Screens are part of growing up now — there’s no getting around that. The question isn’t whether our girls will encounter media, it’s whether they’ll know how to think critically about what they see. That’s where media literacy comes in, and it looks a little different depending on whether you’re raising a curious 7-year-old or navigating the world with a 15-year-old who has her own phone.

Media Literacy at Home: Building Critical Thinkers Early

Media literacy for younger kids starts with simple, everyday questions. You don’t need a formal lesson plan — just a habit of curiosity you model out loud.

Ask “who made this, and why?” Whether it’s a cartoon, a commercial, or a video pulled up on a tablet, get in the habit of asking your daughter what she thinks the creator wanted her to feel or believe. This one question builds the foundation for everything else.

Talk about real vs. edited. Kids absorb a lot of visual information before they have the tools to question it. Point out when images are staged, filtered, or exaggerated — even in kid-friendly content. It normalizes the idea that not everything on a screen is exactly as it appears.

Watch together when you can. Co-viewing gives you natural openings to pause and chat: “Why do you think that character reacted that way?” or “Do you think that’s a fair way to show girls?” These small moments add up to a habit of questioning rather than passively absorbing.

Keep the tone curious, not fearful. The goal isn’t to make kids suspicious of all media — it’s to help them feel confident and capable when they engage with it. That confidence is exactly what we aim to build in every girl who walks through our doors: strong, smart, and bold, even in front of a screen.

Smart Scrolling: Supporting Teens in a Social Media World

By the time girls reach their teen years, media literacy shifts from something you teach to them into something you build with them. Teens are online independently, forming opinions and identities in real time — often shaped by algorithms designed to keep them scrolling.

Talk about the algorithm, not just the content. Teens benefit from understanding that their feed isn’t neutral — it’s built to hold their attention, sometimes by showing them content that stirs up comparison or anxiety. Naming that mechanism out loud can be surprisingly empowering. It shifts the narrative from “something is wrong with me” to “this app is designed to do this.”

Normalize taking breaks. Encourage phone-free stretches that aren’t framed as punishment — during meals, before bed, during time with friends. Modeling this yourself goes a long way; teens notice when the adults in their lives practice what they preach.

Encourage questions like “how do I feel after this?” Rather than policing exact content, help teens tune into their own reactions. Does a certain account leave her feeling inspired, or does she close the app feeling worse about herself? That kind of self-awareness is a skill she’ll carry well beyond her teen years.

Keep the conversation open, not one-and-done. Smart scrolling isn’t a single talk — it’s an ongoing dialogue as apps, trends, and pressures shift. Teens are more likely to come to you with something confusing or upsetting online if past conversations felt like partnership rather than surveillance.

Building Confidence, One Conversation at a Time

Whether your daughter is asking her first questions about a commercial or navigating her own social feed, the throughline is the same: we want girls who feel equipped to think for themselves, not just consume what’s in front of them. That’s the heart of media literacy — and it’s exactly the kind of confidence we work to build in every girl in our programs, both on screen and off.