Homeschooling With YouTube: Dangerous Enemy or Powerful Ally?
A Bad Rap
Every year when we visit our pediatrician for our son’s annual checkup, I secretly groan when asked about screen time. As both a counselor and a mom, I am aware of how easily young minds are molded and influenced.
When it comes to screen time, I prefer the stance of “quality over quantity.” While I do not park my child in front of the television or a device for mindless hours of unsupervised watching, I have been known to allow a feast or two of carefully, preselected content so that I may indulge in such luxuries as a bathroom break or a shower.
In our homeschool, it’s all about balance—our brood bonds over family-oriented shows and movies. As parents, my husband and I delight at the prospect of putting our only child to bed so we can indulge in our tradition of “late-night date night,” where we pop popcorn and steal away to enjoy a movie or television show – just the two of us. It’s a simple and inexpensive yet effective way to reconnect as a couple.
Powerful Ally or Dangerous Enemy?
While I defend the use of YouTube in our homeschool as a learning aid, I want to make clear our use of the platform is not without caution. Make no mistake, YouTube safety is paramount.
The world is a BIG place and the internet is no exception. If you would not allow a stranger to come inside your home to spend unsupervised time with your child, then why would you allow unfiltered access to the internet?
Just as electronic devices come with parental controls, YouTube videos should come with parental monitoring.
I discourage simply setting parental controls and then giving children free rein. While in 2019 YouTube made advancements with policy changes to its content made for children (based on the platform’s previous violations of the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act or COPPA), some content may still pose concerns due to each individual child’s or family’s sensitivities and/or values.
For a tutorial on how to set up parental controls on YouTube, click here.
Conversely, other content not labeled as “kid’s content” can be quite educational and fun. Choosing these videos will require a bit more legwork on the parent’s part, but it is time well spent. (For more information on how I select content to use in my homeschool, subscribe to my blog and YouTube channel for upcoming posts. )
For other tips on how to keep your child safe on YouTube, check out the videos below:
Talk with Your Kids About Internet Safety
Unfortunately, we do not have to leave our homes for predators to have access to our children. Exposure to explicit content can elicit fear, confusion, and difficulties in processing the experience.
(If this has happened in your family, do not lose heart. There are specialists who can assist you and your family during this difficult time. Please visit our Resources pages for assistance.)
The best defense is a good offense. Talk with your children openly about technology, the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful.
Make Playlists
Even seemingly innocuous, family-friendly programs can present problems A few years ago, an early education show focused on teaching math skills unearthed an unexpected and unwanted side effect in our home.
Through my adult gaze, one particular character was clearly the villain but not what I would describe as necessarily “frightening.” Our son, it turns out, perceived the character differently. After a sleepless night or two of our six-year-old crawling into bed with us, we unsubscribed to the channel. We processed his fears and openly encouraged him to always come to us with any concerns.
Rather than simply allow him unfettered access to ANY channel, I preview ALL videos ahead of time and make playlists of approved content. Granted, my parental controls are set in place, but as my son is still quite young, I prefer to be within earshot when he watches.
With the policy changes in 2019, much of the content labeled as “made for kids” poses a challenge when trying to create a playlist. However, there is a way around this obstacle.
For a tutorial on how to make YouTube Playlists from content made for kids, click here.
Like and Subscribe, But Set A Limit
While I tout the advantages of YouTube in my homeschool and make content for it as both a hobby and as part of my role as an advocate, I view the platform as just one of the tools in my toolbox. Just as not every problem is a nail, YouTube should not be your hammer. Use wisely.
Blessings,
Kimberly
IOH Mom
This website is not a professional counseling website and nothing here should be construed as professional counseling advice. Although Kimberly Bennett, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she is not your counselor, and no counselor-client relationship is established unless she has signed an agreement with you. All information provided through this website is for informational and educational purposes only. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement. Thank you for visiting!
