- Sister Nancy Usselmann, OSV News
Parents today are raising their children in a world very different from that of any other generation. Video games, social networks, streaming platforms, artificial intelligence-based chatbots and instant access to information on screens have transformed everyday life. Do we want to protect the home and raise the family?
The tools of the digital world offer numerous opportunities to learn, create and enjoy. The media convey ideas, values and ways of seeing the world that shape the way people think. If used correctly, they can open children's minds and hearts and enrich their imaginations.
However, technological advances not only carry benefits, but also risks. Harmful content can negatively affect children's emotional and spiritual health. Without guidance, children can, intentionally or unintentionally, be exposed to dangerous digital spaces, where content can undermine their faith and well-being.
For this reason, parents are called upon to supervise the use of technology and to help their children develop a critical view of the media. This responsibility is not just about setting rules or establishing limits: it also has a deep spiritual dimension. Here are 5 ideas.
1. Use technology, without letting it use us
Technology itself is not the enemy. Social networks, video games and artificial intelligence are the fruit of human creativity. However, like any tool, they can be used for good or evil.
Pope Leo XIV stresses that technology must be at the service of the human person, and not replace wisdom and human relationships. Parents, rooted in faith, have the mission to form and guide their children towards the beautiful, the true and the good.
Since young people are not mature enough to fully understand the messages conveyed by the media, they cannot always distinguish between useful and harmful content they find on the Internet. However, it is precisely these messages that shape their minds and hearts. For this reason, parenting should also include spiritual guidance in the digital world.
2. Forming the digital character of children
Being a responsible parent when it comes to media does not simply mean controlling the amount of time children spend in front of the screens. While this is important, it is also necessary to play and watch content together as a family. Accompanying children in the use of technology and sharing as a family allows us to talk about what we see and hear. This helps children to interpret these contents in the light of faith. Talking with children about their digital experience also allows them to develop the capacity for discernment, something fundamental as they grow up.
Parents should aim to shape their children's consciences, not just make sure they follow rules. It's good to encourage them to ask themselves questions about what they consume in the media. For example: How does this story make me feel? Does it reflect something good? Does it bring me closer to God?
When parents help their children distinguish between the good and the harmful in the digital world, they give them tools to take care of their inner life and grow in their relationship with God.
3. Protecting the family through prayer
Helping to strengthen the spiritual life of children is one of the most effective ways to protect them in the digital age. When families pray together, they invite Christ into their home and take center stage in their relationships and activities.
Prayer strengthens children inwardly and helps to form their conscience. It reminds them that they are God's beloved children. When a family prays the rosary or blesses food, or when they present to the Lord their intentions related to the use of technology, God's grace strengthens family bonds. These moments teach children that God is present in all aspects of life, even in their digital lives.
Perhaps the most important factor in the formation of children is the parents' example, since children tend to imitate what they do. If parents are constantly distracted by devices, children internalize that behavior. But when parents pray together and lead the family in prayer, children learn the value and beauty of faith.
4. Transforming technology into a path to sanctity
Technology does not have to weaken faith. Families can strengthen their faith life if they use technology consciously. They can watch inspirational content together and talk about what they see, listen to Scripture recordings, learn about the lives of the saints and use digital tools to deepen their spiritual lives.
Raising children in the digital age is challenging. However, by setting clear boundaries, prohibiting the use of screens in bedrooms, establishing technology-free times and encouraging other activities, including prayer, parents can create an environment of balance and peace in their homes.
5. Watch a series or guide with practical tools
For more tips and ideas on how to raise children who are safe in the digital world and grow in holiness, we recommend the Digital Age Family Safety series, produced by Family Theater Productions and Pauline Media Studies, available at DigitalFamilySafety.org or on their YouTube channel.
The videos are short and are designed to help Catholic parents, who often have little time, to accompany their children in the digital culture with practical tools and simple ideas. The downloadable guides allow access to the content at any time.
Parents seek to raise children who are not afraid of technology, but who use it with maturity and responsibility; children who know how to take advantage of digital tools without being dominated by them. When families pray together, discern together and use media consciously, the home becomes a sacred space where faith is lived, hearts are strengthened and Christ takes center stage. At households thus, holiness can flourish.
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Sister Pauline Nancy Usselmann is director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Los Angeles and a specialist in media literacy education.
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