Talking to our Kids About Media & Technology
Helping guide our kids through the digital landscape and equipping them with a decision-making framework.
Would you let your child sit in a room filled with strangers that could say anything they wanted to them?
Our kids are being influenced by the media they consume through videos, shorts, games, and other types of media.
Eyes, Heart, Mouth is a simple framework for families designed to bring children into the conversation about the type of media they consume. The basic framework is this: what I look at shapes what I love, and what I love shapes what I say and do. Once a child can see that line for themselves, they're no longer just consuming.
They're invited into the conversation so they can better understand the boundaries and decision-making you’ve made as a family.
Here’s the framework:
What we see with our eyes makes its way into our heart.
What gets into our heart changes how we think and feel.
What we think and feel in our heart comes out of our mouth.
Questions to ask:
“Is this something we want to get into our hearts?”
“Is this something we want to come out of our mouth? "
If the answer is no, it might be best to try something else.
Free colouring sheets
To help the conversation land and to give little hands something to do while big ideas settle in we've made a free set of Eyes, Heart, Mouth colouring pages you can print at home.
Each page walks through one part of the journey: what our eyes see, what settles into our heart, and what comes out of our mouth. Colour them together, talk through them as you go.
Helpful Resources
Below are resources that will help you identify media that may be harmful before your child watches it.
Common Sense Media is a leading independent nonprofit organization that provides age-based ratings and reviews for movies, TV shows, books, video games, and apps. It helps parents and educators evaluate the suitability and educational value of digital content for children.
Plugged In is a media review and culture resource from Focus on the Family. It provides detailed content evaluations of movies, TV shows, video games, and music to help parents make informed, biblically-guided entertainment choices for their children.
Protect Young Eyes (PYE) is an advocacy organization dedicated to creating safer digital spaces for children, teens, and families.They help parents, schools, and churches navigate online risks—such as inappropriate content, digital addiction, and predatory behavior—through a blend of technical settings and proactive parenting.