Use media together and talk about what you see, hear, and read.
Whenever you can, watch, play, listen, and surf with your
kids. Talk about the content. When you can’t be there,
ask them about the media they’ve used.
Practice media literacy – help kids question and analyze
media messages by sharing your values. Let them know
how you feel about solving problems with violence,
stereotyping people, selling products using sex or
cartoon characters, or advertising to kids in schools or
movie theaters.
Help kids connect what they learn in the media to events
and other activities in which they’re involved, like playing
sports and creating art, in order to broaden their
understanding of the world.
Be a role model.
When kids are around, set an example by using media
the way you want them to use it. Don't bring cell phones and Blackberries to the dinner table, turn the TV off when it's not actively being watched. Use a VCR or TiVo™ to record shows that may be
inappropriate for your kids to watch – even the news –
and watch them at a later time when kids are not
around.
Keep an eye on the clock
Media is fun and our kids love it. But kids can have too much of a good thing. Keep an eye on how long kids spend online, in front of the TV, watching movies, playing video games. The secret to healthy media use is to establish time limits and stick to them -- before your kids turn on and tune in.
