What is the right way to respond when children laugh off harmful content but are clearly internalising it? 

Parenting Perspective 

When a child laughs at harmful online content, such as violent jokes or cruel humour, parents might assume they are unaffected. However, this laughter can often be a mask for confusion or discomfort, especially if the child keeps returning to the same material. It is important to recognise these mixed signals and open a conversation that helps the child to develop a healthier and more critical perspective. 

Understand the Mixed Signals 

Recognise that the laughter may be a mask to cover discomfort, confusion, or even a silent and gradual acceptance of the harmful content. Children might laugh because they see others doing so, or to hide the fact that they are genuinely disturbed. 

Open a Gentle Conversation 

Instead of immediately criticising or confronting your child, it is better to ask gentle, open-ended questions. You could ask, ‘What is it that you find funny about this?’ or ‘How would this make you feel if it happened in real life?’ Such questions invite your child to reflect on the deeper impact of the content, without making them feel accused or judged. 

Guide Them Towards Awareness 

Gently explain that not all humour is harmless. Constant exposure to damaging messages, even when presented as jokes, can begin to shape our thoughts and normalise behaviour that is disrespectful or cruel. By connecting these ideas to real-life consequences, you can help your child to see why having boundaries around the content they consume is so important. 

Replace Harmful Content With Positive Alternatives 

Encourage your child to explore forms of entertainment that are designed to uplift rather than harm. You can share content together that is genuinely funny, creative, or thought-provoking, so they can experience for themselves how enjoyable these alternatives can be. By actively modelling good choices in what you watch, you show them that joy does not need to come at the expense of one’s values. 

Spiritual Insight 

Islam teaches us to rise above empty or harmful amusement and to be mindful of the content that we allow into our hearts and minds. By showing children that their faith calls them to what is good and pure, parents can help them to nurture a sense of discernment that protects them from negative influences. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Mu’minoon (23), Verses 3: 

‘ And those people that abstain from frivolous gossip.‘ 

This verse describes a key characteristic of a true believer: the ability to consciously turn away from any speech or content that is harmful, empty, or indecent. 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4008, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Let none of you belittle himself.’ They said, “O Messenger of Allah, how does one of us belittle himself?” He said: ‘He sees a matter concerning Allah, about which he should speak, but he does not speak, so Allah says to him on the Day of Resurrection: “What prevented you from speaking concerning such-and-such?” He says: “Fear of the people.” So Allah says: “Rather it is I whom you should have feared.”‘ 

This powerful teaching reminds us that staying silent or laughing along with something that is wrong, rather than rejecting it in our hearts and with our words, can weaken our moral strength and our standing before Allah. 

By helping your children to understand that true happiness is found in content that respects others and strengthens their heart, you can empower them to filter what they see online. This teaches them, over time, that the best and most lasting humour is that which is in harmony with their values and their faith.