When my first child was born, I thought I was ready for the sleepless nights and diaper changes. What I didn’t expect was how quickly screen time would become part of our daily rhythm. From lullabies on YouTube to learning colors and shapes, media was everywhere. Now that I’m a mother of three, I can’t help but ask myself, What exactly are my children absorbing through all of this?
For our family, screens usually came into play during very practical moments — when a baby wouldn’t settle for a nap, when I was nursing and needed my toddler occupied, or during that late-afternoon stretch when everyone is tired and patience is thin. Sometimes, it was simply a tool to buy a few calm minutes so I could make dinner or reset myself as a mom. It wasn’t about entertainment as much as survival.
As a mom who loves the Catholic faith, I longed to find media that reflected our values — something beautiful, gentle, and rooted in truth. Instead, I found an ocean of content that was loud, fast-paced, and often hollow. That gap eventually inspired me to create Little Saints TV on the Raising Saints TV network. But along the way of creating this program, I discovered something deeper: Digital media doesn’t have to be the enemy of faith formation. When used intentionally, it can become a powerful ally in helping our children fall in love with Jesus.
Here are a few ways I’ve learned to bring faith into the media moments of family life.
1. Curate with purpose
Before I let my kids watch anything, I ask a simple question: Does this lift their hearts toward something good, true, or beautiful? Not every “educational” show meets that standard. When we find one that does, whether it’s a saint story, a prayer song, or a Bible animation, we make it part of our regular rotation. Repetition builds memory, and when that memory is tied to faith, it sticks in the best way.
2. Watch together
Media can either replace connection or strengthen it. Sitting beside my kids for even a few minutes turns “screen time” into shared time. It lets me ask questions like, “Why do you think St. Francis loved animals?” or “What did you notice about how the characters prayed?”
Those small conversations are catechesis in disguise.
When we watch together, I look for content that is calm, wholesome, and respectful of a child’s imagination. I gravitate toward things that are gentle rather than flashy, and that leave kids peaceful instead of wound up. That makes it easier to be present and talk naturally afterward.
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3. Let music and story become prayer
Children learn through rhythm and repetition. Faith-based songs and stories can open their hearts to prayer without them even realizing it. Sometimes my kids will hum a song about the Guardian Angels while building with blocks or pretend to be St. Joseph fixing something around the house. That’s when I see it — the faith becoming part of their play. Media has done its job when it inspires real-life holiness.
4. Make screens sacred spaces
Before pressing play, we often say, “Jesus, help us learn something good.” When the video ends, I’ll ask, “What did you like best?” or “What did you learn about God today?” These tiny rituals remind all of us that even in a digital age, Christ is Lord of every space, including the screen.
Catholic parents can’t control everything our children see, but we can guide them. We can fill their minds with what is lovely and pure, and show them that joy, music, and holiness belong together. The tools are in our hands — it’s how we use them that makes the difference.
