What Are the Most Effective Ways for Parents to Teach Children Media Literacy?

Love it or hate it, media has woven its way into our culture and demanded that parents address its presence in the lives of their children. As though parenting weren't already complicated enough! However, because television, movies, video games, computers and all the ads that go along with them can have a significant role in shaping children, it is important to teach kids media literacy. Help your child understand media safety, develop critical thinking skills, distinguish between fantasy and reality, and remember the world outside of media to ultimately engage with it in a smart, healthy way.

  1. Filter the Content

    • Be aware of what sites, shows and games your child visits, watches and plays.

      Above all, you will want your child to be safe when engaging with media. Check the ratings listed for movies, shows, games and apps to ensure age-appropriate content for your child. Limit her exposure to violent content that can not only be disturbing to young viewers, says PBS Parents, but also teaches poor problem-solving skills with little or no consequence. Monitor your child's online safety, as well, by keeping age-appropriate content settings in place on your Internet browser. Emphasize the importance of protecting her information with the use of passwords, screen names and limited sharing of personal details online.

    Keep Up the Conversation

    • Talking about media with your child encourages critical thinking.

      Maintain an open dialogue with your child to make media an active, rather than a passive, experience. Ask your child questions about his favorite and least favorite characters and story lines. Talk about the way characters do solve their problems, if not through violence, and which approaches are the most and least effective. Discuss and compare the way stories are told in the media, considering character point of view, music, animation style and other elements. Analyze commercials and other ads together, discussing who each ad targets and how the advertiser tries to send its message.

    Dispel the Magic

    • Introduce children to television and other media's "back story."

      As technology advances, special effects become more life-like and viewing screens increase in size and prevalence. But media itself is no more "real." As part of media literacy, teach your children the importance of separating media's fantasy from life's reality. Share with them pictures or stories of film and television crews. Research together the process behind creating an app or video game. Watch a documentary on how a favorite movie of video was made. Point out regularly that no matter how realistic, what one sees onscreen is a product of invention and should not be taken literally -- even if it is based on a true story.

    Step Away from the Screen

    • Turning off the television teaches another important lesson in media literacy.

      While media can contribute much to a child's cultural and social development, it should by no means supercede human interaction and real-life experiences. Part of your child's media literacy includes learning to manage the amount of time spent in front of a screen. Consider implementing a weekly time limit for your child's media use. One strategy for enforcing these limits is to allot a given number of chips or tickets representing time blocks; for instance, the value of one ticket might equal one half-hour of media time. Your child can then choose to save or "cash in" his chips throughout the week. At the end of each week, issue a small reward for leftover chips or tickets. Encourage your children to spend their non-media time reading, creating art, playing games and spending time outdoors.

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