Why It’s Important to be a ‘Media-Smart’ Parent?

posted on Oct 23, 2025

Gurukul The School, a top rating school in Ghaziabad, a media-smart parent is someone who understands their child’s digital world well enough to guide them through it

Kids of previous generations didn’t grow up in a digital world. Hence, you can see today’s parents struggling to guide their kids on how to navigate a digital environment. If you cannot relate to the content your kids watch online or haven’t even heard about the new-age platforms they use, then there are high chances that you’re not a media-smart parent.

By ‘media-smart,’ we don’t mean a parent who is a tech expert or engages in helicopter parenting. According to us at Gurukul The School, a top rating school in Ghaziabad, a media-smart parent is someone who understands their child’s digital world well enough to guide them through it. As a parent, you don’t have to monitor every click or impose rigid limitations on your kid’s media usage to become media-smart. You just need to know what they’re experiencing online so you can help them navigate it safely.

If you’re still wondering what the point of becoming a media-smart parent is or how it will impact your kids’ life, then the following points will clear all your doubts. So, let’s quickly delve in and read on.

• Media May Directly Influence Your Child’s Self-Worth

Every day, your kids see hundreds of images and messages online that subtly tell them how they should look, what they should own, and who they should be. If you’re not aware of it, you won’t be able to guide your kids correctly, and they’ll believe these messages to be true.

Hence, we would like to advise all parents to pay attention to what their kids consume online. This awareness can help you counter harmful narratives before they become ‘self-beliefs,’ damaging your kids’ self-worth and confidence.

Besides being aware of the content they see online, start having open-ended conversations around them so they don’t let the internet dictate their life.

• Digital Platforms are Designed to Capture Children’s Attention

Unfortunately, many parents don’t realise that the apps or media platforms their kids use are intentionally made addictive. Auto-play features, reward systems, endless scrolls, etc., aren’t random but carefully crafted to keep users hooked.

Your child’s developing brain is actually competing against billion-dollar companies that profit from their screen time. Hence, as parents, you should try to become media-smart to prevent your kids from being manipulated. Once you start explaining to your kids how most media platforms work, you give them the power to resist digital manipulation or control.

• Increased Screen Time Has Tangible Effects on Kids’ Daily Life

A key reason why we at Gurukul The School advise students to limit their screen time and media consumption is that it directly impacts their daily life. For example, late-night gaming can lead to exhaustion the next day, and group chat drama may bleed into real-life friendships.

As parents, you need to understand that what happens on screens doesn’t stay on screens; it affects your child’s sleep, focus, mental health, mood, and a lot more. Being media-smart will help you understand your child’s digital habits, so you can identify patterns they cannot see yet.

To ensure your kids aren’t affected, encourage them to follow a device-free bedtime routine or explore other practical solutions that prevent online media from damaging their daily routine and life quality.

• Kids Often Encounter Things They Cannot Handle Alone

Kids who spend a significant amount of time on different social media platforms are bound to encounter experiences that may scare, confuse, or pressurise them. For instance, a stranger may send them an inappropriate message, or they may get attacked by a cyberbully online.

In all these situations, they will require your assistance to sail through these experiences. At Gurukul The School, we believe parents can only help their kids when they’re aware of their kids’ digital experiences. Hence, try and focus on becoming your child’s first line of support. Try to guide them through uncomfortable situations rather than immediately confiscating their devices or imposing strict rules.

• Digital Habits Shape Tomorrow’s Adults

Your kids are learning how to exist in a world where screens are everywhere. The patterns they build today will become their habits in their adolescence and adulthood.

Media-smart parents are aware of this fact, so they start teaching their kids that online popularity doesn’t equate to genuine relationships or that experiencing moments matters more than merely documenting them for online views.

The best way to teach these things is by modelling the behaviours or living by the beliefs you want your kids to develop.

Conclusion

We at Gurukul The School, a top rating school in Ghaziabad, firmly believe that by being a media-smart parent, you can give your children something that they cannot get elsewhere. We’re talking about getting a reliable adult who understands their digital reality and can help them navigate it.

By being media smart, we don’t mean you have to be a tech expert or spy on your child’s digital movements, but be driven by curiosity. Simply ask what they’re watching, make time to watch their favourite series together, or have open conversations around their digital experiences. These activities may sound trivial, but they will prepare your kids to navigate the digital world without losing their identity, confidence, self-worth, and beliefs.