Teaching Critical Analysis

Keeping children safe this Christmas season

As the Christmas holidays approach, children will spend more time both at home and online. While the festive season brings excitement and joy, it also tends to increase exposure to digital content, from TV programmes and films to the latest social media trends. Some of this content may be harmful or misleading, meaning it is crucial that parents nurture their children’s critical thinking skills.

Our charity and online movement, founded by Soma Sara in 2020, is dedicated to exposing and eradicating rape culture and sexual violence. We’ve worked with over 40,000 students and 7,000 staff members, delivering more than 300 educational sessions to promote understanding and awareness around topics such as gendered pressures, sexual violence and the rise of online misogyny. This holiday season, we encourage parents and guardians to use family time to help their children develop the tools needed to critically assess the content they consume.

At Everyone’s Invited, we believe fostering critical analysis empowers children to navigate the digital landscape safely, make informed decisions and directly challenge harmful and misogynistic rhetoric. A 2024 Ofcom report revealed that seven in ten children aged 12-17 feel confident in judging whether content is real or fake, demonstrating their potential to engage with these concepts when equipped with the right tools. Teaching children to question

TURN BACK TO PAGES 14 - 16 to read about Newton Prep, Battersea the media they engage with by asking, “Who produced this and why?”, “What is the evidence?” and “What does this content promote?” instils healthy scepticism and empowers them to challenge harmful narratives. One parent told our Head of Facilitation, Alex, how he uses the popular TV programme Love Island to initiate conversations about relationships, respect and consent with his daughters. Watching the show together, they use real-life scenarios to build critical thinking skills in an engaging, collaborative way.

Recently rated Europe’s most resistant nation to fake news, Finland provides another excellent example of integrating critical analysis into early education (The Guardian, 2020). Starting as young as 7, Finnish students are taught to evaluate media and discern fact from fiction - an essential skill in today’s world of misinformation.

Over the holidays, we encourage parents to transform simple family activities, like watching a Christmas film or TikTok together, into meaningful learning experiences. By asking thoughtful questions and modelling empathy and compassion, families can foster their children’s critical thinking skills while opening dialogues on sensitive topics. By empowering children to question the world around them, we can help them recognise and challenge harmful behaviours, ensuring their safety both online and offline. When children are equipped with the right information and skills, they gain the autonomy and independence to make informed, sensible decisions for themselves.

Whilst we understand that the immediate reaction from parents often takes the form of monitoring or restricting their children’s online activity, try starting with open conversations. Constant monitoring can make invasive behaviour feel normal, impacting children’s future relationships. Explain your concerns and why you might need to check in on their online world. Approach it as a team effort, built on trust rather than control. By working together, we can help kids navigate the digital world responsibly while keeping the lines of communication open.

For more information about our work, visit Everyone’s Invited or contact us at education@ everyonesinvited.uk to arrange parent and staff sessions.

SOPHIE LENNOX Communications Officer www.everyonesinvited.uk

Sources: ‘Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report’, OFCOM, 2024, Click here for details

‘How Finland starts its fight against fake news in primary schools’, The Guardian, 29th Jan 2020, Click here for details