Smart Ways to Manage Kids’ TV, Music, and Web Time
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Re: Crap on TV
I'm quite offended by FLNonny's inclusion of atheism as one of the "evils of life." In my opinion, closed-mindedness and disrespect for others' beliefs are some of life's real evils. I do agree that there's a lot of shows on TV that kids have no business watching. Guarding against them is part of being a parent.
Why not spend more time on your kids?
I am wondering why so many parents worry about their kids spending too much time on the media but they actualy do the same thing. Everybody born in 60s or 70s in the last centuary should remember how did our parents nurture and educate us. They often played games with us, told many interesting stories and tried their best to create exciting things for us. The nighttime with our families at home gave us impressive memory. Why the present parents wouldn't like to play with their kids? Sometime, even sitting around the dinner table and talking about daily interesting thing become as luxury things. Parents also are arractive to internet game, movies and TV set. One of reason for that may correlate to their stress come from the daily working and other aspects of personal life.
It seems like our kids are enjoying all kinds of wonderful stuff sprout from the modern life of 21 centuary. However, in fact, they are the "poor" generation rather than "rich" because they even have not enough time to communicate with their parents through the simplest method-that is, talking and playing.
Consumer beware, but media giants should, too
This report is a wake-up for parents. But it offers a pointed challenge for the companies that make and sell media products, too. For example, the tobacco companies know the power of movies: their own files over decades are full of massive Hollywood cross-promotion and product placement programs. Yet today, despite conclusive scientific evidence that on-screen smoking causes kids to smoke, the MPAA won't even tell parents when most major studio blockbusters have smoking in them — let alone keep tobacco out of kid-rated films! The studios are denying parents the chance to make a caring choice. That's just irresponsible. Know more by searching on "smokefreemovies" at UCSF.
Need more research on social networking
Dear Nancy,
Thanks for your article on how to manage media with children. As a child clinical psychologist, I work with children with social challenges on a daily basis. Yesterday, I came across a child who was dealing with a recent move and loss of friends by using his Facebook. Then, I had another client who was upset his mother will not let him be on his Facebook after 10:30 pm. He was upset because he stated at least 60 "friends" were typically on the social networking site at that time of night. Today, I ran a parent group and asked them about their opinions about social networking. At first, the mothers were negative about encouraging such networking. Then, I asked how many of them (parents) use Facebook or some other networking site. Over 50% of the parents were using these tools as well. The parents using social networking began talking about the positive effects of using social networking. They felt they could stay in touch with people they do not see on a regular basis. These experiences have made me question my usual stance on discouraging too much computerized media. On one hand, social networking is very exciting. On the other hand, it is a bit scary. I would love to hear other opinions on this. I would also love to learn about any research on this subject.
Steve Curtis, PhD
Child Clinical Psychologist
Author, Understanding Your Child's Puzzling Behavior
www.lifesspanps.com
lifespanpress.blogspot.com
Crap on TV
As a parent of a 14-yr-old girl and an 8-yr-old boy, along with being a high school teacher, I find it disturbing that much TV viewrship is considered acceptable for kids. The media and Hollywood have pushed family dysfunction, young sex, Atheism and just about all the other evils of life while making those things look fine. Today's writers and directors are all either arrogant losers who were raised by wolves or simply cruel, heartless people who hate children. Except for the History channel, Discovery channel and a few others, there is nothing children and teens need to view or should view. Yes, it's vital for parents to watch TV with their kids so they can explain the bad and too-mature stuff, but most shows on TV should be turned off and turned off for good. At this very moment, my two are playing a computer on-line game against their father while all three sit in the same room; I can hear the laughter. It sure beats ANYTHING on TV!
