Building the library
When your child asks for a video
In short
Your child taps “Ask a parent” on a video they want. The request lands in your approval queue with the video details, and you approve or decline with an optional note. Approved videos join their library immediately; declined ones come back with your reason attached.
Why the request flow exists
A curated library has one obvious failure mode: your child wants something that is not in it, and the only channel for that want is nagging you in person, usually at the least convenient moment. The request flow gives it somewhere to go.
It also changes what the boundary feels like from your child’s side. A library they cannot influence is a wall. A library they can propose additions to is a negotiation, and children engage with negotiations far more constructively — the difference shows up quickly in how often the rules get tested.
From your side it is a much better decision context than being asked in a hallway. You see what the video actually is, you decide when you have a minute, and your reason is attached to the answer rather than delivered as "not now".
How a request travels
Your child taps “Ask a parent”
The button sits on videos they cannot currently watch. Tapping it creates a request against their profile — nothing is added to their library at this point and nothing starts playing.
The request lands in your approval queue
The queue is in the parent dashboard and shows which child asked, which video, and when. Requests are deduplicated per child and video, so asking repeatedly does not flood the queue.
You approve or decline, with an optional note
Your note is the useful part. "Not this one — too scary for bedtime, ask me again at the weekend" lands very differently from a silent decline, and takes about four seconds to type.
The decision applies immediately
Approved videos join that child’s library right away. Declined ones do not, and your reason travels back with the decision. Every decision is recorded, including changes of mind, so you can see how a video was handled over time.
Requests and supervised search
If you have enabled supervised search for a profile, there is a second kind of request. When a search query is blocked by the safety classifier, your child can ask you to allow that specific query rather than that specific video.
These arrive in the same place and work the same way. Approving a query adds it to that child’s allowed-query list, so the same search works next time without another round trip.
Both request types are per child. Approving something for an older sibling has no effect on a younger one’s library or allowed queries.
Common questions
Can my child approve their own requests?
No. Requests are decided only from the parent dashboard, which sits behind your account login. There is no path from the child screen to approving anything.
Do I get notified when a request comes in?
Requests appear in the approval queue in your dashboard, so you can review them in a batch when it suits rather than being interrupted. In practice most parents deal with a few at a time in the evening.
What if I change my mind after declining?
You can approve it later — the decision history keeps the record of both, so you can see how a particular video was handled over time rather than only its current state.
Does approving a video add the whole channel?
No. Approving a request adds that specific video. If you decide you trust the whole channel, add it separately from the library page — that is a deliberate second decision rather than a side effect.
Can my child see why I declined?
Yes, if you write a note. That is the main reason to write one — it turns a decline into an explanation, which is a much better basis for the next conversation than an unexplained no.
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Try it with your own kids
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