Talk About Media
- Talking about media on a regular basis
- Discussing media content that is shocking or upsetting
- Listening to each other with open minds
- Using “talk-out-louds” to help teach little minds how to communicate about media
- Becoming more aware of how media and our emotions connect
- Learning how to better recognize ads on the internet
- Talking about the ways media can affect mental health
- Knowing when and how social media is inappropriate or harmful
Kindness & Empathy
- Respecting others, both online and in person: Teach your kids to take a deep breath and recognize when they are texting or posting out of strong emotions. This will give them a chance to rethink that decision. Tell them, "Before you say something in a text or online, take a moment to think: would I say this to someone in front of me?" In your conversations about media, talk about "toxic" comments, text threads or conversations you saw online. Ask your kids how they think the situation could have been resolved more positively.
- Having a plan for how to deal with cyberbullying
- Being polite and considerate to others online and in person
Create Screen Free Zones
- Keeping meals screen-free
- Keeping bedrooms screen-free at night
- Not texting (or emailing, web searching, live streaming, etc.) while driving
- Keeping strollers and shopping cars screen-free
- Not using devices on the way to and from school
- Holding off on social media use until age 13 or older, with parental support
- Having a plan about devices at school
Screen Free Time
- Choosing which days of the week are ok for screens and media
- Having a homework-and-screens plan
- Using only one screen at a time
- Avoiding screens before school
- Planning one screen-free day each week
- Silencing phones by putting them on “do not disturb” during family time and playtime
- Preventing media use from interfering with sleep
- Avoiding screens during the hour before sleep
Staying Safe Online
- Trying to avoid oversharing
- Discussing and avoiding media land mines, rabbit holes, and inappropriate content
- Limiting media use for our young child to keep it from interfering with developmental, social, and emotional skills
- Exploring privacy settings and setting them at the highest level of security
- Talking about ways to be a good digital citizen
- Setting and following safety rules for who we chat with online
Choose Good Media
- Being more intentional about media use
- Prioritizing creative, educational, prosocial, and positive media
- Reviewing new video games together before buying or playing them
- Making a plan about spending money online
- Doing family experiments to try our new shows, apps and uninstall others
Use Media Together
- Planning family movie nights
- Co-viewing media to connect and help our kids learn
- Playing apps and games or watching videos together as a family