Her kids wouldn’t stop quoting memes—so she turned it into a genius learning trick

You hear it all the time: your child comes home from school, grinning ear to ear, repeating some new catchphrase you don’t understand—“six seeeveeeen,” anyone?

Most parents might sigh, roll their eyes, and hope it passes. But TikTok creator @dewwwdropzzz has a clever way to turn these earworms into teachable moments: she assigns her kids a mini “book report” on each phrase.

In a viral clip with  30.4K views, she explains that when her sons pick up a new expression, they research it together: “We go on a journey together and we decide to research what that means, where it comes from, why it happened, and where it stemmed from,” she says.

The result? Her kids are starting to see how culture, media, and memes spread—and why it’s worth thinking twice before repeating something.

Related: An 11-year-old was about to get her first phone—then her mom came up with a ‘social media prep school

What parents are saying

The idea has clearly resonated with other parents and caregivers. Many shared that they loved the concept of turning kids’ catchphrases into teachable moments, noting that it encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and awareness of language.

Others expressed interest in trying it themselves, eager to see how their own children might respond to exploring the meaning, origin, and impact of the words they use.

• “It’s not that deep” Well, it’s time for String Theory, Kids!” — @jernijones
• “I’m putting this in the back pocket this is so good.” — @jacksbleedingheart
• “This is really the only way. Make them learn the origin. My boys are 12 and 15 but they have learned it’s always that deep because most of their lives it was working towards getting degrees in art and art history.” — @lovelucknlollipops
• “I do this too. Why are you saying this? Find our together.” — @sutazoo  

Why it works

Investigating the origin, context, and audience of a phrase helps children develop media literacy while also supporting critical developmental skills like curiosity, perspective-taking, and critical thinking.

According to the Project for Civic Health, encouraging students to explore the meaning and implications of language fosters deeper understanding and helps them recognize different perspectives. By guiding kids to ask why a phrase exists, where it came from, and how it might affect others, parents can reduce mindless mimicry of trends and nurture thoughtful, responsible communication.

It’s not just about “staying politically correct.” It’s about helping kids see connections, weigh intent versus impact, and understand the cultural web that memes and catchphrases travel through.

Related: Teaching kids to spot ‘weaponized incompetence’ before it becomes a habit

Your step-by-step plan for making catchphrases count

Step 1: Ask “What do you think it means?”
Step 2: Research together – origin, first usage, who’s saying it, who’s the butt of the joke.
Step 3: Check appropriateness – slurs, dog whistles, ableism, or cultural/identity terms.
Step 4: Decide family guidelines – write a 3-sentence mini-report for kid-friendly reference.
Step 5: Close with “Where might this be fine / not fine?”

Age-by-age prompts:

• 6–9: “Who taught you this? What do they think it means?”
• 10–12: “Where did it spread? Who benefits when it goes viral?”
• 13+: “If you post/say it, who could be harmed? What’s your intent vs. impact?”

Red flags & when to shut it down

Some phrases cross a line. For those, model replacing them with something acceptable and explain why. If a catchphrase contains slurs, targeted harassment, or extremist dog whistles, model replacing it with something else. Explain why certain words or jokes aren’t acceptable and offer an alternative so kids don’t feel shut down but guided.

Turning memes into media literacy lessons

By turning viral sayings into mini investigative projects, parents can help kids build media literacy, empathy, and critical thinking—while keeping the fun of memes alive. And yes, it might even save your sanity.

Source: 

1. Project for Civic Health. 2025. “Developing media literacy at a young age.”