Safeguarding Our Children from Media—Before They’re Ready

(A Companion to Episode 31, Southern Sisters Podcast)

Hi friends.

One of our goals this season is to make this space be just a little bit more helpful. There are so many things we know and tools we use that we just can't share with our brief recording sessions!

I was talking with a friend last week who heard our episode and reached out about what websites that we use when it comes to checking media that we want our kids to be exposed to. In Episode 31, we barely skimmed the surface of this when we had our Pop Culture Corner. The balance is so hard when you're trying to navigate how to lovingly—and firmly—guard our children from media they’re just not ready for. Today, I wanted to unpack this a little more, and point you toward helpful resources.

Why Media Filtering Matters—Before They’re Ready

As parents (or guardians, aunts, uncles, grandparents), we’re called to protect our children—not just physically, but spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. The truth is, media can introduce ideas, images, and attitudes that aren’t age-appropriate. What seems harmless to us might stir questions or emotions our kids don’t have the tools to process. If children are the great imitators, what are we putting in their sphere of influence that they are going to create in their own lives? 

Here’s why setting boundaries early matters:

1. Kids’ brains are still developing. What they see, hear, and absorb can stick—long before they have the life experience or wisdom to process it.

2. It anchors values. When we thoughtfully choose what media enters their world, we’re reinforcing the morals, faith, and character we’re cultivating at home.

3. It fosters trust. When children know we’re filtering things out of love—not just rule-keeping—they’re more likely to share what they are encountering and ask questions.

We've heard it said that "what you allow today, you endorse tomorrow." Sometimes it can seem overwhelming, because we are constantly exposed to different kinds of media at every turn. 

We don’t have to do this perfectly. We just need to do it lovingly—and consistently.

Helpful Websites That Guide Us in Choosing Media Wisely

Here are a few terrific resources I rely on to figure out whether a movie, show, or book is right for my kids—based on age, themes, and content:

1. Common Sense Media – A comprehensive, user-friendly site with age ratings, content breakdowns, and parent reviews. You can search by title and see details on language, violence, positive messages, and more.
   Website: commonsensemedia.org

2. Plugged In (by Focus on the Family) – Offers thoughtful, faith-based analysis of movies, TV shows, music, and books. Great for insights into worldview, spiritual implications, and moral content.
   Website: pluggedin.com

3. Kids-In-Mind.com – Delivers very detailed, scene-by-scene content reports on movies—covering language, violence, sexual content, and drug/alcohol use. It’s a little more clinical, but super helpful for making choices.
   Website: kids-in-mind.com

Raising children in a media-saturated world isn’t easy. Some days it feels like we’re swimming upstream. But each thoughtful choice, each conversation, each act of gentle protection—it matters. Your effort to shield their tender hearts, while equipping them with wisdom, is a beautiful act of love.

Remember, you’re not just keeping things away from them—you’re protecting space for their imaginations to grow, their innocence to flourish, and their faith to root deeply.

Let’s keep leaning into that mission—together.

Until next time...

Keep striving and we'll see y'all soon.

❤️Megg