We prepare you to have those meaningful dialogues about larger life themes.
We can thank the Wayan Brothers and an upstart FOX Network (ah, happier memories) for transforming the dull Super Bowl Halftime shows to a pop culture event that often overshadows even its famed commercials. Continue reading Thank the Fly Girls for the Super Bowl Halftime Show – A Media History Treat (2/8/2026)
Think about the notes you passed in school or the DMs you’d get.
Would you want those messages available for strangers to see, for data brokers or law enforcement to use? Continue reading Messenger Kids, Meta, and Moderation
I haven’t heard much about Zootopia 2, but I’ll take any chance I can to sing the first one’s praises. Let’s highlight how Judy and Nick are the perfect models against microaggressions. Continue reading [UPDATED] Zootopia: When a rabbit and fox model how to move through our own implicit bias
Another round of K Pop Demon Hunters Sing-Along screenings is scheduled for Oct. 30th-Nov 2nd. Rumi, Mira, and Zoe slammed through our entertainment siloes last summer, resonating across gender and age borders faster than most parents could say “Saja Boys.” Continue reading Takedown! KPop Demon Hunters Sing-Along hits movie theaters this Halloween weekend
Roblox Red Flags and Lawsuits💥what happened with Roblox
💥how it affects your family
💥setting up safety perimeters
💥ways to talk to kids about predators
💥clues your child might be at risk of grooming
💥how to approach the topic if you suspect they’re being groomed Continue reading Roblox Red Flags and Lawsuits (Resources Round-up)
Adolescence feels to many parents like a deep dive into the manosphere and online symbology, yet even this phenomenal piece of art could only scratch the surface. So what can we learn from this stunning miniseries? Continue reading How did “Adolescence” grip the Emmys and parents’ psyches?
Around 2018, young actress Shiloh Nelson started uploading short sketches with her family to social media, which has now grown into the kind of media company that kids dream about. Shiloh & Bros (including Shiloh, Judah, Elijah, and Micah) produce variations of video games in real life, Continue reading Shiloh & Bros: the Antidote to Obnoxious Gamers
Stephanie Mitchell believes that stories create empathy, and empathy is how we change the world. Continue reading Anne Frank & the Impact of Memoir in History w/Stephanie Mitchell
How parents can spot red flags that a Roblox game might be connected to a predator. Continue reading How to spot the red flags in a Roblox game
I am under no delusion that Back to School means we have more time to read, but I can’t keep quiet about these books for parents. Continue reading Back to School Books for Parents: Monsters to Menopause
Ever wonder why “The Cat in the Hat” feels icky?
In recent years, creators will often post React videos but forget the main ingredient–a reaction. Those videos run so rampant that many have been accused of plagiarism. Continue reading What’s a React Video and Why is my Kid Obsessed with Them?
Fortnite is certainly a hot topic among families, and I hear people try to describe this thing that happens….this ethereal idea that Dr. Emily Edlynn, PhD, pinpoints exactly: The Fortnite Creep. Continue reading Fortnite Follow-Up:
“There is no such thing as perfect parenting. And that is actually a GOOD thing! Resilience, creativity, and adaptability—the very qualities that define us as humans—emerge not in spite of imperfection, but because of it. Continue reading No Perfect Parenting
With Anne Frank’s birthday and also the anniversary of The Diary of Anne Frank being published on June 26th, it unlocked a new road into how we learn history: memoir. Continue reading The role of Memoir & Anne Frank in how we teach History (Out Think Media History bonus)
I want to share a special Out Think Media calendar with you all- see which topics I’m covering this month and vote on the dep dive. Continue reading Grab our new June calendar
I don’t remember a time when our kids didn’t ask questions. I do remember the distinct look on my toddler’s face once he saw Mufasa’s injuries, and understood … Continue reading Mufasa & Mortality: Dialogues about Death
Out Think Influencers is the second podcast series from Out Think Media, where I team up with experts to give you the historical, cultural and emotional context needed to understand kids’ media today. Continue reading This is your child’s brain on Influencer Marketing w/ Lauren Mazzarese (Out Think Influencers ep 1)
We are what we watch. And there’s a reason why our kids take the advice of YouTubers and other influencers more than we assume they do. Continue reading Under the Influence of The Royalty Family
No one thinks their child could be groomed online. We interviewed Jen Lawrence from WeFightCyberCrime.org on how to identify and discuss it. Continue reading Primer: Clues your Child Might be at Risk of Grooming
When our kids started reading on their own, I knew we would need to focus on including diverse voices like Native American and Indigenous Booksellers and Authors. Continue reading Support Native American Booksellers & Artists Today
Is the Wicked Witch of the West really the wicked one? How to talk to your kids after seeing the WICKED movie. Continue reading WICKED: When the Hero Must Play the Villain
Media literacy is never done; it is a lifelong process. But how can you sustain meaningful dialogues with your kids? Continue reading Local Newspapers & Elections w/ Emily Popek (Out Think Media History EP 1)
Get an inside look into Inside Out 2 as we dissect themes of friendships, adolescence, and anxiety with experts. Continue reading Burning to Talk About Inside Out 2? Here Are 2 Great Choices
We’re on to minisodes around Representation and Love in pop culture. We’re thrilled to begin with an exploration of Dads, with special guests Shannon Carpenter (Author and Stay-at-Home-Dad) and Dan Jenkins (Creative Director, themed entertainment). Continue reading Bandit Dads: The Good, The Bad, and the Pop Culture Dad (an Out Think the Classics Minisode)
Riley’s in middle school and her brain is overwhelmed with new emotions! How should her parents handle her newly found Anxiety? Continue reading Enter Anxiety: Helping Kids Handle Bigger Emotions in Inside Out 2
I read Turtles All the Way Down while I was slowly coming to understand the role that anxiety plays in my life. If anyone could figure out how to express OCD in writing, it is John Green. Continue reading John Green, OCD, and the Turtles All the Way Down Trailer
Their stories of fulfillment and the neverending tug-of-war between family, love, career, and parental obligations still shine and spark dialogues the whole family can engage in. Continue reading Everyday Marriage Issues on the ISLE OF HOPE
Explaining all the reasons why Tiny Tim died is like explaining why poverty itself exists. Continue reading Why Did Tiny Tim Die? Explaining Poverty to Kids
How can you talk to kids about death and grief? How hard is it to watch “The Boy and the Heron” if you’ve experienced the loss of a parent? Continue reading Death, Grief, The Boy, and the Heron
Given the great news that Pixar is not shying away from tackling puberty in Inside Out 2, let’s bring our conversations about puberty and developing bodies back! Continue reading Pixar, Periods, and Puberty: Inside Out 2
Inundated by Black Friday or Cyber Monday posts?
We know the most important part of gift giving is that it’s personal and meaningful. So for gamer kids, what are the best gifts? Here’s our guide! Continue reading Gift Guide for the Gamers in Your Life 2023
The film and play help children witness a 10-year-old child in transition– moving away from her friends and her life, moving away from following her parents’ instructions, and remembering who you are and where you came from while also learning to move on. Continue reading The Gorgeous Stage Play of “Spirited Away” Now Available to Stream!
I could say so much about The Marvels: how I could watch Iman Vellani (Ms. Marvel) forever; how Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) lets emotions leak past her “I’m fine” face; and how Teyonah Parris (Monica Rambeau/Spectrum?) perfectly blends childhood betrayal and performing her duty even if- and especially when- they conflict.
Maybe one day, I will share some critique of the film, but today is not that day. Continue reading The Marvels: When the Villain is the Hero of Their Own Story
The allegations that Creator Rosanna Pansino has recently brought against MrBeast’s Creator Games 3 is an important lesson for kids to learn about YouTubers so they can view their favorite channels critically. Continue reading The MrBeast Cheating Controversy Shows Your Kids How Editing Tells the Story
They had me at Soot Sprites; it was a lovely way to unwind from a hectic day of playdates and working from home, from setting up and cleaning up from painting adventures, and just from life in general. Continue reading Musings on Miyazaki by a Parent Who Feels Seen
It’s Chuck-E-Cheese meets Freddy Krueger. It’s actually Showbiz Pizza meets Freddy Krueger if you want to get really specific. Continue reading A Parent Primer For “Five Nights at Freddie’s”
It might be one of the first times in modern cinema when the goal is to get into high school and not break out of it. Continue reading A Tale of Mutant Turtle Acceptance
What parents need to know about the Colleen Ballinger controversy and how to protect your children. Continue reading The Sad Ballad of Miranda Sings
We watch Ken, who Ryan Gosling manages to play with both artificial sincerity and heart-wrenching nuance, go from needing to prove himself as Barbie’s love/friend interest to feeling great while she experiences misogyny in The Real World. Continue reading Mattel vs The Matriarchy: How the Barbie Movie Shows that Misogyny & Toxic Masculinity Must Be Taught
Influencer marketing is under fire again thanks to Logan Paul and KSI’s new Prime Energy Drink. Continue reading 7 Ways to Show Your Kids the Power of YouTube Influencers Over Their Brains
My son was three years old when he watched commercials for the first time. So when he said he needed Gatorade out of the blue, a drink he’d never known before that day, I asked him why. Continue reading Tis the Season: Kids and Advertising
The movie offers multiple occasions to start the discussion around stereotypes, and how even in society where people/anthropomorphic animals live in peace, we all still live with implicit bias. Continue reading New on Disney+: Zootopia+ and the Lessons in Zootopia the film
Use different forms of media to get them to see what you mean. If you’re naming a feeling “disappointed,” that doesn’t mean anything to them. But if you can see Charlie Brown does not get invited to any Christmas parties, they can see that and empathize with him. Especially if they’re not getting invited on playdates Continue reading Using Kids’ Media to Teach Emotional Language: Charlie Brown
