How can we teach children to recognise when a video or game is affecting their mood or behaviour negatively? 

Parenting Perspective 

Helping children develop emotional self-awareness is a crucial life skill. This includes teaching them to recognise how their digital diet can affect their feelings and behaviour, empowering them to make healthier choices for themselves. 

Introduce the Idea of Self-Check 

Use a simple analogy to introduce the idea. You could explain that just as some foods make our bodies feel good while others make us feel unwell, the things we watch and play can affect our minds and hearts. Encourage them to pause and notice how they feel. 

Discuss Specific Warning Signs 

Talk about some of the common signals their body and mind might send them. This could include feeling irritable, restless, or sad after playing, or even things like headaches and difficulty sleeping. This helps them to build a vocabulary for their feelings. 

Encourage Honest Reflection 

Create a safe, non-judgmental space for them to talk about their experiences. The goal is to encourage honesty, so if they admit a certain game makes them feel angry, thank them for their self-awareness instead of punishing them. This builds trust and encourages openness. 

Guide Them to Healthier Alternatives 

If you both agree that a certain game is having a negative effect, help them to find a more positive alternative. This shows them that the goal is not to remove all fun, but to choose a better, healthier kind of fun. 

This approach empowers them with the tools to manage their own digital well-being. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches us to be vigilant guardians of our hearts and minds, choosing influences that nurture our faith and character, and turning away from those that cause harm. 

Guarding the Heart and Mind 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al A’raf (7), Verse 201: 

‘Indeed, those who fear Allah – when an impulse from Satan touches them, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight…’ 

This reminds us that developing God-consciousness and self-awareness helps us to quickly recognise harmful influences and turn away from them. 

Choosing What Benefits the Soul 

It is recorded in Jami Tirmidhi, Hadith 2378, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘A man is upon the religion of his best friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends.’ 

This principle extends to the media we consume. By teaching children to be mindful of how their digital ‘companions’ affect them, we are guiding them to protect their hearts and make choices that strengthen their faith.