Parent Guides

The following lists include links to CMA Fact Sheets and (where indicated) useful parent guides produced by other organisations

Remember, as a parent or carer you know your child best and it is up to you to make decisions as to what is appropriate for the children in your care. Children and Media Australia (CMA) understands that there is enormous variety in the beliefs and behavioural standards that parents apply to themselves and their children. These guides contains information which may promote the ability of families and other interested parties to make informed choices about media matters involving children.(Read our full Disclaimer)

Development stages

• Effects of the media from a child development perspective
• Mind Over Media: Developing good social and emotional skills
• Mind Over Media: Early choices for healthy development
• Physical effects of media use
• Mind Over Media: Developing healthy relationships
• Mind Over Media: Developing a strong and confident sense of self
• Mind Over Media: Developing good thinking skills—analytical and creative
• Mind Over Media: Developing a realistic understanding of the world
• Guidelines for Screen Use for Children from US organisation Zero to Three
• Facing the Screen Dilemma: Young Children, Technology and Early Education. A guide  to help early educators and parents make informed decisions about whether, why, how, and when to use screens (from US organisation Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood)
• American Academy of Pediatrics Media/Screentime Guidelines
• Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines - which include screentime guidelines, from Department of Health
• Canadian Pediatric Society - Screentime and young children

Impact of content

• Dealing with harms that have already occurred
• Short term and long term effects of violence in the media
• Effects of media violence on children
• Toy advertising
• Effects of advertising on stereotyping body images
• Too sexy, Too soon: The sexualisation of children in the media
• Advertising: true or false?

Media and program types

• Children and disaster coverage in the media
• Computer games: true or false?
• Overview of computer and video games
• Watching the TV News
• Facebook
• Apps for young children
• Online safety - A fact sheet from the Child Family Community Australia Information Exchange
• Games, apps and social networking - information from the Australian Government eSafety Commissioner
• Mobile phone safety for children - from the Better Health Channel (Vic, Australia)
• Teenagers and mobile phones - on the Raising Children Network (Australia) website
• Free tools to help keep your kids safe on smartphones - from Australian company Telstra
• Be respectful, patient and kind: How youth are building a better world online - A tip sheet developed by Canadian teens

Parent strategies

• Helping 0 to 3 year olds thrive in a digital world
• Dr Wayne Warburton's 'RES@T-A' program to help the teens' excessive gaming. Link to Australian Story "Game Changer" here and article here
• Ten Tips for Healthy Game Play
• Should my child have a television in his or her bedroom
• Nightmares
• Children and disaster coverage in the media: Questions and answers for parents
• How much time should my children spend with the media
• Top ten television tips for parents
• Dealing with harms that have already occurred
• Keep your children out of the firing line: television food advertising and childhood obesity / overweight
• Fight-free media list: non-violent media for under sevens
• Kids Unbranded: Tips for parenting in a commercial culture (The Center for a New American Dream)
• Evidence-based guidelines for the wise use of computers by children: Physical development guidelines (from School of Physiotherapy, Curtin University, WA)
• Evidence-based guidelines for wise use of electronic games by children (from School of Physiotherapy, Curtin University, WA)
• Screen sense (from US organisation Zero to Three)
• A framework for quality in digital media for young children: Considerations for parents, educators, and media creators from US based Fred Rogers Center
• How to cope with traumatic news - an illustrated guide from the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) website
• Protecting children’s eye sight in a digital age - Tips for parents on the Every chance to learn website
• Advertising action sheet
• Frequently asked questions for some popular apps and websites - fact sheets from ThinkUKnow Australia