet them with warmth and curiosity instead of fear or judgment, you help them build the internal compass they’ll need, not just to spot the noise, but to stay grounded in what matters most.
