Essential News Literacy Skills for Today's Kids
Practical tips to boost your child's digital well-being when upsetting content takes over their social media feed.
When scary news and disturbing images flood our feeds, building healthy tech habits helps us—and our kids—manage. Practicing these skills is even more important when our kids are trying to understand what's happening in the world, who to trust, and what to believe.
Media and technology are helpful for keeping us informed, but sometimes it can all feel like a nonstop cycle of negativity. Protecting your digital well-being includes knowing when to step away from our devices and when we feel safe enough to engage. When we regulate our own emotions, we can better support our kids—whether that's helping them take a break or finding ways to take action.
Here are some tips to help kids sort through news content and make space for family conversations.
Find trusted sources.
Confirm information by checking multiple news outlets and firsthand accounts. Be cautious of headlines and short videos that leave out context. Then decide how much detail to share and discuss with your child, based on their age and sensitivity. Heads up: While your tween or teen might have already come across information from content creators, they may still need your guidance to get full context and make sense of complex situations.
Discuss your values.
Many kids will have questions about events. Be ready to explain facts, opinions, and misinformation. Have conversations about safety, helping others, and your family's values. Talk about what's important to your family and how this is shaped by your experiences, identities, cultures, and more. This allows kids and teens to voice their developing values and gives you the chance to share your thoughts.
Practice critical ignoring.
Critical thinking is a must when reading and watching news events—but so is critical ignoring. Help your kid choose what information to pay attention to and what to ignore, based on its reliability and usefulness. Set limits for notifications and screen time to filter out distractions and low-quality info. Also, show kids how to avoid engagement bait by identifying content that tries to manipulate your feelings. Not everything deserves a reaction or your attention. Empower kids to ignore, flag, block, and report accounts that push toxic content.
Clear your algorithm.
Explain that social media and news outlets compete for attention, which affects what people might see. Use your app and device settings to reset your algorithm or delete your history to refresh your feed. Monitor kids' online activity and consider parental controls if needed. Additional resources For more information on how to talk with your kids about a recent tragedy, please visit the National Association of School Psychologists or the American Psychological Association. If your or your child are in need of immediate mental or emotional support, call or text the 988 Crisis and Suicide Text Line.
Additional resources
For more information on how to talk to your kids about a recent tragedy, please visit the National Association of School Psychologists or the American Psychological Association. If your or your child are in need of immediate mental or emotional support call or text the 988 Crisis and Suicide Text Line.
